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TAe   RESPONSE   ^/HISTORY   u   the 
VOICE    ^/  PROPHECY      ;.-      ;;      ;;      .•; 


A  Verse  by  Verse  Study  of  these 
Important  Books  of  the  Bible 


By  URIAH   SMITH 

Juthor  of  " Here  and  Hereafter,'^  " Looking  unto   jfesus,"  "7'be 

Marvel  of  Nations, "  "  Synopsis  of  Present  Truth, ' '  and 

other  Works  on  Bible  Subjects 


REVIEW  y  HERALD   PUBLISHING  ASSN. 

WASHINGTON,    D.    C. 


s,xsa/ 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1897, 

By  URIAH  SMITH, 

•n  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington.  D.  C. 


Also  Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall.  Lo:  do.     fc'    "land. 


"oDyrighi,  :.907.  by  Mrs.  Uriah  Smith. 


1.  With  Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  and  for  three  hundred 
and  eight  years  contemporary  with  Adam,  the  voice  of  prophecy  be- 
gan to  te  heard  through  human  lips.  For  so  the  apostle  Jude  de- 
clares :  "And  Enoch  also,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  of  these, 
saying.  Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousands  of  his  saints, 
to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly 
among  tliem,  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds  which  they  have  ungodly 
committed,  and  of  all  their  hard  speeches  which  ungodly  sinners 
have  spoken  against  him."  Jude  l-i,  15.  This  sublime  and  earliest 
prophecy  reaches  to  the  end  of  time.  And  through  all  the  interven- 
ing ages,  other  prophecies  have  covered  all  the  more  important  events 
in  the  great  drama  of  history. 

2.  The  coming  to  pass  of  these  great  events  has  been  but  the  re- 
sponse of  history  to  what  the  prophecies  had  declared.  And  thus 
amid  the  ever-present  evidences  of  the  short-sightedness  of  men,  and 
the  ever-recurring  failures  of  human  schemes,  a  voice  has  continually 
gone  up  from  earth  to  heaven,  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  endureth 
forever." 

3.  It  is  for  the  purpose  of  calling  attention  to  some  of  these  im- 
portant prophetico-historical  lessons,  if  we  may  be  permitted  to  coin 
a  word,  that  this  volume  is  \\'ritten.  And  the  books  of  Daniel  and  the 
Revelation  are  chosen  for  this  purpose,  because  in  some  respects  their 
prophecies  are  more  direct  than  are  to  be  found  elsewhere  upon  the 
prophetic  page,  and  the  fulfilments  more  striking.  The  object  before 
us  is  threefold:  (1)  To  gain  an  understanding  of  the  wonderful  testi- 
mony of  the:  books  themselves;  (2)  To  acquaint  ourselves  with  some 
of  the  more  interesting  and  important  events  in  the  history  of  civi- 
lized nations,  and  mark  how  accurately  the  prophecies,  some  of  them 
depending  upon  the  develo]:)ments  of  tlie  then  far-distant  future,  and 
upon  conditions  the  most  minute  and  complicated,  have  been  fulfilled 
in  these  events;  and  (3)  To  draw  from  these  things  important  lessons 
relative  to  practical  Christian  duties,  which  were  not  given  for  past 
ages  merely,  but  are  for  the  learning  and  admonition  of  the  world 
to-day. 

4.  The  looks  of  Daniel  and  the  Revelation  are  counterparts  of 
each  other.  They  naturally  stand  side  by  side,  and  should  be  studied 
together. 

•    ■  (3)       '  • 


4  PREFACE 

5.  ^^'e  are  aware  that  any  attempt  to  explain  these  books  and 
make  an  application  of  their  prophecies,  is  generally  looked  upon  as  a 
futile  and  fanatical  task,  and  is  sometimes  met  even  with  open  hostil- 
ity. It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  any  portions  of  that  volume 
which  all  Christians  believe  to  be  the  book  wherein  God  has  under- 
taken to  reveal  his  will  to  manlvind,  should  come  to  be  regarded  in 
such  a  light.  But  a  great  fact,  to  which  the  reader's  attention  is 
called  in  the  following  paragraph,  is  believed  to  contain  for  this  state 
of  things  both  an  explanation  and  an  antidote. 

6.  There  are  two  general  systems  of  interpretation  adopted  by 
different  expositors  in  their  efforts  to  explain  the  sacred  Scriptures. 
The  first  is  the  mystical  or  spiritualizing  system  invented  by  Origen, 
to  the  shame  of  sound  criticism  and  the  curse  of  Christendom;  the 
second  is  the  system  of  literal  interpretation,  used  by  such  men  as 
Tyndale,  Luther,  and  all  the  Reformers,  and  furnishing  the  basis  for 
every  advance  step  which  has  thus  far  been  made  in  the  reformation 
from  error  to  truth  as  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  According  to  the 
first  system,  every  declaration  is  supposed  to  have  a  mystical  or  hid- 
den sense,  which  it  is  the  province  of  the  interpreter  to  bring  forth; 
by  the  second,  every  declaration  is  to  be  taken  in  its  most  obvious  and 
literal  sense,  except  where  the  context  and  the  well-known  laws  of 
language  show  that  the  terms  are  figurative,  and  not  literal ;  and  what- 
ever is  figurative  must  be  explained  by  other  portions  of  the  Bible 
which  are  literal. 

7.  By  the  mystical  method  of  Origen,  it  is  vain  to  hope  for  any 
uniform  understanding  of  either  Daniel  or  the  Revelation,  or  of  any 
other  book  of  the  Bible;  for  that  system  (if  it  can  be  called  a  system) 
knows  no  law  but  the  uncurbed  imagination  of  its  adherents;  hence 
there  are  on  its  side  as  many  different  interpretations  of  Scripture  as 
there  are  different  fancies  of  different  writers.  By  the  literal  method, 
everything  is  subject  to  well-established  and  clearly-defined  law;  and, 
viewed  from  this  standpoint,  the  reader  will  be  surprised  to  see  how 
simple,  easy,  and  clear  many  portions  of  the  Scriptures  at  once  be- 
come, which,  according  to  any  other  system,  are  dark  and  unsolvable. 
It  is  admitted  that  many  figures  are  used  in  the  Bible,  and  that  much 
of  the  books  under  consideration,  especially  that  of  the  Revelation, 
is  clothed  in  symbolic  language;  but  it  is  also  claimed  that  the  Scrip- 
tures introduce  no  figure  which  they  do  not  somewhere  furnish  literal 
language  to  explain.  This  volume  is  offered  as  a  consistent  exposi- 
tion of  the  books  of  Daniel  and  the  Revelation  according  to  the  literal 
system. 

8.  The  study  of  prophecy  should  by  no  means  be  neglected;  for 
it  is  the  prophetic  portions  of  the  word  of  God  which  especially  con- 
stitute it  a  lamp  to  our  feet  and  a  light  to  our  path.  So  both  David 
and  Peter  unequivocally  testify.      Ps.  119  :  105  ;  2  Peter  1 :  19. 

9.  No  sublimer  study  can  occiipy  the  mind  than  the  study  of  those 
books  in  which  Tie  who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning,  looking  for- 
ward through  nil  tl^e  ages,  gives,  through  his  inspired  prophets,  a  de- 
scription of  coming  events  for  the  benefit  of  those  whose  lot  it  would 
be  to  meet  them. 


PREFACE  5 

10.  An  increase  of  knowledge  respecting  the  prophetic  portions  of 
the  word  of  God  was  to  be  one  of  the  characteristics  of  the  last  days. 
Said  the  angel  to  Daniel,  "  But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words, 
and  seal  the  book,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end :  many  shall  run  to  and 
fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased;"  or,  as  Michaelis's  translation 
reads:  '"  When  many  shall  give  their  sedulous  alteniion  to  the  under- 
standing of  these  things,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased."  It  is 
our  lot  to  live  this  side  the  time  to  which  the  angel  told  Daniel  to  thus 
shut  up  the  words  and  seal  the  book.  That  restriction  has  now  ex- 
pired by  limitation.  In  the  language  of  the  figure,  the  seal  has  been 
removed,  ajid  many  are  running  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  has  mar- 
velously  increased  in  every  department  of  science;  yet  it  is  evident 
that  this  prophecy  specially  contemplates  an  increase  of  knowledge 
concerning  those  prophecies  that  are  designed  to  give  us  light  in  refer- 
ence to  the  age  in  which  we  live,  the  close  of  this  dispensation,  aud 
the  soon-coming  transfer  of  all  earthly  governments  to  the  great  King 
of  Eighteousness,  who  shall  destroy  his  enemies,  and  crown  with  an 
infinite  reward  every  one  of  his  friends.  The  fulfilment  of  the  proph- 
ecy in  the  increase  of  this  knowledge,  is  one  of  the  pleasing  signs 
of  the  present  time.  For  more  than  half  a  century,  light  upon  the 
prophetic  word  has  been  increasing,  and  shining  with  ever-growing 
luster  to  our  own  day. 

11.  In  no  portion  of  the  word  of  God  is  this  more  apparent  than 
in  the  books  of  Daniel  and  the  Revelation;  and  we  may  well  congratu- 
late ourselves  on  this,  for  no  other  parts  of  that  word  deal  so  largely 
in  prophecies  that  pertain  to  the  closing  scenes  of  this  world's  history. 
No  other  books  contain  so  many  chains  of  prophecy  reaching  down  to 
the  end.  In  no  other  books  is  the  grand  procession  of  events  that 
leads  ns  through  to  the  termination  of  probationary  time,  and  ushers 
US  into  the  realities  of  the  eternal  state,  so  fully  and  minutely  set 
forth.  J^o  other  books  embrace  so  completely,  as  it  were  in  one  grand 
sweep,  all  the  truths  that  concern  the  last  generation  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  earth,  and  set  forth  so  comprehensively  all  the  aspects  of 
the  times,  physical,  moral,  and  political,  in  which  the  triumphs  of 
earthly  woe  and  wickedness  shall  end,  and  the  eternal  reign  of  right- 
eousness begin.  We  take  pleasure  in  calling  attention  especially  to 
these  features  of  the  books  of  Daniel  and  the  Revelation,  which  seem 
heretofore  to  have  been  too  generally  overlooked  or  misinterpreted. 

12.  There  seems  to  be  no  prophecy  which  a  person  can  have  so  lit- 
tle excuse  for  misunderstanding  as  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  especially 
as  relates  to  its  main  features.  Dealing  but  sparingly  in  language 
that  is  highly  figurative,  explaining  all  the  symbols  it  introduces, 
locating  its  events  within  the  rigid  confines  of  prophetic  periods,  it 
points  out  the  first  advent  of  the  Messiah  in  so  clear  and  unmistakable 
a  manner  as  to  call  forth  the  execration  of  the  Jews  upon  any  attempt 
to  explain  it,  and  gives  so  accurately,  and  so  many  ages  in  advance, 
the  outlines  of  the  gre':'.t  events  of  our  world's  history,  that  infidelity 
stands  confovmded  and  dumb  before  its  insnired  record. 

13.  And  no  effort  to  arrive  at  a  correct  understanding  of  tlie 
book  of  the  Revelation  needs  any  apology;  for  the  Lord  of  prophecy 


6  PREFACE 

has  himself  pronounced  a  blessing  upon  him  that  readeth  and  they 
that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  the  things  that  are 
written  therein;  for  the  time  is  at  hand.  Rev.  1:1-3.  And  it  is 
with  an  honest  jiurpose  of  aiding  somewhat  in  arriving  at  this  under- 
standing, which  is  set  forth  by  the  language  above  referred  to  as  not 
only  possible  but  praiseworthy,  that  an  exposition  of  this  book,  ac- 
cording to  the  literal  ride  of  interpretation,  has  been  attempted. 

11.  With  thrilling  interest  we  behold  to-day  the  nations  marshal- 
ing tlieir  forces,  and  pressing  forward  in  the  very  moven\ents  de- 
scribed by  the  royal  seer  in  the  court  of  Babylon  twenty-five  hundred 
years  ago,  and  by  John  on  Patmos  eighteen  huntlred  years  ago;  and 
these  movements  —  hear  it,  ye  children  of  men  —  are  the  last  political 
revolutions  to  be  accomi^lished  before  this  earth  plunges  into  her  final 
time  of  trouble,  and  Michael,  the  great  Prince,  stands  up,  and  his  peo- 
ple, all  who  are  found  written  in  the  book,  are  crowned  with  full  and 
final  deliverance.      Dan.  12 : 1,  2. 

15.  Are  these  things  so  ?  "  Seek,"  says  our  Saviour,  "  and  ye 
shall  find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  God  has  not 
so  concealed  his  truth  that  it  will  elude  the  search  of  the  humble 
seeker. 

^\'ith  a  prayer  that  the  same  S"irit  by  which  those  portions  of 
Scri]";ture  which  form  the  basis  of  this  volume  were  at  first  inspired, 
and  whose  aid  the  writer  has  sought  in  his  expository  efforts,  may  rest 
abundantly  upon  the  reader  in  his  investigations,  according  to  the 
promise  of  the  Saviour  in  John  IH:  7,  l''>,  15,  this  work  is  commended 
to  the  candid  and  careful  attention  of  all  who  are  interested  in 
prophetic  themes.  U.  S. 

Battle  Creek,  ^Micii., 
January,  1897. 


^ 


ONTENTS 


XTbe  Book  of  2)aniel 


CHAPTEIi  I 
Daniel  ix  Captivity  -  -  -  -  - 

Characteristics  of  the  Sacred  Writings  —  Five  Historical 
Facts  —  Prophecy  of  Jerusalem's  Captivity  —  The  Holy  City 
Three  Times  Overthrown  —  God's  Testimony  against  Sin  — 
Condition  and  Treatment  of  Daniel  and  His  Companions  — 
Character  of  King  Nebuchadnezzar — Signification  of  Pagan 
Names  —  Daniel's  Integrity  —  The  Result  of  His  Experiment 
— ■  Daniel  Lives  till  the  Time  of  Cvrus. 


23 


CHAPTER    II 
The  Great  Eaiage        -  -  -  -  -  -        33 

A  Difficulty  Explained  —  Daniel  Enters  upon  His  Work  — 
WIio  VvVre  the  Magicians? — -Trouble  lietween  the  King  and 
the  Wise  Men  —  The  Ingenuity  of  the  Magicians  —  The 
King's  Sentence  against  Them  —  Remarkable  Providence  of 
God  —  The  Help  Sought  by  Daniel — -A  Good  Example  — 
Daniel's  Magnanimity  —  A  Natural  Character  —  The  Magi- 
cians Exposed  —  What  the  World  Owes  to  the  People  of  Go<l 

—  Appropriateness  of  the  Symbol  —  A  vSublime  Chapter  of 
Human    History  —  Beginning   of    the    Babylonian    Kingdom 

—  What  is  Meant  by  a  Hniversal  Kingdom  —  Description  of 
Babylon  —  The  Heavenly  City  —  Babylon's  Fall  —  Stratagem 
of  Cyrus  —  Belshazzar's  Imiiious  Feast  —  Prophecy  Fulfilled 

—  Babylon  Reduced  to  Hea])S  —  The  Second  Kingdom,  jMedo- 
Persia  —  Persian  Kings,  and  Time  of  Their  Reign  —  Per- 
sia's Last  King  —  Alexander  the  Great  —  His  Contemptible 
Character — The  Fourth  Kingdom  —  The  Testimony  of  Gib- 

(7) 


8  CONTENTS 

bon  —  Influences  Avhieh  Undermined  Rome  —  A  False  Theory- 
Examined —  What  the  Toes  Signify  —  Rome  Divided  — 
Names  of  the  Ten  Divisions  —  Subsequent  History  —  God's 
Kingdom   Still   Future  —  Its  Nature,  Location,   and  Extent. 

CHAPTER   III 

The  Fiery  Ordeal      -  -  -  -  -  -        92 

Nebucliadnezzar's  Image  vs.  God's  —  Devotion  of  Idolaters  — 
Th'  Jews  Accused  —  The  King's  Forbearance  —  The  Fiery 
Fi  nace  —  Its  Effect  on  the  Chaldeans — -The  Course  of  the 
Tiiree  Worthies  —  The  Wonderful  Deliverance  —  Its  Effect 
on  the  King's  Mind  —  Integrity  Honored. 

CHAPTER   IV 

Nebuchadnezzar's  Decree  -----  i03 
The  Oldest  Decree  on  Record  —  Humiliation  Confessed  —  A 
Good  Example  —  Nebuchadnezzar's  Condition  —  God's  Deal- 
ing v.-ith  the  King  —  The  Magicians  Humbled  —  A  Remark- 
■  able  Illustration  —  ]\fercy  in  Judgment  —  An  Important  Key 
to  Prophetic  Interpretation  —  Angels  Interested  in  Human 
Affairs  —  The  King's  Acknowledgment  —  Daniel's  Hesitation 
—  His  Delicate  Answer  to  the  King  —  Judgments  Condi- 
tional—  The  Lesson  Unheeded  —  The  Blow  Falls  —  The 
King's  Restoration  —  The  End  Gained  —  Nebuchadnezzar's 
Death  —  Summary  of  His  Experience. 

CHAPTER   V 
Belshazzar's   Feast  .  .  -  .  .       ^14 

Closing  Scenes  of  Babylon's  History — -Celebration  of  the 
Conquest  of  Judea  —  The  Sacred  Vessels  Desecrated  —  God 
Interferes  with  the  Revelry  —  The  Phantom  Hand  —  Change 
of  Scene  —  Daniel  Called  —  The  Lesson  to  the  King  —  The 
Writing  Interpreted  —  The  Fulfilment  Follows  —  Edwin  Ar- 
nold's Prize  Poem, 

CHAPTER   VI 
Daniel  in  the  Lions'  Den  .  -  .  -  -      ^28 

Date  of  the  Persian  Kingdom  —  Cyrus  Sole  Ruler  —  Paul's 
Reference  to  Daniel's  Experience  —  Extent  of  the  Persian 
Kingdom  —  A  Fiendish  Plot  —  Righteousness  Daniel's  only 
Fault  —  False  Witness  of  the  Conspirators  —  Daniel  Undis- 
turbed —  The  Decree  Secured  —  The  Victim  Ensnared  —  Tlie 
King's   Dilemma  —  Daniel   Cast   into   the  Lions'   Den  —  His 


CONTENTS  9 

Wonderful  Preservation  —  Fate  of  Daniel's  Accusers  —  Dan- 
iel Doubly  Vindicated  —  The  King's   Decree. 

CHAPTER  VII 

The  Four  Beasts       ------      139 

(In-onological  Connection  —  Rule  of  Scripture  Interpreta- 
tion—  Signification  of  the  Symbols  —  The  Kingdoms  Iden- 
tical with  Those  of  Daniel  2  —  Why  the  Vision  is  Repeated 

—  Change  in  Babylonish  History  —  Deterioration  of  Earthly 
Governments  —  The  Symbol  of  the  Bear  Explained  —  Grecia 
the  Third  Kingdom  — Rapidity  of  Its  Conquests  —  Testi- 
mony of  Rollin  —  Signification  of  the  Four  Heads  of  the 
Leopard  Beast  —  The  Nondescript — Signification  of  the  Ten 
Horns  — A  Little  Horn  among  the  Ten  — The  Judgment 
Scene  —  A  Temporal  Millennium  Impossible  —  Character  of 
the  Little  Horn  — Gradual  Development  of  the  Romish 
Church  — Opposition  of  the  Arians  —  The  Three  Horns 
Plucked  Up  —  ]\rillions  of  :^^artyrs  —  A  Feeble  Defense  — 
Paganism  Outdone  —  Meaning  of  Time,  Times,  and  a  Half 

—  Date  of  Papal  Supremacy  —  Date  of  Papal  Overthrow  — 
Rome  a  Republic  -—  The  Power  of  the  Papacy  Waning  in  Its 
Stronghold  —  A  Later  Judgment  —  The  Ecumenical  Coun- 
cil—Victor Emmanuel's  United  Italy  — End  of  the  Pope's 
Temporal  Power  —  Its  Coming  Destruction. 

CHAPTER   VIII 
Vision  of  the  Ram,  Hi:-Goat,  axd  Little  Horn  -  -      188 

Change  from  Chaldaic  to  Hebrew  —  Date  of  Belshazzar's 
Reign  —  Date  of  This  Vision  —  Where  was  Shushan^  — A 
Prophecy  of  Isaiah  Fulfilled  —  The  Angel  Explains  the  Sym- 
bols—  How  the  Goat  Represents  the  Grecians  —  Alexander 
the  Great  —  Battle  at  the  River  Granicus  —  Battle  at  the 
Passes  of  Issus  —  The  Great  Battle  of  Arbela  —  Subversion 
of  the  Persian  Kingdom,  b.  c.  331  —  Alexander's  Famous  Re- 
ply to  Darius  —  The  World  Will  not  Permit  Two  Suns  nor 
Two  Sovereigns  —  Increase  of  Power  —  Alexander's  Disgrace- 
ful Death  —  Division  of  the  Kingdom  —  The  Roman   Horn 

—  How  It  Came  out  of  One  of  the  Horns  of  the  Goat  — 
Antiochus  Epiphanes  not  This  Horn  — Rome  the  Power  Sym- 
bolized by  the  Little  Horn  — What  is  the  "Daily"?  — Two 
Desolating  Powers  Brou.T'ht  to  View  —  When  On-->ression  of 
the  Saints  Will  End  — The  2300  Days  not  Here  Explained 

—  The  Sanctuary  Explained  —  Wl^ ft  the  Cleansing  of  the 
Sanctuary    Is  —  The    King     of     Fierce     Countenance  —  By 


10  COXTEXTS 

What  Cleans  the  lionians  Prospered  —  The  Exi)kinatiuii  not 
Finished  —  Tlu^  Reason  Wliy. 

CHAPTER   IX 
The    Sevextv    Weeks  -  .  .  _  .      233 

'1  he  Short  Time  between  the  Visions  —  Daniel's  Understand- 
ing- of  Jeremiah's  Prophecy  —  Daniel's  Wonderful  Prayer  — 
Gabriel  again  Appears  —  Vision  of  Chapter  8  Explained- — 
Connection  between  Chapters  Eight  and  Xine  Established  — 
The  Time  Explained  —  The  Seventy  Weeks  —  The  Meaning 
of  ''Cut  Off"  — Testimony  of  Dr.  Hales  — Date  of  the  Sev- 
enty Weeks  —  The  Decree  of  (^rus  —  The  Decree  of  Darius 

—  The  Decree  of  Artaxerxes  —  The  Year  -i5T  before   Christ 

—  Date  of  Christ's  Baptism  —  Date  of  Christ's  Crucifixion 

—  Invention  of  the  Christian  Era  —  Intermediate  Dates  — 
Harmony  Established  —  The  Genuine  Jleading  —  Ptole.iy's 
Canon  —  The  End  of  the  2300  Days. 

CHAPTER    X 
Daniel's    Last    Vision  .  -  .  .  .       270 

Time  of  Daniel's  Various  Visions  —  How  Cyrus  Became  Sole 
Monarch  —  Daniel's  Purpose  in  Seeking  God  —  Scriptural 
Fasting  —  Another  Appearance  of  the  Angel  Gabriel  —  The 
Effect  upon  Daniel  —  Daniel's  Age  at  This  Time  —  The  An- 
swer to  Prayer  Sometimes  not  Immediately  Apparent  — ■  Who 
Michael  Is  —  Daniel's  Solicitude  for  His  People  —  The  Re- 
lation of  Christ  and  Gabriel  to  the  King  of  Persia  and  the 
Projihet  Daniel. 

CHAPTER    XI 
A  LiTEHAL  Prophecy  .....      279 

Succession  of  Kings  in  Persia  —  The  Rich  King  — ■  The  Larg- 
est Army  ever  Assembled  in  the  World  —  Meaning  of  the 
Phrase  "  Stand  Up  "  —  Alexander  in  Eclipse  —  His  Kingdom 
Divided  among  His  Four  Leading  Generals  —  Location  of  the 
King  of  the  North  and  the  King  of  the  South  —  jMacedon 
and  Thrace  Annexed  to  Syria  —  The  Syrian  Kingdom 
Stronger  than  the  Kingdom  of  Egyi^t  —  Divorce  and  Mar- 
riage of  Antiochus  Theos  —  Laodice's  Revenge  —  Berenice 
and  Her  Attendants  Murdered  —  Ptolemy  Eucrgetes  Avenges 
the  Death  of  His  Sister— Syria  Plundered- 2,500  Idols 
Carried  to  Egypt  —  Antiochus  Magnus  Avenges  the  Cause  of 
His   Father  —  Defeated   l:y   the   Egyptians  —  Ptolemy    Over- 


CONTENTS  11 

come  by  His  Vices  —  Another  Syrian  Campaign  against  Egypt 

—  New  Complications  —  Kome  Introduced  —  Syria  and  Mac- 
edonia Forced  to  Ketire  —  Kome  xVssumes  tiie  Guardianship 
of  the  Egyptian  King  —  The  Egyptians  Defeated  —  Autio- 
chus  Falls  before  the  Romans  —  Syria  Made  a  lioman  Prov- 
ince—  Judea  Conquered  by  Pompey  —  Caesar  in  Egypt  — 
Exciting  Scenes  —  Cleopatra's  Stratagem  —  Caesar  Triumph- 
ant—  Venl,    Vidl,    Vici — ^  Caesar's   Death  —  Augustus    Caesar 

—  The  Triumvirate  —  The  Augustan  Age  of  Rome  —  The 
Birth  of  Our  Lord  —  Tiberius,  the  Vile —  Date  of  Christ's 
Baptism  —  Rome's  League  with  the  Jews  —  Caesar  and  An- 
tony— -The  Battle  of  Actium  —  Final  Overthrow  of  Jerusa- 
lem —  What  is  Meant  by  Chittim  —  The  Vandal  War  —  The 
'•'  Daily  "  Taken  Away  —  Justinian's  Famous  Decree  —  The 
Goths  Driven  from  Rome  —  Long  Triumph  of  the  Papacy  — 
The  Atheistical  King  —  The  French  Revolution  of  179-5  — 
The  Bishop  of  Paris  Declares  Himself  an  Atheist  —  France 
as  a  Nation  Rebels  against  the  Author  of  the  L'niverse  —  The 
Marriage  Covenant  Annulled  —  God  Decleared  a  Phantom, 
Christ  an  Impostor  —  Blasphemy  of  a  Priest  of  Illuminism 

—  A  Dissolute  Female  the  Goddess  of  Reason  —  Titles  of 
Nobility  Abolished  —  Their  Estates  Confiscated  —  The  Land 
Divided  for  Gain  —  Termination  of  the  Reign  of  Terror  — 
Time  of  the  End,  1798  —  Triple  War  between  Eg^q:)t,  France, 
and  Turkey  —  Napoleon's  Dream  of  Eastern  Glory  —  He 
Diverts  the  War  iVom  England  to  Egypt  —  His  Ambition 
Embraces  all  Historical  Lands  of  the  East  —  Downfall  of  the 
Papacy  —  Embarkation  from  Toulon  —  Alexandria  Taken  — 
Battle  of  the  Pyramids  —  The  Combat  Deepens  —  Turkey, 
the  King  of  the  North,  Declares  War  against  France  —  Na- 
poleon's Campaign  in  the  Holy  Land  —  Beaten  at  Acre  —  Re- 
tires to  Egypt  —  Called  back  to  France  —  Eg-j^it  in  the  Power 
of  Turkey  —  Tidings  out  of  the  East  and  North  —  The  Cri- 
mean War  of  1853  —  Predicted  by  Dr.  Clarke  from  this 
Prophecy  in  1825  —  The  Sick  Man  of  the  East  — The  East- 
ern Question ;  What  is  It  ?  —  Russia's  Long-Cherished  Dream 
—  The  Last  Will  and  Testament  of  Peter  the  Great  —  Start- 
ling Facts  in  Russian  History- — -The  Prophecy  of  Napoleon 
Bonaparte  —  Kossuth's  Prediction  —  Russia's  Defiant  Atti- 
tude in  1870  —  The  Russo-Turkish  War  of  1877  —  Tlie  Berlin 
Congress  —  Turkey  Bankrupt  —  The  Whole  Empire  Mort- 
gaged to  the  Czar  —  Wonderful  Shrinkage  of  Turkish  Terri- 
tory—  The  Wonder  of  Statesmen  —  The  Eastern  Question 
in  the  Future. 


1-2  COXTENTS 

CHAPTER   XII 
Closing    Scenes  -.-...      3gg 

The  Keigii  of  Christ  —  The  Grand   Signal  of  Its  Approach 

—  What  Events  are  Next  in  Order  —  The  Time  of  Trouble 

—  The  Resurrection  —  The  Key  to  the  Future  —  Some  to 
Life,  Some  to  Shame  —  Promised  Rewards  of  the  Coming 
Daj^  —  The  Sealed  Book  Opened  —  Knowledge  Wonderfully 
Increased  —  The  Progress  of  a  Thousand  Years  Made  in 
Eif ty  —  The  Wise  Understand  —  Daniel  Stands  in  His  Lot. 


^be  Book  of  IRevelation 


CHAPTER  I 

The  Opening  Vision  -  -  -  -  -      399 

The  Title  and  Character  of  the  Book  —  Its  Object  —  Christ's 
Angel  —  His  Benediction  —  The  Churches  in  Asia  —  The 
Seven  Spirits  —  Prince  of  the  Kings  of  the  Earth  —  His 
Coming  Visible  —  The  Church's  Response  —  John's  Experi- 
ence —  The  Cause  of  Banishment  —  In  the  Spirit  —  The 
Lord's  Day  —  Alpha  and  Omega  —  The  Revelation  to  be  Un- 
derstood. 

CHAPTER   II 
The  Seven  Churches  .  .  .  .  .      422 

The  Church  of  Ephesus  — •  Definition  —  The  Cause  of  Com- 
plaint—  The  Nicola itanes  —  The  Promise  to  the  Victor  — 
The  Tree  of  Life — -The  Church  in  Smyrna  —  Tribulation 
Ten  Days  —  The  Overcomer's  Reward  —  The  Church  in 
Pergam.os  —  Satan's  Seat  —  Antipas  —  The  Cause  of  Cen- 
sure —  The  Promise  —  The  New  Name  —  Thyatira  —  The 
Woman  Jezebel. 

CHAPTER   III 

The   Seven   Churches. —  Continued       -  .  -  .      442 

Sardis,  Delinition  of — -Wliitc  Raiment  —  The  Book  of  Life 
—  Philiidelphia  Defined  —  The  Kty  of  David  —  Signification 
of  Laodicea — Neither  Cold  nor  Hot  —  The  Counsel  —  The 
Final  Promise. 


CONTENTS  13 

CHAPTER   IV 
New  Vision. —  The  Heavenly  Sanctuary  -  -  -      403 

Four  and  Twenty  Elders  —  Seven  Lamps  of  Fire  —  The  Sea 
of  Glass  —  The  Happy  Unrest. 

CHAPTER   V 

The  Heavenly  Sanctuary. —  Continued  -  -  -      470 

The  Book  —  The  Angelic  Challenge  —  Christ  Prevails  —  The 
Anticipation  —  A  Clean  Universe. 

CHAPTER   VI 

The  Seven  Seals        -        •      -  -  -  -  -      481 

Symbols  Explained  —  Souls  under  the  Altar  —  The  Great 
Earthquake  at  Lisbon  —  Darkening  of  the  Sun  and  Moon  — 
Falling  of  the  Stars  —  An  Objection  Answered  —  The  Great 
Prayer-Meeting. 

CHAPTER   VII 
The   Sealing  -  -  -  -  -  -      520 

Symbols  Explained  —  The  Seal  of  God  —  The  144,000  —  The 
True  Israel  —  The  New  Jerusalem  a  Christian  City  —  Out 
of  the  Great  Tribulation. 

CHAPTER   VIII 
The  Seven  Trumpets  .  .  .  .  .      537 

Encouragement  for  Christians  —  Complement  of  Daniel's 
Prophecy  —  Testimony  of  Standard  tlistorians  —  Rome  Di- 
vided —  The  Western  Empire  Extinguished  —  Alaric,  Gen- 
seric,  Attila,  and  Theodoric. 

CLIAPTER   IX 

The  Seven  Trumpets. —  Continued      -  -  -  -      561 

Rome  and  Persia  —  Chosroes  Overthrown  — ■  The  Rise  of 
Mohammedanism  —  The  Bottomless  Pit  —  The  Five  Months' 
Torment  —  An  Established  Date  —  Surrender  to  the  Turks  — 
Constantinople  Taken  —  The  Use  of  Firearms  Foretold  — 
Cessation  of  the  Ottoman  Supremacy  —  A  Remarkable  Proph- 
ecy Fulfilled. 

CHAPTER    X 

Proclamation  of  the  Advent  ....      588 

The  Book  Opened  — The  Time  of  the  End  — Close  of  the 


14  CONTENTS 

Prophetic  Periods  —  Sounding  of  the  Seventli  Trumpet — ■ 
The  Sweet  and  the  Bitter. 

CHAPTER   XI 
The   Two   Witnesses  .  .  -  .  .      gyi 

An  Important  Message  —  The  French  Revolution  of  1793  — 
Spiritual  Sodom  — Crush  the  Wretch!  — The  Bible  Tri- 
umphant— -The  Nations  Angry  —  God's  Temple  in  Heaven 
Opened. 

CHAPTER   XII 
The  Gospel  Church  -----       619 

A  Wonderful  Scene  in  Heaven  —  Definite  Data  —  Satan  De- 
feated — ■  The  Trial  of  the  Church  —  The  Coming  Joy. 

CHAPTER   XIII ^      - 

Persectting  Powers  Professedly  Christlvn  -  -       636 

A  Change  of  Symbols  —  The  Papacy  —  Comparison  with  the 
Little  Horn  of  Daniel  7  —  Deadly  Wound — -How  It  was 
Healed  — ■  Another   Beast  — ■  The   United    States   in   Prophecy 

—  Wonderful  Growth  of  Our  Country  - —  "A  Place  for  Every- 
thing,  and  Everything   in  Its  Place "  —  The   Coming   Crisis 

—  The  Path  of  Safety  ^^  The  Beginning  of  the  End  —  The 
Number  of  His  Name. 

.  CHAPTER  XIV 

The  Three  Messages        -  -  -  -  .--...  .705 

A  Glorious  Culmination  —^  The  144,000  — ■  The  Proclamation 
of  the  Advent  —  A  Moral  Fall  —  The  Severest  Denunciation 
of  Wrath  in  All  the.  Bible -^  The  Commandments  of  God  — 
A  Blessing  on  the  Dead  —  Wickedness  Swallowed  Up. 

CHAPTER  XV 

The  Sevex  Last  Plagies  -  -  -  -  -.      764 

Preparation  for  the  Plagues  —  An  Impressive  Scene  —  God's 
Judgments  Righteous  —  Mertry  Withdrawn  from  the  Eearth 
Tlie  Sea  of  Glass  —  The  GlorioTis  Victory  —  Well  with  the 
Riuhteous. 

CHAPTER    XVr 

The  Placues  Poi  red  Oct  -  ...  -       7(^7 

Th(>   Plagues   of   Egyi^t  —  Death   in   the    Sea  —  Fountains   of 

Blood-— A  Scorching  Sun  —  Egyptian  Darkness  —  Decay  of 

Turkey  — :  The   Eastern    Question  —  Spirits   of   Devils  —  The 


CONTENTS  15 

Battle  of  Armageddon  —  The  Air  Infected  —  Babylon  Judged 

—  Terrific  Effects  of  the  Great  Hail  —  Close  of  the  Scene. 

CHAPTER   XYII 
Babylox  —  THE    Mother  .  .  .  .  -      7^7 

Church  and  State  —  Different  Forms  of  Roman  Government 

—  The  Eighth  Head  —  Waning  Away  of  Papal  Power  — 
Symbolic  Waters. 

CHAPTER   XVIII 

Babylon  —  the    Dalghtehs         -----      795 

Popery    beyond    Reformation  —  Its    Influence    still    Felt  — 

Apostate    Christendom  —  Separation   between    the    Good    and 

the  Bad  — ■  Amazing  Judgments  —  The  Will  for  the  Deed. 

CHAPTER   XIX 
Triumph  of  the  Saints  -  -  -  -  -  .    813 

The  Marriage  of  the  Lamb — -The  Bride  the  Lamb's  Wife  — 
The  Marriage  Supper  —  Heaven  Opened  —  A  Startling  Con- 
trast —  The  Beast  Taken  —  The  Lake  of  Fire. 

CHAPTER   XX 

The  First  and  Second  Resurrections    .  -  -  -      820 

The  Bottomless  Pit  —  Binding  of  Satan  —  Exaltation  of  the 
-Saints  —  The  Second  Resurrection  —  The  Second  Lake  of 
Fire  —  The   Sentence  Executed. 

CHAPTER   XXI 
The  Xew  Jerusalem         -  -  -  -  -  -       837 

The  Xew  Heaven  and  Earth  —  The  Holy  City  —  Wonderful 
Dimensions  —  Precious  Stones  —  The  Rainbow  Foundations 
■ — No  Need  of  the  Sun. 

CHAPTER    XXTI 

The  Tree  and  the  River  of  Life  -  -  .  -       855 

The  Home  of  Peace  —  The  Tree  of  Life  —  John's  Emotions 

—  Without  the  City — -The  Gracious  Invitation  —  "Through 
the  Gates  "  — •  The  Lord's  Promise  —  The  Church's  Response 

—  God  All  in  All. 

Appendix  -------  871 

Index  of  Ai'thors       -  -  -  -  -  -  887 

Index  of  Texts     -------  890 

General  Index  ------  895 


Portrait  of  Author      -----      Frontispiece 

SiF.GK  OF  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar    -----  25 

Daa^iel  and  His  Fellows  are  Sought  to  be  Slain         -        -  38 

The  Great  World-Kingdom  Iimage,  Dan.  2 :  31  -  34    -        -        -  45 

A  Babylonian  Palace     --- 52 

Babylon  Taken  by  the  IIedo-Persians 58 

Alexander  Removing  the  Ruins  at  Babylon          ...  ei 

Alexander  Commanding  the  Conflagration  of  Persepolis        -  67 
Map    Showing    Territory    Covered   by    the   Four    Universal 

Kingdoms            .        .         .        .        .                ...  go 

The  Three  Worthies  Refusing  to  Bow  to  the  Image      -        -  93 

The  Three  Hebrews  in  the  Fiery  Furnace          .        -        .  93 

The  Humiliation  of  Nebuchadnezzar 108 

Belshazzar's   Feast 118 

Daniel  in  the  Den  of  Lions 132 

The  Lion  —  Symbol  of  Babylon 138 

The  Bear  —  Symbol  of  Medo-Persia 142 

The  Leopard — Symbol  op  Grecia 145 

The  Fourth  Beast  —  Symbol  of  Rome 148 

The  Little  Horn  —  Symbol  of  the  Papacy          -        -        -  151 

Waldenses  Fleeing  from  Papal  Persecution    -        -        -        -  160 

The  Law  of  God 163 

The  Decalogue  as  Changed  by  the  Papaiy      .        .        .        .  167 

Belisarius  Entering  Rome 175 

Prominent  Martyrs            180 

The  Ram  —  Syjibol  of  Medo-Persia      .        .        -        .        -  190 

The  He-Goat — Symbol  of  Grecia 193 

The  Little  Horn  of  Daniel  VTTI 199 

The  Tejiple  at  Jerusalem  at  the  Time  of  Christ          -        -  215 
(16) 


ILLUSTRATIONS  17 

The  Angel  Gabriel  Sent  to  Instruct  Daniel      -        -        .  238 

Diagram  of  the  TO  Weeks  and  2300  Days          .        .        .        .  244 

Rebuilding  the  Walls  of  Jerusalem     -----  251 

The  Crucifixion          .        -        -        - 260 

Alexander  Viewing  the  Dead  Body  of  Darius      -        -        -  281 

The  Alexandrun  Library 297 

The  Battle  of  Actium:  Fulfilling  Dan.  11:25    -        -         -  308 

A  EoMAN  Triumph 314 

Imprisonment  of  Huss 328 

Storming  of  the  Tuilleries 335 

The  Goddess  of  Reason -        -  339 

Peter  the  Great        - 356 

"  Many   Shall  Run   To  and  Fro,  and  Knowledge   Shall  be 

Increased" 382,  383 

John  Writing  the  Revelation            ------  396 

The  Isle  of  Patmos       --------  413 

Christl\n  Martyrs  in  Ai^ena      ---...-  431 

Arch  of  Constaxtine     --------  484 

The  Lisbon  Earthquake     -         -         -        -        -         -        -         -  497 

Meteoric  Shower,  or  Falling  of  the  Stars,  Nov.  13,  1833    -  506 

The  V.\ndals  Invading  Africa            ------  5-^4 

Attila,  King  of  the  IIuns     - 550 

Surrender  of  Western  Ro^ie  to  Odoacer          -        -        -        -  555 

"  Woe,  Woe,  Woe,  to  the  Inhabiters  of  the  Earth  ' '    -        -  560 

Mohammed  and  Mohammed  II 565 

Saracen  Warrior             .        .        - 57I 

Entry  of  Mohammed  II  into  Constantinople    -        -        -        -  578 

Turkish  Warrior            --------  531 

The  Angel  on  Sea  and  Land    -------  589 

Preaching  the  Advent  Message  in  Norway          -        -        -  594 

Fugitive  Huguenots            -        -        - 606 

The  Berlin  Insurrection  of  1848 613 

The  Gospel  Church           -        -      ' 618 

Pagan  and  Papal  Rome 623 

Burning  the  Papal  Bull            -        - 629 

Eminent   Reformers       - 633 

Symbol  of  the  United  States  in  Prophecy       -        -        -        -  G44 

Landing  of  the  Pilgrims         -------  655 

2 


18  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Map  Showing  the  Tkhuitohial  (Irowtii  of  tiik  Ilnitkd  States  056 
The  Pope's  Tiaha  ^ — ^Fuo.m  a  PHoTixiRAPii  Taken  in  the  Vatican 

MUSEI'M -----  (399 

The  Everlasting  Gospel         -------  709 

The  Three  Messages  of  Revelation  14      -         -        -         -         -  72(3 

The  Seven  Angels  Poi'ring  Out  the  Seven  Last  Plagues     -  772 

The  Great  Earthquake  .-....-  78I 

The  Message  of  Eev.  18 : 1    -        -        -        -         -         -        -  791 

Babvlon  Falls,  like  a  Millstone  Cast  into  the  Ska      -         -  810 

The  Investigative  Judgment  ----..  ^31 

The  Angel  Showing  John  the  PIoly  City       -        -         -         .  842 

Foundation  Walls  of  the  ^ew  Jerusalem  -        -        -  850 

Banyan  Tree  Illustrating  the  Tree  of  Life  .        -         -  858 

"  Visions  of  Beauty  are  There,  Fields  of  Living  Green  "      -  866 


wn®N 


THAT  the  book  of  Daniel  was  written  by  the  person  whose 
name  it  bears,  there  is  no  reason  to  donbt.  Ezekiel, 
who  was  contemporary  with  Daniel,  bears  testimony, 
throng'h  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  to  his  piety  and  nprightness, 
rankin£>-  him  in  this  respect  with  Xoali  and  Job:  '^  Or  if  T  send 
a  pestilence  into  that  land,  and  pour  out  my  fury  upon  it  in 
blood,  to  cut  off  from  it  man  and  beast;  thougb  Xoah,  Daniel, 
and  Job  were  in  it,  as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  they  shall 
deliver  neither  son  nor  daughter ;  they  shall  but  deliver  their 
o^vn  souls  by  their  righteousness."  Eze.  14:  19,  20.  His  wis- 
dom, also,  even  at  that  early  day,  had  become  proverbial,  as 
appears  from  the  same  writer.  To  the  prince  of  Tyrus  he  was 
directed  by  the  Lord  to  say,  ""  Behold,  thou  art  wiser  than  Dan- 
iel ;  there  is  no  secret  that  they  can  hide  from  thee."  Eze. 
28:3.  But  above  all,  our  Lord  recogTiized  him  as  a  prophet  of 
God,  and  bade  his  disciples  understand  the  predictions  given 
through  him  for  the  benefit  of  his  church :  "  "When  ye  therefore 
shall  see  the  abomination  of  desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel 
the  prophet,  stand  in  the  holy  place  (whoso  readeth,  let  him 
understand),  tlien  let  them  which  be  in  Judoa  flee  into  the 
mountains."       :\Latt.    24:15,    Ki. 

Though  we  have  a  more  minute  account  of  his  early  life 
than  is  recorded  of  that  of  any  other  prophet,  yet  his  birth  and 
lineage  are  left  in  complete  obscurity,  except  that  he  was  of  the 
royal  line,  probably  of  tlie  liouse  of  David,  whicli  had  at  this 
time  become  very  numerous.  He  first  appears  as  one  of  the 
noble  captives  of  Judali.  in  the  first  year  of  ISTebuchadnezzar, 
king  of  Babylon,  at  the  commencement  of  the  seventy  years' 
captivity,  e.  c.  000.      Jeremiah  and  Ilabakkuk  were  yet  utter- 

(19) 


20  INTRODUCTION 

iiig  their  propliecies.  Ezekiel  commenced  soon  after,  and  a 
little  later,  Obadiali ;  but  both  these  finished  their  work  years 
before  the  close  of  the  long  and  brilliant  career  of  Daniel. 
Three  projohets  only  succeeded  him,  Haggai  and  Zechariah,  who 
exercised  the  prophetic  office  for  a  brief  period  contemporane- 
ously, B.  c.  520-518,  and  Malachi,  the  last  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment prophets,  who  flourished  a  little  season  about  b.  c.  397. 

During  the  seventy  years'  captivity  of  the  Jews,  b.  c.  COG  - 
5oG,  predicted  by  Jeremiah  (Jer.  25:11),  Daniel  resided  at 
the  court  of  Eabylon,  most  of  the  time  prime  minister  of  that 
brilliant  monarchy.  His  life  affords  a  most  impressive  lesson 
of  the  importance  and  advantage  of  nuiintaining  from  earliest 
youth  strict  integrity  toward  God,  and  furnishes  a  notable  in- 
stance of  a  man's  maintaining  eminent  piotv,  and  faithfully  dis- 
charging all  the  duties  that  pertain  to  the  service  of  God,  Avhile 
at  the  same  time  engaging  in  the  most  stirring  activities,  and 
bearing  the  Aveightiest  cares  and  responsibilities  that  can  de- 
volve upon  men  in  this  earthly  life. 

What  a  rebuke  is  his  course  to  many  at  the  present  day, 
who,  having  not  a  hundredth  part  of  the  cares  to  alisorb  their 
time  and  engross  their  attention  that  he  had,  yet  plead  as  an 
excuse  for  their  almost  utter  neglect  of  Christian  duties,  that 
they  have  no  time  for  them.  What  will  the  God  of  Daniel  say 
to  such,  when  he  comes  to  reward  his  servants  impartially,  ac- 
cording to  their  improvement  or  neglect  of  the  opportunities 
offered  them  ? 

But  it  is  not  alone  nor  chiefly  his  connection  with  the  Chial- 
dean  monarchy,  the  glory  of  kingdoms,  that  perpetuates  the 
memory  of  Daniel,  and  covers  his  name  with  honor.  From 
the  height  of  its  glory  ho  saw  tliat  kingdom  decline,  and  pass 
into  other  hands.  Its  period  of  greatest  prosperity  Avas  em- 
braced Avithin  the  limits  of  the  lifetime  of  one  man.  So  brief 
Avas  its  snju'emacy,  so  transient  its  glory.  But  Daniel  was 
intrusted  Avith  more  enduring  honors.  While  beloved  and  hon- 
ored by  the  princes  and  potentates  of  Dabylon,  he  enjoyed  an 
infinitely  higher  exaltation,  in  being  beloved  and  honored  by 
God  and  his  holy  angels,  and  admitted  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
counsels  of  the  Most  Ilich. 


IXTRODI'CTIOX  21 

His  prophecy  is,  in  many  respects,  the  must  remarkable  of 
any  in  the  sacred  record.  It  is  the  most  comprehensive.  It 
was  the  first  prophecy  giving-  a  consecutive  history  of  the  worhl 
from  that  time  to  tlie  end.  Jt  h:)cated  tlie  most  of  its  predictions 
witliin  -well-defined  proj^hetic  periods,  though  reaching  manv 
centuries  into  the  future.  It  gave  the  first  definite  chronolog- 
ical prophecy  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  It  marked  the 
time  of  this  event  so  definitely  that  the  Jews  forbid  any  at- 
tempt to  interpret  its  numbers,  since  that  prophecy  shows  them 
to  be  Avithout  excuse  in  rejecting  Christ ;  and  so  accurately  had 
its  minute  and  literal  predictions  been  fulfilled  down  to  the 
time  of  Porphyry,  a.  d.  250,  that  he  declared  (the  only  loop- 
hole he  could  devise  for  his  hard-pressed  skepticism)  that  the 
predictions  were  not  written  in  the  age  of  Babylon,  but  after 
the  events  themselves  had  transpired.  This  shift,  however,  is 
not  now  available;  for  every  succeeding  century  has  borne  ad- 
ditional evidence  to  the  truthfulness  of  the  prophecy,  and  we 
are  just  now,  in  our  own  day,  approaching  the  climax  of  its 
fulfilment. 

The  personal  history  of  Daniel  reaches  to  a  date  a  few  years 
subsequent  to  the  subversion  of  the  Babylonian  kingdom  by 
the  Medes  and  Persians.  He  is  supposed  to  have  died  at  Shu- 
shan,  or  Susa,  in  Persia,  about  the  year  r>.  c.  530,  aged  nearly 
ninety-four  years ;  his  age  being  the  probable  reason  why  he 
returned  not  to  Judea  with  other  Hebrew  captives,  under  the 
proclamation  of  Cyrus  (Ezra  1:1),  b.  c.  536.  which  marked 
the  close  of  the  seventy  years'  captivity. 


^tsTfiXivist  nf  Htstorg 


ta  flic 


CHAPTER  I. 

Versk  1.  In  the  third  year  of 
the  reigu  of  Jehoiakim  king  of 
Jndah  came  Nebuchadnezzar  king 
of  Babylon  nnto  Jerusalem,  and 
besieged  it.  2.  And  the  Lord  gave  Jehoiakim  king  of  Judah  into  his 
hand,  with  part  'if  the  vessels  of  the  house  of  God;  which  he  car- 
ried into  the  lan^^  of  Shinar  to  the  house  of  his  god ;  and  he  brought 
the  vessels  into  the  treasure-house  of  his  god. 


WITH  a  directness  characteristic  of  the  sacred  writers, 
Daniel  enters  at  once  upon  his  subject.  Tie  com- 
mences in  the  simple,  historical  style,  his  book,  with 
the  exception  of  a  portion  of  chapter  2,  being  of  a  historical 
nature  till  we  reach  the  seventh  chapter,  when  the  prophetical 
portion,  more  properly  so  called,  commences.  Like  one  con- 
scious of  uttering  only  well-known  truth,  he  proceeds  at  once 
to  state  a  variety  of  particulars  bv  which  his  accuracy  could 

(23) 


24  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

at  once  be  tested.      Thus  in  the  two  verses  quoted,  he  states 
five  particulars  purporting  to  be  historical  facts,  such  as  no 
writer  Avould  be  likely  to  introduce  into  a  fictitious  narrative: 
(1)  That  Jehoiakim  was  king  of  Judah;    (2)  That  Xebuchad- 
nezzar  was  king  of  Babylon;  (3)  That  the  latter  came  against 
the  former;  (4)  That  this  was  in  the  third  year  of  Jehoiakim's 
reigii;   and   (5)    That  Jehoiakim  was  given  into  the  hand  of 
Nebuchadnezzar,  who  took  a  portion  of  the  sacred  vessels  of  the 
house  of  God,  and  carrying  them  to  the  land  of  Shinar,  the 
country  of  Babylon  (Gen.  10:  10),  placed  them  in  the  treasure- 
house  of  his   heathen   divinity.       Subsequent   portions   of  the 
narrative  abound  as  fully  in  historical  facts  of  a  like  nature. 
This  overthrow  of  Jerusalem  was  predicted  by  Jeremiah, 
and  immediately   accomplished,   b.    c.    006.       Jer.    25:8-11. 
Jeremiah  places  this  captivity  in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoiakim, 
Daniel  in  the  third.      This  seeming  discrepancy  is  explained 
by  the  fact  that  Xebuchadnezzar  set  out  on  his  expedition  near 
the  close  of  the  third  year  of  Jehoiakim,  from  which  point 
Daniel  reckons.      But  he  did  not  accomplish  the  subjugation  of 
Jerusalem  till  about  the  ninth  month  of  the  year  following; 
and  from  this  year  Jeremiah  reckons.      (Prideaux,  Vol.  I,  pp. 
99,  100.)      Jehoiakim,  though  bound  for  the  purpose  of  being 
taken  to  Babylon,  having  humbled  himself,  was  permitted  to 
remain  as  ruler  in  Jerusalem,  tributary  to  the  king  of  Babylon. 
This  was  the  first  time  Jerusalem  was  taken  by  Xcbuehad- 
nezzar.       Twice  subsequently,   the  city,   having  revolted,   was 
captured  by  the  same  king,  being  more  severely  dealt  with  each 
succeeding  time.      Of  these  subsequent  overthrows,  the  first  was 
under  Jehoiachin,  son  cf  Jehoiakim,  b.   c.   599,  when  all  the 
sacred  vessels  were  either  taken  or  destroyed,  and  the  best  of 
the  inhabitants,  with  the  king,  were  led  into  captivity.      The 
second  was  under  Zedekiah,  when  the  city  endured  the  most 
formidable  siege  it  ever  sustained,   excejjt  that  by  Titus,  in 
A.  D.  70.      During  the  two  years'  continuance  of  this  siege,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city  suffered  all  the  horrors  of  extreme  fam- 
ine.     At  length  the  garrison  and  king,  attempting  to  escape 
from  the  city,  were  captured  by  the  Chaldeans.      The  sons  of 
the  king  were  slain  before  his  face.      His  eyes  were  put  out. 


CHAPTER  1,  YEESES  1-5  27 

and  ho  was  taken  to  IJiibyloii ;  and  tlins  \va.s  fultilled  the  pre- 
diction of  Ezekiel,  who  dechired  that  he  shonld  he  carried  to 
Babylon,  and  die  there,  but  yet  shouhl  not  see  the  phice.  Eze. 
12:13.  The  city  and  temple  were  at  this  time  utterly  de- 
stroyed, and  the  entire  population  of  the  city  and  country,  witli 
the  exception  of  a  few  husbandmen,  were  carried  captive  to 
Babylon,  b.  c.  5S8. 

Such  was  God's  passing  testimony  against  sin.  Xot  that 
the  Chaldeans  were  the  favorites  of  Heaven,  but  God  made 
use  of  them  to  punish  the  iniquities  of  his  people.  Had  the 
Israelites  been  faithful  to  God,  and  kept  his  Sabbath,  Jerusa- 
lem would  have  stood  forever.  Jer.  17:24-27.  But  they 
departed  from  him,  and  he  abandoned  them.  They  first  pro- 
faned the  sacred  vessels  by  sin,  in  introducing  heathen  idols 
among  them ;  and  he  then  j)rofaned  them  by  judgments,  in 
letting  them  go  as  trophies  into  heathen  temples  abroad. 

During  these  days  of  trouble  and  distress  upon  Jerusalem, 
Daniel  and  his  companions  were  nourished  and  instructed  in 
the  palace  of  the  king  of  Babylon;  and,  though  captives  in  a 
strange  land,  they  were  doubtless  in  some  respects  much  more 
favorably  situated  than  they  could  haA'e  been  in  their  native 
country. 

Verse  3.  And  the  king  spake  unto  Ashpenaz  the  master  of  his  eu- 
nuchs, that  he  should  bring-  certain  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  of 
the  king's  seed,  and  of  the  princes ;  4.  Children  in  whom  was  no  blem- 
ish, but  well-favored,  and  skilful  in  all  wisdom,  and  cunning  in 
knowledge,  and  understanding  science,  and  such  as  had  ability  in  tliem 
to  stand  in  the  king's  palace,  and  whom  they  might  teach  the  learning 
and  the  tongue  of  the  Chaldeans.  5.  And  the  king  appointed  them  a 
daily  provision  of  the  king's  meat,  and  of  the  wine  which  he  drank; 
so  nourishhig  them  three  years,  that  at  the  end  thereof  they  might 
stand  before  the  king. 

We  have  in  these  verses  the  record  of  the  probable  fulfil- 
ment of  the  announcement  of  coming  judgments  made  to  King 
Hezekiah  by  the  jorophet  Isaiah,  more  than  a  hundred  years 
before.  When  this  king  had  vaingloriously  sho\\Ti  to  the  mes- 
sengers of  the  king  of  Babylon  all  the  treasures  and  holy 
things  of  his  palace  and  kingdom,  he  was  told  that  all  these 
good  things  should  be  carried  as  trophies  to  the  city  of  Baby- 


28  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Ion,  and  nothing  should  be  left ;  and  that  even  his  own  children, 
his  descendants,  should  be  taken  away,  and  be  eunuchs  in  the 
palace  of  the  king-  there.  2  Kings  20 :  14  -  IS.  It  is  probable 
that  Daniel  and  his  companions  were  treated  as  indicated  in 
the  prophecy ;  at  least  we  hear  nothing  of  their  posterity,  which 
can  1)0  more  easily  accounted  for  on  this  hypothesis  than  on  any 
other;  though  some  think  that  tlie  term  eunuch  had  come  to 
signify  office  rather  than  condition. 

The  word  children,  as  applied  to  these  captives,  is  not  to  be 
confined  to  the  sense  to  which  it  is  limited  at  the  present  time. 
It  included  youth  also.  And  we  learn  from  the  record  that 
these  children  were  already  skilful  in  all  wisdom,  cunning  in 
knowledge,  and  understanding  science,  and  had  ability  in  them 
to  stand  in  the  king's  palace.  In  other  words,  they  had  already 
acquired  a  good  degree  of  education,  and  their  physical  and 
mental  powers  were  so  far  developed  that  a  skilful  reader  of 
human  nature  could  form  quite  an  accurate  estimate  of  their 
capabilities.  They  are  supposed  to  have  been  about  eighteen 
or  twenty  years  of  age. 

In  the  treatment  which  these  Hebrew  captives  received,  we 
see  an  instance  of  the  wise  policy  and  the  liberality  of  the 
rising  king,  Xobuchadnezzar. 

1.  Instead  of  choosing,  like  too  many  kings  of  later  times, 
means  for  the  gratification  of  low  and  base  desires,  he  chose 
young  men  ^\'lio  should  be  educated  in  all  matters  pertaining  to 
the  kingdom,  that  he  might  have  efficient  help  in  administering 
its  affairs, 

2.  He  appointed  them  daily  provision  of  his  o\^ti  meat  and 
wine.  Instead  of  the  coarse  fare  which  some  would  have 
thought  good  enough  for  captives,  he  offered  them  his  ovra 
royal  viands. 

For  the  space  of  three  years,  they  had  all  tlie  advantages 
the  kingdom  afforded.  Though  captives,  they  were  royal  chil- 
dren, and  they  were  treated  as  such  by  the  humane  king  of 
the  Chaldeans. 

The  question  may  be  raised,  M'hy  these  persons  were  selected 
to  take  part,  after  suitable  preparation,  in  the  affairs  of  the 
kingdom.      Were  there  not  enough  native  Babylonians  to  fill 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  6  - 16  29 

these  pusitious  of  trust  and  liouor  ?  It  could  have  been  for 
no  other  reason  than  that  the  Chaldean  youth  could  not  com- 
pete with  those  of  Israel  in  the  qualifications,  both  mental  and 
physical,  necessary  to  such  a  position. 

Veuse  6.  Now  among  these  were  of  the  children  of  Jiidah,  Daniel, 
Hananiali,  Mishael,  and  Azariah :  7.  Unto  whom  the  prince  of  the 
eunuchs  gave  names;  for  he  gave  unto  Daniel  the  name  of  Behe- 
shazzar ;  and  to  Ilananiah,  of  Shadrach ;  and  to  Mishael,  of  Meshach ; 
and  to  Azariah,  of  Abed-nego. 

This  change  of  names  was  probably  made  on  acount  of  the 
signification  of  the  words.  Thus,  Daniel  signified,  in  the  He- 
brew, God  is  my  judge;  Ilananiah,  gift  of  the  Lord;  Mishael, 
he  that  is  a  strong  God ;  and  Azariah,  help  of  the  Lord.  These 
names,  each  having  some  reference  to  the  true  God,  and  sig- 
nifying some  connection  with  his  worship,  were  changed  to 
names  the  definition  of  which  bore  a  like  relation  to  the  heathen 
divdnities  and  worship  of  the  Chaldeans.  Thus  Belteshazzar, 
the  name  given  to  Daniel,  signified  keeper  of  the  hid  treasures 
of  Eel ;  Shadrach,  inspiration  of  the  sun  (which  the  Chal- 
deans "worshiped)  ;  Meshach,  of  the  goddess  Shaca  (under  which 
name  Venus  was  worshiped)  ;  and  Abed-nego,  servant  of  the 
shining  fire  (which  they  also  worshiped). 

Verse  8.  But  Daniel  purposed  in  his  heart  that  he  would  not  defile 
himself  with  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat,  nor  with  the  wine  which 
he  dranlv;  therefore  he  requested  of  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  that 
he  might  not  defile  himself.  9.  Now  God  had  brought  Daniel  into 
favor  and  tender  love  with  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs.  10.  And  the 
prince  of  the  eunuchs  said  inito  Daniel,  I  fear  my  lord  the  king,  who 
hath  appointed  your  meat  and  your  drink;  for  why  should  he  see 
your  faces  worse  liking  than  the  children  which  are  of  your  sort  ?  then 
shall  ye  make  me  endanger  my  head  to  the  king.  11.  Then  said 
Daniel  to  Melzar,  whom  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  had  set  over  Dan- 
iel, Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah,  12.  Prove  thy  servants,  I  beseech 
thee,  ten  days ;  and  let  them  give  us  pulse  to  eat,  and  water  to  drink. 
13.  Then  let  our  countenances  be  looked  upon  before  thee,  and  the 
countenance  of  the  children  that  eat  of  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat ; 
and  as  thou  seest,  deal  with  thy  servants.  14.  So  he  consented  to 
them  in  this  matter,  and  proved  them  ten  days.  15.  And  at  the  end 
of  ten  days  their  countenances  appeared  fairer  and  fatter  in  flesh  than 
all  the  children  which  did  eat  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat.  16, 
Thus  Melzar  took  away  the  portion  of  their  meat,  and  the  wine  that 
they  should  drink;    and  gave  them  pulse. 


30  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Xebuchadnezzar  appears  upon  this  record  wonderiullv  free 
from  bigotry.  It  seems  that  he  took  no  means  to  compel  his 
royal  captives  to  change  their  religion.  Provided  they  had 
some  religion,  he  seemed  to  be  satisfied,  whether  it  was  the 
religion  he  professed  or  not.  And  although  their  names  had 
been  changed  to  signify  some  connection  with  heathen  worshij:), 
this  may  have  been  more  to  avoid  the  use  of  Jewish  names  by 
the  Chaldeans  than  to  indicate  any  change  of  sentiment  or 
practice  on  the  part  of  those  to  whom  these  names  were  given. 

Daniel  purposed  not  to  defile  himself  with  the  king's  meat 
nor  with  his  wine.  Daniel  had  other  reasons  for  this  course 
than  simply  the  effect  of  such  a  diet  upon  his  physical  system, 
though  he  would  derive  great  advantage  in  this  respect  from 
the  fare  he  proposed  to  adopt.  But  it  was  frequently  the  case 
that  the  meat  used  by  the  kings  and  princes  of  heathen  nations, 
who  were  often  the  high  priests  of  their  religion,  was  first  of- 
fered in  sacrifice  to  idols,  and  the  wine  they  used,  poured  out 
as  a  libation  before  them;  and  again,  some  of  the  meat  of 
\vhich  they  made  use,  was  pronounced  unclean  by  the  Jewish 
law;  and  on  either  of  these  grounds  Daniel  could  not,  consist- 
ently with  his  religion,  partake  of  these  articles;  hence  he 
requested,  not  from  any  morose  or  sullen  temper,  but  from 
conscientious  scruples,  that  he  might  not  be  obliged  to  defile 
himself;  and  he  respectfully  made  his  request  known  to  the 
])roper  ofiicer. 

The  prince  of  the  eunuchs  feared  to  grant  Daniel's  request, 
since  the  king  himself  had  appointed  their  meat.  This  shows 
the  great  personal  interest  the  king  took  in  these  persons.  He 
did  not  commit  them  to  the  hands  of  his  servants,  telling  them 
to  care  for  them  in  the  best  manner,  without  himself  entering 
into  its  details;  but  he  himself  appointed  their  meat  and  drink. 
And  this  Avas  of  a  kind  which  it  was  honestly  supposed  would 
be  best  for  them,  inasmuch  as  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  thought 
that  a  departure  from  it  would  render  them  poorer  in  flesh  and 
less  ruddy  of  countenance  than  those  \\\\o  continued  it;  and 
tlins  he  would  be  brought  to  account  for  neglect  or  ill-treatment 
of  them,  and  so  lose  his  head.  Yet  it  was  equally  well  under- 
•itood   that    if   they  maintained   good    ])hysical    conditions,    the 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  8-21  31 

king  would  take  uo  exception  to  the  means  used,  though  it 
might  be  contrary  to  his  own  express  direction.  It  appears 
that  the  lying's  sincere  object  was  to  secure  in  them,  by  what- 
ever means  it  could  be  done,  the  very  best  mental  and  physical 
development  that  could  be  attained.  How  different  this  from 
the  bigotry  and  tyranny  which  usually  hold  supreme  control 
over  the  hearts  of  those  who  are  clothed  with  absolute  power. 
In  the  character  of  Xebuchadnezzar  we,  shall  find  many  things 
W'Orthy  of  our  highest  admiration. 

Daniel  requested  pulse  and  water  for  himself  and  his  three 
companions.  Pulse  is  a  vegetable  food  of  the  leguminous  kind, 
like  peas,  beans,  etc.  Bagster  says,  "  Zeroim  denotes  all  le- 
guminous i^lants,  wdiich  are  not  reaped,  but  pulled  or  plucked, 
which,  however  wholesome,  were  not  naturally  calculated  to 
render  them  fatter  in  flesh  than  the  others." 

A  ten  days'  trial  of  this  diet  resulting  favorably,  they  were 
permitted  to  continue  it  during  the  whole  course  of  their  train- 
ing for  the  duties  of  the  palace.  Their  increase  in  flesh  and 
improvement  in  countenance  Avhich  took  place  during  these  ten 
days  can  hardly  be  attributed  to  the  natural  result  of  the  diet; 
for  it  would  hardly  produce  such  marked  effects  in  so  short  a 
time.  Is  it  not  much  more  natural  to  conclude  that  this  re- 
sult was  produced  by  a  special  interposition  of  the  Lord,  as  a 
token  of  his  approbation  of  the  course  on  which  they  had 
entered,  which  course,  if  persevered  in,  would  in  process  of 
time  lead  to  the  same  result  through  the  natural  operation  of 
the  law^s  of  their  being  ? 

Verse  17.  As  for  these  four  children,  God  gave  them  knowledge 
and  skill  in  all  learning  and  wisdom ;  and  Daniel  had  understanding 
in  all  visions  and  dreams.  18.  Now  at  the  end  of  the  days  that  the 
king  had  said  that  he  should  bring  them  in,  then  the  prince  of  the 
eunuchs  brought  them  in  before  Nebuchadnezzar.  10.  And  the  king 
communed  with  them ;  and  among  them  all  was  found  none  like 
Daniel,  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah;  therefore  stood  they  be- 
fore the  king.  20.  And  in  all  matters  of  wisdom  and  iniderstanding 
that  the  king  inquired  of  them,  he  foiuid  them  ten  times  better  than 
all  the  magicians  and  astrologers  that  were  in  all  his  realm.  21. 
And  Daniel  continued  even  unto  the  first  year  of  king  Cyrus. 

To  Daniel  alone  seems  to  have  been  committed  an  under- 
standing in  visions  and  dreams.      But  the  Lord's  dealing  wath 


32  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Daniel  in  this  respect  does  not  prove  tlie  others  anv  the  less 
accepted  in  his  sight.  Preservation  in  the  midst  of  the  fiery 
furnace  was  as  good  evidence  of  the  divine  favor  as  they  could 
have  had.  Daniel  probably  had  some  natural  qualifications 
that  peculiarly  fitted  him  for  this  special  work. 

The  same  personal  interest  in  these  individuals  heretofore 
manifested  by  the  king,  he  still  continued  to  maintain.  At  the 
end  of  the  three  years,  he  called  them  to  a  personal  interview. 
He  must  know  for  himelf  how  they  had  fared,  and  what  pro- 
ficiency tliey  had  made.  This  interview  also  shows  the  king 
to  have  been  a  man  ^^'cll  versed  in  all  the  arts  and  sciences 
of  the  Chaldeans,  else  he  would  not  have  been  qualified  to  ex- 
amine others  therein.  As  the  result,  recognizing  merit  wher- 
ever he  saw  it,  without  respect  to  religion  or  nationality,  he 
acknowledged  them  to  be  ten  times  superior  to  any  in  his  own 
land. 

And  it  is  added  that  Daniel  continued  even  unto  the  first 
year  of  King  Cyrus.  This  is  an  instance  of  the  somewhat 
singular  use  of  the  word  unto,  or  until,  which  occasionally 
occurs  in  the  sacred  writings.  It  does  not  moan  that  he  con- 
tinued no  longer  than  to  the  first  year  of  Cyrus,  for  he  lived 
some  years  after  the  commencement  of  his  reign ;  biTt  this  is 
the  time  to  which  the  writer  wished  to  direct  special  attention, 
as  it  brought  deliverance  to  the  captive  Jews.  A  similar  use 
of  the  word  is  found  in  Ps.  112:8  and  Matt.  5:18. 


m  $M  mm 


CHAPTER  IL 

Verse  1.  And  in  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  Nebuchadnezznr, 
Nebuchadnezzar  dreamed  dreams,  wherewith  his  spirit  was  troubled, 
and  his  sleep  brake  from  him. 

DAX  lEL  Avas  carried  into  captivity  in  the  first  year  of 
Xebiicliadnezzar.  For  three  years  he  was  placed  under 
instnictors,  during  wliich  time  he  would  not,  of  course, 
be  reckoned  among  the  wise  men  of  the  kingdom,  nor  take 
part  in  public  affairs.  Yet  in  the  second  year  of  ISTebuchad- 
nezzar,  the  transactions  recorded  in  this  chapter  took  place. 
HoAV,  then,  could  Daniel  be  brought  in  to  interju^et  the  king's 
dream  in  his  second  year?  The  explanation  lies  in  the  fact 
that  Nebuchadnezzar  reigned  for  two  years  conjointly  with 
his  father,  Xabopolassar.  From  this  point  the  Jews  reck- 
oned,  whilo   the   Chaldeans   reckoned   from   the   time   lie   com- 

2  .     ,  (^3) 


34  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

iiieiiced  to  reigii  aluiie,  on  the  death  of  his  father.  Hence, 
the  3'ear  here  mentioned  was  the  second  year  of  his  reign  ac- 
cording to  the  Chaklean  reckoning,  hnt  the  fourth  according  to 
the  Jewish.  It  thus  appears  that  the  very  next  year  after 
Daniel  had  completed  his  preparation  to  participate  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Chaldean  empire,  the  providence  of  God  brought 
him  into  sudden  and  wonderful  notoriety  throughout  all  the 
kingdom. 

Verse  2.  Then  the  king  commanded  to  call  the  magicians,  and  the 
astrologers,  and  the  sorcerers,  and  the  Chaldeans,  for  to  show  the 
king  his  dreams.      !So  they  came  and  stood  before  the  king. 

The  nuigicians  were  such  as  practiced  magic,  using  the 
term  in  its  bad  sense;  that  is,  they  practiced  all  the  supersti- 
tious rites  and  ceremonies  of  fortune-tellers,  casters  of  nativi- 
ties, etc.  Astrologers  were  men  who  pretended  to  foretell 
future  events  by  the  study  of  the  stars.  The  science,  or  the 
superstition,  of  astrology  was  extensively  cultivated  by  the 
Eastern  nations  of  antiquity.  Sorcerers  were  such  as  pre- 
tended to  hold  communication  with  the  dead.  In  this  sense, 
we  believe,  it  is  always  used  in  the  Scriptures.  Modern  Spirit- 
ualism is  simply  ancient  heathen  sorcery  revived.  The  Chal- 
deans here  mentioned  were  a  sect  of  philosophers  similar  to  the 
magicians  and  astrologers,  who  made  physic,  divinations,  etc., 
their  study.  All  these  sects  or  professions  abounded  in  Baby- 
lon. The  end  aimed  at  by  each  was  the  same ;  namely,  the 
explaining  of  mysteries  and  the  foretelling  of  future  events,  the 
principal  difference  between  them  being  the  means  by  which 
they  sought  to  accomplish  their  object.  The  king's  difficulty 
lay  equally  within  the  province  of  each  to  explain;  hence  he 
summoned  them  all.  "With  the  king  it  was  an  important  mat- 
ter. He  was  greatly  troubled,  and  therefore  concentrated  upon 
the  solution  of  his  perplexity  the  whole  wisdom  of  his  realm. 

Verse  3.  And  the  king  said  \nito  them,  I  have  dreamed  a  dream, 
and  my  spirit  was  troubled  to  know  the  dream.  4.  Then  spake  the 
Chaldeans  to  the  king  in  Syriae,  O  king,  live  forever;  tell  thy  serv- 
ants the  dream,  and  w(!  will  show  the  interpretation. 

Whatever  else  the  ancient  nuigicians  and  astrologers  may 
liave    been    efficient    in,    ihey    seem    1<>    have    been    thoronghly 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  5-13  35 

scliooled  in  the  art  of  drawing  out  siifficieut  information  to 
form  a  basis  for  some  shrewd  calculation,  or  of  framing  their 
answers  in  so  ambiguous  a  manner  that  thej  would  be  equally 
applicable,  let  the  event  turn  either  war.  In  the  present  case, 
true  to  their  cunning  instincts,  thej  called  upon  the  king  to 
make  knoMTi  to  them  his  dream.  If  they  could  get  full  infor- 
mation respecting  this,  they  could  easily  agree  on  some  inter- 
pretation which  would  not  endanger  their  reputation.  They 
addressed  themselves  to  the  king  in  Syriac,  a  dialect  of  the 
Chaldean  language  which  was  used  by  the  educated  and  cul- 
tured classes.  From  this  point  to  the  end  of  chapter  T,  the 
record  continues  in  Chaldaic. 

Verse  5.  The  king  answered  and  said  to  the  Chaldeans,  The  thing 
is  gone  from  nie;  if  ye  will  not  make  known  vmto  nie  the  dream, 
with  the  interpretation  thereof,  ye  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  and  your 
houses  shall  be  made  a  dunghill.  6.  But  if  ye  show  the  dream,  and 
the  interpretation  thereof,  ye  shall  receive  of  me  gifts  and  rewards 
and  great  honor;  therefore  show  me  the  dream,  and  the  interpreta- 
tion thereof.  7.  They  answered  again  and  said.  Let  the  king  tell  his 
servants  the  dream,  and  we  will  show  the  interpretation  of  it.  8. 
The  king  answered  and  said,  I  know  of  certainty  that  ye  would  gain 
the  time,  because  ye  see  the  thing  is  gone  from  me.  9.  But  if  ye 
will  not  make  kno^^^l  unto  me  the  dream,  there  is  but  one  decree  for 
you ;  for  ye  have  prepared  lying  and  corrupt  words  to  speak  before  me, 
till  the  time  be  changed ;  therefore  tell  me  the  dream,  and  I  shall 
know  that  ye  can  show  me  the  interpretation  thereof.  10.  The  Chal- 
deans answered  before  the  king,  and  said.  There  is  not  a  man  \\\)o\\ 
the  earth  that  can  show  the  king's  matter;  therefore  there  is  no  king, 
lord,  nor  ruler,  that  asked  such  things  at  any  magician,  or  astrologer, 
or  Chaldean.  11.  And  it  is  a  rare  thing  that  the  king  requireth, 
and  there  is  none  other  that  can  show  it  before  the  king,  except  the 
gods,  whose  dwelling  is  not  with  flesh.  12.  For  this  cause  the  king 
was  angry  and  very  furious,  and  commanded  to  destroy  all  the  wise 
men  of  Babylon.  13.  And  the  decree  went  forth  that  the  wise  men 
shoi:ld  be  slain;  and  they  sought  Daniel  and  his  fellows  to  be  slain. 

These  verses  contain  the  record  of  the  desperate  struggle 
between  the  Avise  men,  so  called,  and  the  king;  the  former 
seeking  some  avenue  of  escape,  seeing  they  were  caught  on 
their  own  ground,  and  the  latter  determined  that  they  should 
make  known  his  dream,  which  was  no  more  than  their  profes- 
sion would  warrant  him  in  demanding.  Some  have  severely 
censured  Xebuchadnezzar  in  this  matter,  as  acting  the  part  of 


36  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

a  heartless,  unreasonable  tyrant.  But  what  did  these  magi- 
cians profess  to  be  able  to  do  ^  —  To  reveal  hidden  things ;  to 
foretell  future  events;  to  make  known  mysteries  entirely  be- 
yond human  foresight  and  penetration ;  and  to  do  this  by  the 
aid  of  supernatural  agencies.  If,  then,  their  claim  was  Avortli 
anything,  could  they  not  make  known  to  the  king  what  he  had 
dreamed  i  —  They  certainly  could.  And  if  they  were  able, 
knowing  the  dream,  to  give  a  reliable  interpretation  thereof, 
would  they  not  also  be  able  to  make  kno^^^l  the  dream  itself 
when  it  had  gone  from  the  king  ?  —  Certainly,  if  there  was  any 
virtue  in  their  pretended  intercourse  with  the  other  world. 
There  was  therefore  nothing  unjust  in  Xebuchadnezzar's  de- 
mand that  they  should  make  knoMTi  his  dream.  And  when  they 
declared  (verse  11)  that  none  but  the  gods  whose  dwelling  was 
not  with  flesh  could  make  known  the  king's  matter,  it  was  a 
tacit  acknowledginent  that  they  had  no  communication  with 
these  gods,  and  knew  nothing  beyond  what  human  wisdom  and 
discernment  could  reveal.  For  this  cause,  the  king  was  angry 
and  very  furious.  He  saw  that  he  and  all  his  people  were 
being  made  the  victims  of  deception.  He  accused  them  (verse 
9)  of  endeavoring  to  dally  along  till  the  "time  be  changed," 
or  till  the  matter  had  so  passed  from  his  mind  that  his  anger 
at  their  duplicity  should  abate,  and  he  would  either  recall  the 
dream  himself,  or  be  unsolicitous  whether  it  were  made  known 
and  interpreted  or  not.  And  while  we  cannot  justify  the  ex- 
treme measures  to  which  he  resorted,  dooming  them  to  death, 
and  their  houses  to  destruction,  we  cannot  but  feel  a  hearty 
sympatliy  with  him  in  his  condemnation  of  a  class  of  miser- 
able impostors. 

The  severity  of  his  sentence  was  probably  attributable  more 
to  the  customs  of  those  times  than  to  any  malignity  on  the  part 
of  the  king.  Yet  it  was  a  bold  and  desperate  step.  Con- 
sider M'ho  these  were  who  thus  incurred  the  wrath  of  the  king. 
They  were  numerous,  opulent,  and  influential  sects.  More- 
over, they  were  the  learned  and  cultivated  classes  of  those 
times;  yet  the  king  was  not  so  wedded  to  his  false  religion 
as  to  spare  it  even  with  all  lhis  iiiflnoiiee  in  its  favor.  If 
the  system  Avas  one  of  fraud  and  imposition,  it  mu-^t  fall,  hoAv- 


DANIEL     AND     HIS      FELLOWS     ARE      SOUGHT     TO      BE      SLAIN 


CHAPTER  2.  VERSES  U-18  39 

ever  liigh  its  votaries  luiglit  slund  iii.  numbers  or  position,  or 
liowever  many  of  them  might  he  involved  in  its  ruin.  The 
king  would  l)e  no  party  to  dishonesty  or  deception. 

Verse  14.  Then  Daniel  answered  with  counsel  and  wisdom  to 
Ariocli  the  captain  of  the  king's  guard,  which  was  gone  forth  to  slay 
the  wise  men  of  Bahylon.  15.  lie  answered  and  said  to  Arioch  the 
king's  captain.  Why  is  the  decree  so  hasty  from  the  king  i  Then 
Arioch  made  the  thing  kno^^'n  to  Daniel.  16.  Then  Daniel  went  in, 
and  desired  of  the  king  tliat  he  would  give  him  time,  and  that  he 
would  show  the  king  the  interpretation.  17.  Then  Daniel  went  to 
his  house,  and  made  the  thing  known  to  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Aza- 
riah,  his  companions;  18.  That  they  would  desire  mercies  of  the  God 
of  hearcn  concerning  this  secret;  that  Daniel  and  his  fellows  should 
not  perish  with  the  rest  of  the  wise  men  of  Babjdon. 

In  this  narrative  we  see  tlie  providence  of  God  working  in 
several  remarkahle  particulars. 

1.  It  was  providential  that  the  dream  of  the  king  should 
leave  such  a  powerful  impression  upon  liis  mind  as  to  raise 
him  to  the  greatest  height  of  anxiety,  and  yet  the  thing  itself 
should  be  held  from  his  recollection.  This  led  to  the  complete 
exposure  of  the  false  system  of  the  magicians  and  other  pagan 
teachers ;  for  Avhen  put  to  the  test  to  make  kno^vn  the  dream, 
it  was  found  that  they  were  unable  to  do  what  their  profession 
made  it  incumbent  on  them  to  do. 

2.  It  was  remarkable  that  Daniel  and  his  companions,  so 
lately  pronounced  by  the  king  ten  times  better  than  all  his 
magicians  and  astrologers,  should  not  sooner  ha\'e  been  con- 
sulted, or,  rather,  should  not  have  been  consulted  at  all,  in 
this  matter.  But  there  was  a  providence  in  this.  Just  as  the 
dream  was  held  from  the  king,  so  he  was  unaccountably  h('ld 
from  appealing  to  Daniel  for  a  solution  of  the  mystery.  For 
had  he  called  on  Daniel  at  first,  and  had  he  at  once  made 
known  the  matter,  the  magicians  would  not  have  been  brought 
to  the  test.  But  God  would  give  the  heathen  systems  of  the 
Chaldeans  the  first  chance.  He  would  let  them  try,  and  igiio- 
miniously  fail,  and  confess  their  utter  incompetency,  even 
under  the  penalty  of  death,  that  they  might  be  the  better  pre- 
pared to  acknowdedge  his  hand  when  he  should  finally  reach  it 
down  in  behalf  of  his  captive  servants,  and  for  the  honor  of 
his  OA\Ti  name. 


40  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

3.  It  aj^pears  that  the  iirst  intimation  Daniel  had  of  the 
matter  ^vas  the  presence  of  the  executioners,  come  for  his  ar- 
rest. His  own  life  being  thus  at  stake,  he  Avould  be  led  to 
seek  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart  till  he  should  work  for  their 
deliverance.  Daniel  gains  his  request  of  the  king  for  time  to 
■  consider  the  matter, —  a  privilege  Avhich  ])robably  none  of  the 
magicians  could  have  secured,  as  the  king  had  already  accused 
them  of  preparing  lying  and  corrupt  words,  and  of  seeking  to 
gain  time  for  this  very  purpose.  Daniel  at  once  went  to  his 
three  companions,  and  engaged  them  to  unite  with  him  in  de- 
siring mercy  of  the  God  of  heaven  concerning  this  secret.  He 
coidd  have  prayed  alone,  and  doubtless  would  have  boon  heard ; 
but  then,  as  now,  in  the  union  of  God's  people  tliere  is  pre- 
vailing poAver ;  and  the  promise  of  the  accomplishment  of  that 
which  is  asked,  is  to  the  two  or  three  who  shall  agree  concerning 
it.      Matt.    IS:  10,   20. 

Verse  19.  Then  was  the  secret  revealed  imto  Daniel  in  a  night 
vision.  Then  Daniel  blessed  the  God  of  heaven.  20.  Daniel  answered 
and  said,  Blessed  be  the  name  of  God  forever  and  ever;  for  wisdom 
and  might  are  his;  21.  And  he  changeth  the  times  and  the  seasons; 
he  removetli  kings,  and  setteth  up  kings;  he  giveth  wisdom  unto  the 
wise,  and  knowledge  to  them  that  know  understanding;  22.  He  roveal- 
eth  the  deep  and  secret  things ;  he  knoweth  what  is  in  the  darkness, 
and  the  light  dwelleth  with  him.  23.  I  thank  thee,  and  praise  thee,  O 
thou  God  of  my  fathers,  who  hast  given  me  wisdom  and  might,  and 
hast  made  known  unto  me  now  what  we  desired  of  thee;  for  thou  hast 
now  made  known  unto  us  the  king's  matter. 

Whether  or  not  the  answer  came  while  Daniel  and  his 
companions  were  yet  offering  up  their  petitions,  w^e  are  not 
informed.  If  it  did,  it  shows  their  importunity  in  the  matter; 
for  it  was  through  a  night  vision  that  God  revealed  himself  in 
their  behalf,  wliich  would  show  that  they  continued  their  sup- 
plications, as  might  reasonably  be  inferred,  far  into  the  night, 
and  ceased  not  till  tlie  answer  Avas  obtained.  Or,  if  their 
season  of  ])rayer  had  closed,  and  God  at  a  subsequent  time  sent 
the  answer,  it  would  sIioav  us  that,  as  is  sometimes  the  case, 
])rayers  are  not  unavailing  though  not  immediately  answercMl. 
Some  think  lhe  matter  was  nuule  known  to  Daniel  by  his  dream- 
inir  the   same  dream    that   Xebu('ha(ln(>zzar   had    dreanu^d  ;   but 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  19  -  24  41 

Matthew  Henry  considers  it  more  probable  that  ''  when  he  was 
awake,  and  continning  instant  in  prayer,  and  watching  in  the 
same,  the  dream  itself  and  the  interpretation  of  it  were  com- 
municated to  him  by  the  ministry  of  an  angel,  abundantly  to 
his  satisfaction."  The  words  "  night  vision  "  mean  anything 
that  is  seen,  whether  through  dreams  or  visions. 

Daniel  immediately  offered  up  praise  to  God  for  his  gracious 
dealing  with  them ;  and  while  his  prayer  is  not  preserved,  his 
responsive  thanksgiving  is  fully  recorded.  God  is  honored  by 
our  rendering  him  praise  for  the  things  he  has  done  for  us,  as 
well  as  by  our  acknowledging  through  prayer  o\ir  need  of  his 
help.  Let  Daniel's  course  be  our  example  in  this  respect.  Let 
no  mercy  from  the  hand  of  God  fail  of  its  due  return  of 
thanksgiving  and  praise.  Were  not  ten  lepers  cleansed  ? 
^'  But  where,"  asks  Christ  sorrowfully,  "  are  the  nine  ?  "  Luke 
17:17. 

Daniel  had  the  utmost  confidence  in  what  had  been  shown 
him.  He  did  not  first  go  to  the  king,  to  see  if  what  had  been 
revealed  to  him  was  indeed  the  king's  dream ;  but  he  immedi- 
ately praised  God  for  having  answered  his  prayer. 

Although  the  matter  was  revealed  to  Daniel,   he   did  not 

take  honor  to  himself  as  though  it  were  by  his  prayers  alone 

that  this  thing  had  been  obtained,  but  immediately  associated 

his  companions  with  himself,    and   acknowledged   it  to  be   as 

much  an  answer  to  their  prayers  as  to  his  own.      It  was,  said 

he,  "  what  we  desired  of  thee,"  and  thou  hast  made  it  "  kno\\Ti 

unto  vs." 

Verse  24.  Therefore  Daniel  went  in  unto  Arioch,  whom  the  king 
had  ordained  to  destroy  the  wise  men  of  Babylon;  he  went  and  said 
thus  unto  him :  Destroy  not  the  wise  men  of  Babylon ;  bring  me  in 
before  the  king,  and  I  will  show  unto  the  king  the  interpretation. 

Daniel's  first  plea  is  for  the  wise  men  of  Babylon.  Destroy 
them  not,  for  the  king's  secret  is  revealed.  True  it  was  through 
no  merit  of  theirs  or  their  heathen  systems  of  divination  that 
this  revelation  was  made;  they  were  worthy  of  just  as  much 
condemnation  as  before.  But  their  own  confession  of  utter 
impotence  in  the  matter  was  humiliation  enough  for  them, 
and  Daniel  was  anxious  that   they  should  so  far  partake   of 


42  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  benefits  shown  to  him  as  to  have  their  own  lives  spared. 
Thus  thej  were  saved  because  there  was  a  man  of  God  among 
them.  And  thus  it  ever  is.  For  the  sake  of  Paul  and  Silas, 
all  the  prisoners  with  them  were  loosed.  xVcts  10:  20.  For 
the  sake  of  Paul,  the  lives  of  all  that  sailed  M'ith  him  were 
saved.  Chapter  :27:24.  Thus  the  wicked  are  benefited  bv 
the  presence  of  the  righteous.  Well  would  it  be  if  they  would 
remember  the  obligations  under  which  they  are  thus  placed. 
What  saves  the  world  to-dav  i  For  whose  sake  is  it  still 
spared  ?  — •  For  the  sake  of  the  few  righteous  persons  w^ho  are 
jet  left.  Remove  these,  and  how  long  would  the  wicked  be 
suffered  to  run  their  guilty  career  ?  —  Xo  longer  than  the  ante- 
dihivians  were  suft'ered,  after  jSToah  had  entered  the  ark,  or 
the  Sodomites,  after  Lot  had  departed  from  their  polluted  and 
polluting  presence.  If  only  ten  righteous  persons  could  have 
been  found  in  Sodom,  the  multitude  of  its  wicked  inhabitants 
would,  for  their  sakes,  have  been  spared.  Yet  the  wicked  will 
despise,  ridicule,  and  oppress  the  very  ones  on  whose  account 
it  is  that  they  are  still  permitted  the  enjoyment  of  life  and  all 
its  blessings. 

Verse  25.  Then  Arioch  brought  in  Daniel  before  tlie  king-  in  haste, 
and  said  thus  unto  him,  I  have  found  a  man  of  the  captives  of  Judah. 
that  will  make  known  unto  the  king  the  interpretation. 

It  is  ever  a  characteristic  of  ministers  and  courtiers  to  in- 
gratiate themselves  with  their  soyereign.  So  here  Arioch  rep- 
resented that  he  had  found  a  man  who  could  make  known  the 
desired  interpretation;  as  if  with  great  disinterestedness, 
in  behalf  of  the  king,  he  had  been  searching  for  some  one  to 
solve  his  difiiculty,  and  had  at  last  found  him.  In  order  to 
see  through  this  deception  of  his  chief  executioner,  the  king 
had  but  to  remember,  as  he  probably  did,  his  interview  with 
Daniel  (verse  10),  and  Daniel's  ]u'()mise,  if  time  could  be 
granted,  to  show  th(^  inter]U'etation    thereof. 

Vehse  26.  The  king  answered  and  said  to  Daniel,  whose  name 
was  Belteshazzar,  Art  thou  able  to  make  known  unto  me  the  dream 
which  I  have  seen,  and  the  interpretation  thereof?  27.  Daniel  an- 
swered in  the  presence  of  the  king,  and  said,  The  secret  which  the 
kiiig  hath  demanded  cannot  the  wise  men,  the  astrologers,  the  magi- 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  26 -SO  4:3 

cians,  the  soothsayers,  show  unto  the  king;  2S.  But  there  is  a  (Jod  in 
heaven  tliat  revealeth  secrets,  and  inaketh  known  to  the  king  Nebu- 
chadnezzar what  shall  be  in  the  latter  days.  Thy  dream,  and  the 
visions  of  thy  head  upon  thy  bed,  are  these. 

Art  thou  able  to  make  known  the  dream  ?  was  the  king's 
doubtful  salutation  to  Daniel,  as  he  came  into  liis  presence. 
Xotwithstanding  bis  previous  ac<|uaintance  with  Daniel,  the 
king  seems  to  have  questioned  his  ability,  so  yotmg  and  inex- 
perienced, to  make  known  a  matter  in  wbicli  the  aged  and 
venerable  magicians  and  soothsayers  had  utterly  failed.  Daniel 
declared  plainly  that  the  wise  men,  the  astrologers,  the  sooth- 
sayers, and  the  magicians  could  not  make  known  this  secret. 
It  was  beyond  their  power.  Therefore  the  king  should  not  be 
angry  with  them,  nor  put  confidence  in  their  inefficient  super- 
stitions. He  then  proceeds  to  make  known  the  true  God,  who 
rales  in  heaven,  and  is  the  only  revealer  of  secrets.  And  he  it 
is,  says  Daniel,  who  maketli  kno\^'n  to  the  king  T^ebuchad- 
nezzar  what  shall  be  in  the  latter  days. 

Verse  29.  As  for  thee,  O  king-,  thy  thoughts  came  into  thy  mind 
upon  thy  bed,  what  should  come  to  pass  hereafter;  and  he  that  re- 
vealeth secrets  maketh  known  to  thee  what  shall  come  to  pass.  30. 
But  as  for  me,  this  secret  is  not  revealed  to  me  for  any  wisdom  that 
I  have  more  than  any  living,  but  for  their  sakes  that  shall  make 
known  the  interpretation  to  the  king,  and  that  thou  mightest  know 
the  thoughts  of  tliy  heart. 

Here  is  brought  out  another  of  the  commendable  traits  of 
IS^ebuchadnezzar's  character.  Unlike  some  rulers,  who  fill  up 
the  present  with  folly  and  debauchery  without  regard  to  the 
future,  be  thought  forward  upon  the  days  to  come,  with  an 
anxious  desire  to  know  with  what  events  they  should  be  filled. 
His  object  in  this  was,  doubtless,  that  he  might  the  better  know 
how  to  make  a  wise  improvement  of  the  present.  For  this  rea- 
son God  gave  him  this  dream,  which  Ave  must  regard  as  a  token 
of  the  divine  favor  toward  the  king,  as  there  were  many  other 
ways  in  which  the  truth  involved  in  this  matter  could  ha^'c^ 
been  brotight  out,  equally  to  the  honor  of  God's  name,  and  the 
good  of  his  people  both  at  that  time  and  through  sul~>sequent 
generations.  Yet  God  would  not  Avork  for  the  kiuir  independ- 
ently of  his  own  people ;    hence,  though  he  gave  the  dream  to 


44  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  king,  he  sent  the  interpretation  tliruugii  one  of  his  own 
acknowledged  servants.  Daniel  lirst  disclaimed  all  credit  for 
himself  in  the  transaction,  and  then  to  modify  somewhat  the 
feelings  of  pride  which  it  Avould  have  been  natnral  for  the  king 
to  have,  in  view  of  being  tlins  noticed  by  the  God  of  heaven, 
he  informed  him  indirectly,  that,  althongh  the  dream  had  been 
given  to  him,  it  was  not  for  his  sake  altogether  that  the  inter- 
pretation was  sent,  but  for  their  sakes  through  whom  it  should 
be  made  known.  Ah !  God  had  some  servants  there,  and  it 
was  for  them  that  he  was  working.  They  are  of  more  value  in 
his  sight  than  the  mightiest  kings  and  potentates  of  earth.  Had 
it  not  been  for  them,  the  king  would  never  have  had  the  inter- 
pretation of  his  dream,  probably  not  even  the  dream  itself. 
Thus,  when  traced  to  their  source,  all  favors,  upon  whomsoever 
bestowed,  are  found  to  be  due  to  the  regard  which  God  has  for 
his  own  children.  How  comprehensive  was  the  work  of  God 
in  this  instance.  Ey  this  one  act  of  revealing  the  king's  dream 
to  Daniel,  he  accomplished  the  following  objects:  (1)  He  made 
known  to  the  king  the  things  he  desired;  (2)  He  saved  his 
servants  who  trusted  in  him;  (3)  He  brought  conspicuously 
before  the  Chaldean  nation  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God;  (4) 
He  poured  contempt  on  the  false  systems  of  the  soothsayers  and 
magicians;  and  (5)  He  honored  his  own  name,  and  exalted  his 
servants  in  their  eyes. 

Verse  31.  Thou,  O  king,  sawest,  and  behold  a  great  image.  This 
great  image,  whose  brightness  was  excellent,  stood  before  thee;  and 
the  form  thereof  was  terrible.  32.  This  image's  head  was  of  fine  gold, 
his  breast  and  his  arms  of  silver,  his  belly  and  his  thighs  of  brass,  33. 
Ilis  logs  of  iron,  his  feet  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay.  34.  Thou 
sawest  till  that  a  stone  was  cut  out  without  hands,  which  smote  the 
image  upon  his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and  clay,  and  brake  them  to 
pieces.  35.  Then  was  1he  iron,  the  clay,  the  brass,  the  silver,  and  the 
gold,  l)roken  to  pieces  together,  and  became  like  the  chaff  of  the 
siunmer  threshing-floors;  and  the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  no 
place  was  foTiud  for  tb.em ;  and  the  stone  that  smote  the  image  became 
a  great  mountaiu,  nud  filled  the  whole  earth. 

Xebuchadnezzar,  ])racticing  tlie  CMnddean  religion,  was  an 
idolater.  \u  image  was  an  object  which  would  at  once  com- 
nmnd  his  attention  and  respect.  ^Moreover,  earthly  kiiu^iloms, 
whicli,    as    we    shall    hereafter    see,    were    rej">rescnt(Ml    by    this 


THE    GREAT    W  O  R  L  D- K  I  N  G  DO  M     IMAGE 

DAN.     2:31-34. 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  31  -  35  47 

image,  wore  objects  of  esteem  ami  \'ulue  iu  his  eyes.  With 
a  mind  unenlightened  by  the  light  of  revelation,  he  was  unpre- 
pared to  put  a  true  estimate  upon  earthly  wealth  and  glory, 
and  to  look  upon  earthly  governments  in  their  true  light. 
Hence  the  striking  harmony  between  the  estimate  which  he 
put  upon  these  things,  and  the  object  by  which  they  were 
symbolized  before  him.  To  him  they  were  presented  under 
the  form  of  a  great  image,  an  object  in  his  eyes  of  worth  and 
admiration.  With  Daniel  the  case  was  far  different.  He  was 
able  to  view  in  its  true  light  all  greatness  and  glory  not  built 
on  the  favor  and  approbation  of  God;  and  therefore  to  him 
these  same  earthly  kingdoms  were  afterward  shown  (see  chap- 
ter 7)  under  the  form  of  cruel  and  ravenous  wild  beasts. 

But  how  admirably  adapted  Avas  this  representation  to  con- 
vey a  great  and  needful  truth  to  the  mind  of  "N"ebuchadnezzar. 
Besides  delineating  the  progress  of  events  through  the  whole 
course  of  time  for  the  benefit  of  his  people,  God  would  show 
Xebnchadnezzar  the  utter  emptiness  and  worthlessness  of 
earthly  pomp  and  glory.  And  how  could  this  be  more  im- 
pressively done  than  by  an  image  commencing  with  the  most 
precious  of  metals,  and  continually  descending  to  the  baser, 
till  we  finally  have  the  coarsest  and  cnulest  of  materials, —  iron 
mingled  with  the  miry  clay, —  the  whole  then  dashed  to  pieces,, 
and  made  like  the  empty  chaff,  no  good  thing  in  it,  but  alto- 
gether lighter  than  vanity,  and  finally  blown  away  where  no 
place  could  be  found  for  it,  after  which  something  durable  and 
of  heavenly  worth  occupies  its  place  ?  So  would  God  show 
to  the  children  of  men  that  earthly  kingdoms  were  to  pass 
away,  and  earthly  greatness  and  glory,  like  a  gaudy  bubble, 
would  break  and  vanish;  and  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  the 
place  so  long  usurped  l)y  these,  should  be  set  up,  to  have  no 
end,  and  all  who  had  an  interest  therein  should  rest  under  the 
shadow  of  its  peaceful  M'ings  forever  and  ever.  But  this  is 
anticipating. 

Verse  36.  This  is  the  dream;  and  we  will  tell  the  interpretation 
thereof  before  the  king:.  37.  Thou,  O  king-,  art  a  king  of  kings; 
for  the  God  of  lieaven  hath  given  thee  a  kingdom,  power,  and  strength, 
and  glory.      38.    And  wheresoever   the   children   of   men   dwell,   the 


48  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  hath  he  given  into 
thine  hand,  and  hath  made  thee  ruler  over  them  all.  Thou  art  this 
head  of  grold. 

Xow  opens  one  of  the  subliniest  chapters  of  human  history. 
Eight  short  verses  of  the  inspired  record  tell  the  whole  story; 
yet  that  story  embraces  the  history  of  this  world's  pomp  and 
l)ower.  A  few  moments  will  suffice  to  connnit  it  to  memory; 
yet  the  period  M'liich  it  covers,  commencing  more  than  twenty- 
five  centuries  ago,  reaches  on  from  that  far-distant  point  past 
the  rise  and  fall  of  kingdoms,  past  the  setting  up  and  over- 
tlirow  of  empires,  past  cycles  and  ages,  past  our  o^\ti  day,  over 
into  the  eternal  state.  It  is  so  comprehensive  that  it  embraces 
all  tins;  yet  it  is  so  minute  that  it  gives  us  all  the  great  out- 
lines of  earthly  kingdoms  from  that  time  to  this.  Human 
wisdom  never  devised  so  brief  a  record  which  embraced  so 
much.  Human  language  never  set  forth  in  so  few  words,  so 
great  a  volume  of  historical  truth.  The  finger  of  God  is  here. 
Let  lis  heed  the  lesson  well. 

"With  what  interest,  as  Avell  as  astonishment,  must  the  king 
have  listened,  as  he  Avas  informed  by  the  prophet  that  he,  or 
rather  his  kingdom,  the  king  being  here  put  for  his  kingdom 
(see  the  following  verse),  was  the  golden  head  of  the  magnifi- 
cent image  which  he  had  seen.  Ancient  kings  were  grateful 
for  success;  and  in  cases  of  prosperity,  the  tutelar  deity,  to 
whom  they  attributed  their  success,  was  the  adorable  object 
upon  which  they  would  lavish  their  richest  treasures  and  be- 
stow their  best  devotions.  Daniel  indirectly  informs  the  king 
that  in  this  case  all  these  are  due  to  the  God  of  heaven,  since 
he  is  the  one  who  has  given  him  his  kingdom,  and  made  him 
ruler  over  all.  This  would  restrain  him  from  the  pride  of 
thinking  tliat  he  had  attained  his  position  by  his  ovm  poAver 
and  wisdom,  and  Avould  enlist  the  gratitude  of  liis  heart  toward 
the  true  God. 

The  kingdom  of  Babylon,  M'hicli  finally  developed  into  the 
golden  head  of  the  great  historic  image,  was  founded  by  l^im- 
rod,  the  great-grandson  of  Xoah,  over  two  thousand  years 
before  Thrist.  Gen.  10:8-10:  "And  Cush  begat  Nimrod ; 
he  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the  earth.      He  Avas  a  mighty 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  36  -  38  49 

hunter  before  the  Lord;  wherefore  it  is  said,  Even  as  Xinirod, 
the  mighty  hunter  before  the  Lord.  And  the  beginning  of  his 
kingdom  was  Babel  \_inay(jin,  Babylon],  and  Erech,  and  Accad, 
and  Calneh,  in  tlie  land  of  Shinar."  It  appears  that  Xinirod 
also  founded  the  city  of  Xineveh,  which  afterward  became  the 
capital  of  Syria.  (See  marginal  reading  of  Gen.  10:  11,  and 
Johnson's  Cyclopedia,  art.  Syria.)  The  following  sketch  of 
the  history  of  Babylon,  from  Johnson's  Universal  Cyclopedia, 
art.  Babylon,  is  according  to  the  latest  authorities  on  this 
subject :- — ■ 

"About  1270  B.  c,  the  Assyrian  kings  became  masters  of 
Chaldea,  or  Babylonia,  of  which  Babylon  was  the  capital. 
This  country  was  afterward  ruled  by  an  Assyrian  dynasty 
of  kings,  who  reigned  at  Babylon,  and  sometimes  waged  w'ar 
against  those  who  reigned  in  Assyria  proper.  At  other  times 
the  kings  of  Babylon  were  tril)utary  to  those  of  Assyria.  Sev- 
eral centuries  elapsed  in  wliich  the  liistory  of  Babylon  is  almost 
a  blank.  In  the  time  of  Tiglath-pileser  of  Assyria,  Xabonassar 
ascended  the  throne  of  Babylon  in  YlT  b.  c.  He  is  celebrated 
for  the  chronological  era  which  l)ears  his  name,  and  w^liich 
began  in  747  b.  c.  About  720  Merodach-baladan  became  king 
of  Babylon,  and  sent  and^assadors  to  Ilezekiah,  king  of  Judah 
(see  2  Kings  20,  and  Isa.  30).  A  few  years  later,  Sargon, 
king  of  Assyria,  defeated  and  dethroned  Merodach-baladan. 
Sennacherib  completed  the  subjection  of  Babylon,  which  he 
annexed  to  the  Assyrian  empire  about  690  b.  c.  The  con- 
(piest  of  Xineveh  and  the  subversion  of  the  Assyrian  empire, 
which  was  effected  about  025  b.  c,  by  Cyaxares  the  Mede, 
and  his  ally  Xalwpolassar,  the  rebellious  governor  of  Babylon, 
enabled  the  latter  to  found  the  Bal)ylonian  empire,  which  was 
the  fourth  of  Rawlinson's  '  Five  Great  ^NFouarchies,'  and  in- 
cluded the  valley  of  the  Euphrates,  Susiana,  Syria,  and  Pales- 
estine.  His  reign  lasted  about  twenty-one  years,  and  was 
probably  pacific,  as  tlie  history  of  it  is  nearly  a  blank;  but  in 
605  b.  c.  his  army  defeated  Xecho,  king  of  Egypt,  who  ha<l 
invaded  Syria.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  more  famous  son, 
Xebuchadnezzar  (604  b.  c.),  who  Avas  the  greatest  of  the  kings 
of  Babvlon.' 


50  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Jerusalem  was  taken  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the  first  year 
of  his  reign,  and  the  third  year  of  Jehoiakim,  king  of  Judah 
(Dan.  1:1),  b.  c.  006.  Xebuchadnezzar  reigned  two  years 
conjointly  with  his  father,  Xabopolassar.  From  this  point  the 
Jews  computed  his  reign,  but  the  Chaldeans  from  the  date 
of  his  sole  reign,  (501:  b.  c,  as  stated  above.  Respecting  the 
successors  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  authority  above  quoted 
adds : — 

"  He  died  in  501  b.  c,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Evil-merodach,  who  reigned  only  two  years.  Nabonadius  (or 
Labynetus),  who  became  king  in  555  b.  c,  formed  an  alliance 
with  Cnrsus  against  Cyrus  the  Great.  lie  appears  to  have 
shared  tht^  royal  power  with  his  son,  Belshazzar,  whose  mother 
was  a  daughter  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  Cyrus  besieged  Babylon, 
which  he  took  by  stratagem  in  538  b.  c,  and  with  the  death 
of  Belshazzar,  whom  the  Persians  killed,  the  kingdom  of  Baby- 
lon ceased  to  exist." 

When  we  say  that  the  image  of  Daniel  2  symbolizes  the 
four  great  pro]ihetic  universal  monarcliies,  and  reckon  Babylon 
as  the  first  of  tliese,  it  is  asked  how  this  can  be  true,  when 
every  country  in  the  world  was  not  absolutely  under  the  do- 
minion of  any  one  of  them.  Thus  Babylon  never  conquered 
Grecia  or  Rome;  l)ut  Rome  was  founded  before  Babylon  had 
risen  to  the  zenith  of  its  power.  Rome's  position  and  influ- 
ence, however,  were  then  altogether  prospective;  and  it  is 
nothing  against  the  prophecy  that  God  begins  to  prepare  liis 
agents  long  years  before  they  enter  upon  the  prominent  part 
they  are  to  perform  in  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy.  We  must 
place  ourselves  with  the  prophet,  and  view  these  kinijdoms  from 
the  same  standpoint.  We  sliall  then,  as  is  right,  consider  his 
statements  in  the  light  of  the  location  he  occupied,  the  time 
in  wliich  he  wrote,  and  the  circumstances  by  which  he  was 
surrounded.  It  is  a  manifest  rule  of  interpretation  that  we 
may  look  for  nations  to  be  noticed  in  prophecy  when  they 
become  so  far  connected  with  the  people  of  God  that  mention 
of  them  becomes  necessary  to  make  the  records  of  sacred  his- 
tory complete.  \Mien  this  was  the  case  with  Babylon,  it  was. 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  prophet,  the  great  and  overtower- 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  36  -  38  53 

ing  object  in  the  political  world.  In  his  eve,  it  necessarily 
eclipsed  all  else ;  and  he  M'ould  naturally  speak  of  it  as  a  king- 
dom having  rule  over  all  the  earth.  So  far  as  we  know,  all 
])rovinces  or  countries  against  which  Babylon  did  move  in  the 
height  of  its  power,  were  subdued  by  its  arms.  In  this  sense, 
all  were  in  its  power;  and  this  fact  will  explain  the  somewhat 
hyperbolical  language  of  verse  38.  That  there  were  some 
portions  of  territory  and  considerable  numbers  of  people  un- 
kno^ni  to  history,  and  outside  the  pale  of  civilization  as  it 
then  existed,  which  were  neither  discovered  nor  subdued,  is 
not  a  fact  of  sufficient  strength  or  importance  to  condemn  the 
expression  of  the  prophet,  or  to  falsify  the  prophecy. 

In  606  B,  c.  Babylon  came  in  contact  with  the  people  of  God, 
when  Nebuchadnezzar  conquered  Jerusalem  and  led  Judah  into 
captivity.  It  comes  at  this  point,  consequently,  into  the  field 
of  prophecy,  at  the  end  of  the  Jewisli  theocracy. 

The  character  of  this  empire  is  indicated  by  the  nature  of 
the  material  composing  that  portion  of  the  image  by  which 
it  was  s^nnbolized  —  the  head  of  gold.  It  was  the  golden 
kingdom  of  a  golden  age.  Babylon,  its  metropolis,  towered  to 
a  height  never  reached  by  any  of  its  successors.  Situated  in 
the  garden  of  the  East;  laid  out  in  a  perfect  square  sixty 
miles  in  circumference,  fifteen  miles  on  each  side;  surrounded 
by  a  wall  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high  and  eighty-seven 
feet  thick,  with  a  moat,  or  ditch,  around  this,  of  equal  cubic 
capacity  with  the  wall  itself;  divided  into  six  hundred  and 
seventy-six  squares,  each  two  and  a  quarter  miles  in  circum- 
ference, by  its  fifty  streets,  each  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in 
width,  crossing  each  other  at  right  angles,  twenty-five  running 
each  way,  every  one  of  them  straight  and  level  and  fifteen 
miles  in  length;  its  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  square  miles 
of  inclosed  surface,  divided  as  just  described,  laid  out  in  luxu- 
riant pleasure-grounds  and  gardens,  interspersed  with  magnifi- 
cent dwellings, —  this  city,  with  its  sixty  miles  of  moat,  its 
sixty  miles  of  outer  wall,  its  thirty  miles  of  river  wall  through 
its  center,  its  hundred  and  fifty  gates  of  solid  brass,  its  hang- 
ing gardens,  rising  terrace  above  terrace,  till  they  equaled  in 
height  the  walls  themselves,  its  temple  of  Bolus,  three  miles  in 


54  PBOPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

circiunference,  its  two  royal  palaces,  one  three  and  a  half,  and 
tlie  other  eight  miles  in  circumference,  with  its  subterranean 
tunnel  under  the  River  Euphrates  connecting  these  two  pal- 
aces, its  perfect  arrangement  for  convenience,  ornament,  and 
defense,  and  its  unlimited  resources, —  this  city,  containing  in 
itself  many  things  which  were  themselves  wonders  of  the  world, 
was  itself  another  and  still  mightier  wonder.  Xever  before 
saw  the  earth  a  city  like  that;  never  since  has  it  seen  its 
equal.  And  there,  with  the  whole  earth  prostrate  at  her  feet, 
a  queen  in  peerless  grandeur,  drawing  from  the  pen  of  in- 
spiration itself  this  glowing  title,  "  The  glory  of  kingdoms, 
the  beauty  of  the  Chaldees'  excellency,"  sat  this  city,  fit  capital 
of  that  kingdom  which  constituted  the  golden  head  of  this 
great  historic  image. 

Such  was  Babylon,  with  IS^ebuchadnezzar,  in  the  prime  of 
life,  bold,  vigorous,  and  accomplished,  seated  upon  its  throne, 
wdien  Daniel  entered  its  impregnable  walls  to  serve  a  captive 
for  seventy  years  in  its  gorgeous  palaces.  There  the  children 
of  the  Lord,  oppressed  more  than  cheered  by  the  glory  and 
prosperity  of  the  land  of  their  captivity,  hung  their  harps  on 
the  willows  of  the  sparkling  Euphrates,  and  wept  when  they 
remembered  Zion. 

And  there  commenced  the  captive  state  of  the  church  in  a 
still  broader  sense ;  for,  ever  since  that  time,  the  people  of 
God  have  been  in  subjection  to,  and  more  or  less  oppressed 
by,  earthly  powers.  And  so  they  will  be,  till  all  earthly 
powers  shall  finally  yield  to  Him  whose  right  it  is  to  reign. 
And  lo,  that  day  of  deliverance  draws  on  apace. 

Into  another  city,  not  only  J)aniel,  but  all  the  children  of 
God,  from  least  to  greatest,  from  lowest  to  highest,  from  first 
to  last,  are  soon  to  enter;  a  city  not  merely  sixty  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, but  fifteen  hundred  miles ;  a  city  whose  walls  are 
not  brick  and  bitumen,  but  precious  stones  and  jasper;  whose 
streets  are  not  the  stone-paved  streets  of  Babylon,  smooth  and 
beautiful  as  they  were,  but  transparent  gold ;  whose  river  is 
not  the  mournful  waters  of  the  Euphrates,  but  the  river  of  life; 
whose  music  is  not  the  sighs  and  laments  of  broken-hearted  ca])- 
tives,  but  the  tlirilliii'v  jmans  of  victory  ovor  death  and  tlie  grave, 


CHAPTEn  2.  VERSE  39  55 

which  ransomed  inultitiules  shall  raise;  whose  light  is  not  the 
intermittent  light  of  earth,  but  the  unceasing  and  ineti'able 
glorj  of  God  and  the  Lamb.  Into  this  city  they  shall  enter, 
not  as  captives  entering  a  foreign  land,  but  as  exiles  returning 
to  their  father's  house ;  not  as  to  a  place  where  such  chilling 
words  as  ''  bondage,"  "  servitude,"  and  "  oppression,"  shall 
weigh  down  their  spirits,  but  to  one  where  the  sweet  words, 
"  heme,"  '•  freedom,"  "  peace,"  "  purity,"  "  unutterable  bliss," 
and  "  unending  life,"  shall  thrill  their  bosoms  with  delight 
forever  and  ever.  Yea ;  our  mouths  shall  be  filled  with 
laughter,  and  our  tongue  with  singing,  when  the  Lord  shall 
turn  again  the  captivity  of  Zion.      Ps.  12C  :  1,  2  ;  Rev.  21:1-  27. 

Verse  39.  And  after  thee  shall  arise  another  kingdom  inferior  to 
thee,  and  another  third  kingdom  of  brass,  which  shall  bear  rule  over 
all  the  eartli. 

Xebuchadnezzar  reigned  forty-three  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  following  rulers:  Ilis  son,  Evil-merodach,  two 
years ;  Xeriglissar,  his  son-in-law,  four  years ;  Laborosoarchod, 
Xeriglissar's  son,  nine  months,  which,  being  less  than  one 
year,  is  not  counted  in  the  canon  of  Ptolemy;  and  lastly, 
J^abonadius,  whose  son,  Belshazzar,  grandson  of  ISTebuchad- 
nezzar,  was  associated  with  him  on  the  throne,  and  with  whom 
that  kingdom  came  to  an  end. 

In  the  first  year  of  Xeriglissar,  only  two  years  after  the 
death  of  Xebuchadnezzar,  broke  out  that  fatal  war  between 
the  Babylonians  and  the  ]\redes,  which  was  to  result  in  the 
utter  subversion  of  the  Babylonian  kingdom.  Cyaxares,  king 
of  the  Medes,  who  is  called  "Darius"  in  Dan.  5:81,  sum- 
moned to  his  aid  his  nephew,  Cyrus,  of  the  Persian  line,  in  his 
efforts  against  the  Babylonians.  Th,e  war  was  prosecuted  with 
uninterrupted  success  on  the  part  of  the  Medes  and  Persians, 
until,  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  Xabonadius  (the  third  year  of 
his  son  Belshazzar),  Cyrus  laid  siege  to  Babylon,  the  only  city 
in  all  the  East  which  then  held  out  against  him.  The  Baby- 
lonians, gathered  within  their  impregnable  walls,  Avith  provi- 
sion on  hand  for  twenty  years,  and  land  within  the  limits  of 
their  broad  citv  sufficient  to  furnish  food  for  the  inhabitants 


56  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

and  garrison  for  an  indefinite  period,  scoffed  at  Cyrus  from 
their  lofty  walls,  and  derided  his  seemingly  useless  efforts  to 
bring  them  into  subjection.  And  according  to  all  human  cal- 
culation, they  had  good  ground  for  their  feelings  of  security. 
K'ever,  weighed  in  the  balance  of  any  earthly  probability,  with 
the  means  of  warfare  then  known,  could  that  city  be  taken. 
Hence,  they  breathed  as  freely  and  slept  as  soundly  as  though 
no  foe  were  waiting  and  watching  for  their  destruction  around 
their  beleaguered  walls.  But  God  had  decreed  that  the  proud 
and  wicked  city  should  come  down  from  her  throne  of  glory; 
and  when  he  speaks,  what  mortal  arm  can  defeat  his  word  ? 

In  their  very  feeling  of  security  lay  the  source  of  their 
danger.  Cyrus  resolved  to  accomplish  by  stratagem  Avhat  he 
could  not  effect  by  force ;  and  learning  of  the  approach  of  an 
annual  festival,  in  which  the  whole  city  would  be  given  up 
to  mirth  and  revelry,  he  fixed  upon  that  day  as  the  time  to 
carry  his  purpose  into  execution.  There  was  no  entrance  for 
him  into  that  city  except  he  could  find  it  where  the  Kiver 
Euphrates  entered  and  emerged,  passing  under  its  walls.  He 
resolved  to  make  the  channel  of  the  river  his  owm  highway  into 
the  stronghold  of  his  enemy.  To  do  this,  the  water  must  be 
turned  aside  from  its  channel  through  the  city.  For  tliis  pur- 
pose, on  the  evening  of  the  feast-day  above  referred  to,  he 
detailed  three  bodies  of  soldiers,  the  first,  to  turn  the  river  at 
a  given  hour  into  a  large  artificial  lake  a  short  distance  above 
the  city;  the  second,  to  take  their  station  at  the  point  where 
the  river  entered  the  city;  the  third  to  take  a  position  fifteen 
miles  beloAv,  where  the  river  emerged  from  the  city;  and  these 
two  latter  parties  were  instructed  to  enter  the  channel,  just 
as  soon  as  they  found  the  river  fordable,  and  in  the  darkness 
of  the  night  explore  their  way  beneath  the  walls,  and  press  on 
to  the  palace  of  the  king,  where  they  were  to  meet,  surprise  the 
palace,  slay  the  guards,  and  capture  or  slay  the  king.  When 
the  Avater  was  turned  into  the  lake  mentioned  above,  the  river 
soon  became  fordable,  and  the  soldiers  detailed  for  that  purpose 
followed  its  channel  into  the  heart  of  the  city  of  Babylon. 

But  all  this  would  have  boon  in  vain,  had  not  the  whole 
citv,  ou  that  eventful  niiiht,  u'iven  tlu>mselv(>s  over  to  the  most 


"If,, 


d 


'v\ 


'""'^»nuuv,n 


"  mm** 


'.'         *  ^  •1"!' 


BABYLON     TAKEN     BY     THE     M  E  D  O  -  P  t.  .^  S  I  A  N  S 


CHAPTER  2.  VERSE  39  59 

reckless  carelessness  and  presumption,  a  state  of  things  upon 
wliicli  Cyrus  calculated  largely  for  the  carrying  out  of  his 
purpose.  For  on  each  side  of  the  river,  through  the  entire 
length  of  the  city,  were  walls  of  great  height,  and  of  equal 
thickness  with  the  outer  walls.  In  these  walls  were  huge 
gates  of  solid  brass,  which  A\hen  closed  and  guarded,  debarred 
all  entrance  from  the  river-bed  to  any  and  all  of  the  twenty- 
five  streets  that  crossed  the  river ;  and  had  they  been  thus 
closed  at  this  time,  the  soldiers  of  Cyrus  might  have  marched 
into  the  city  along  the  river-bed,  and  then  marched  out  again, 
for  all  that  they  would  have  been  able  to  accomplish  toward 
the  subjugation  of  the  place.  But  in  the  drunken  revelry  of 
that  fatal  night,  these  river  gates  were  all  left  open,  and  the 
entrance  of  the  Persian  soldiers  was  not  perceived.  Many  a 
cheek  would  have  paled  with  terror,  had  they  noticed  the  sud- 
den going  do^vn  of  the  river,  and  understood  its  fearful  import. 
Many  a  tongue  would  have  spread  wild  alarm  through  the  city, 
had  they  seen  the  dark  forms  of  their  armed  foes  stealthily 
treading  their  way  to  the  citadel  of  their  strength,  l^ut  no  one 
noticed  the  sudden  subsidence  of  the  waters  of  the  river;  no  one 
saw  the  entrance  of  the  Persian  warriors ;  no  one  took  care 
that  the  river  gates  should  be  closed  and  guarded;  no  one 
cared  for  aught  but  to  see  how  deeply  and  recklessly  he  could 
plunge  into  the  wild  debauch.  That  night's  work  cost  them 
their  kingdom  and  their  freedom.  They  went  into  their  brut- 
ish revelry  subjects  of  the  king  of  Babylon  ;  they  awoke  from 
it  slaves  to  the  king  of  Persia. 

The  soldiers  of  Cyrus  first  made  known  their  presence  in 
the  city  by  falling  upon  the  royal  guards  in  the  very  vestibule 
of  the  palace  of  the  king.  Belshazzar  soon  became  aware  of 
the  cause  of  the  disturbance,  and  died  vainly  fighting  for  his 
imperiled  life.  This  feast  of  Belshazzar  is  described  in  the 
fifth  chapter  of  Daniel;  and  the  scene  closes  with  the  simple 
record,  "  In  that  night  was  Belshazznr  the  king  of  the  Chal- 
deans slain.  And  Darius  the  Median  took  the  kingdom,  being 
about  threescore  and  two  years  old." 

Tims  the  first  division  of  the  great  image  was  completed. 
Another   kingdom   had    arisen,    as   the    propliet    had    declared. 


60  PBOPIIECY  OF  DANIEL 

The  iirst  instalment  of  the  prophetic  dream  was  fulfilled. 
But  before  ^ve  take  lea^-e  of  Babylon,  let  us  glance  forward 
to  the  end  of  its  thenceforth  melancholy  history.  It  would 
naturally  be  supposed  that  the  conqueror,  becoming  possessed 
of  so  noble  a  city,  far  surpassing  anything  in  the  world,  would 
have  taken  it  as  the  seat  of  his  empire,  and  maintained  it  in  its 
primitive  splendor.  But  God  had  said  that  that  city  should 
become  a  heap,  and  the  habitation  of  the  beasts  of  the  desert ; 
that  their  houses  should  be  full  of  doleful  creatures ;  that  the 
wild  beasts  of  the  islands  should  cry  in  their  desolate  dwellings, 
and  dragons  in  their  pleasant  palaces.  Isa.  13:19-  22.  It 
must  first  be  deserted.  Cyrus  removed  the  imperial  seat  to 
Susa,  a  celebrated  city  in  the  province  of  Elam,  east  from 
Babylon,  on  the  banks  of  the  River  Choaspes,  a  branch  of  the 
Tigris.  This  was  probabW  done,  says  Prideaux  (i.  180),  in 
the  first  year  of  his  sole  reign.  The  pride  of  the  Babylonians 
being  particularly  provoked  by  this  act,  in  the  fifth  year  of 
Darius  Hystaspes,  b.  c.  517,  they  rose  in  rebellion,  which 
brought  upon  themselves  again  the  whole  strength  of  the  Per- 
sian empire.  The  city  was  once  more  taken  by  stratagem. 
Zopyrus,  one  of  the  chief  conmianders  of  Darius,  having  cut 
off  his  own  nose  and  ears,  and  mangled  his  body  all  over  with 
stripes,  fled  in  this  condition  to  the  besieged,  apparently  burn- 
ing with  desire  to  be  revenged  on  Darius  for  his  great  cruelty 
in  thus  mutilating  him.  In  this  way  he  won  the  confidence  of 
the  Babylonians  till  they  at  length  made  him  chief  commander 
of  their  forces ;  whereupon  he  betrayed  the  city  into  the  hands 
of  his  master.  And  that  they  might  ever  after  be  deterred 
from  rebellion,  Darius  impaled  three  thousand  of  those  who 
had  been  most  active  in  the  revolt,  took  away  the  brazen  gates 
of  the  city,  and  beat  down  the  walls  from  two  hundred  cubits 
to  fifty  cubits.  This  was  the  commencement  of  its  destruction. 
By  this  act,  it  was  left  exposed  to  the  ravages  of  every  hostile 
band.  Xerxes,  on  his  return  from  Greece,  plundered  the  tem- 
ple of  Belus  of  its  immense  wealth,  and  then  laid  the  lofty 
structure  in  ruins.  Alexander  the  Great  endeavored  to  rebuild 
it;  but  after  employing  ten  thousand  men  two  months  to  clear' 
awav  the  rubbish,  he  died  from  excessive  drunkenness  and  de- 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSE  39  63 

baucliery,  and  the  work  was  suspended.  In  the  year  294  b.  c, 
Seleucus  Xieator  built  the  city  of  New  liabylon  in  its  neighbor- 
hood, and  took  much  of  the  material  and  many  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  old  city,  to  build  up  and  people  the  new.  Xow 
almost  exhausted  of  inhabitants,  neglect  and  decay  were  telling 
fearfully  upon  the  ancient  city.  The  violence  of  Parthian 
princes  hastened  its  ruin.  About  the  end  of  the  fourth  century, 
it  was  used  by  the  Persian  kings  as  an  enclosure  for  wild 
beasts.  At  the  end  of  the  twelfth  century,  according  to  a 
celebrated  traveler,  the  few  remaining  ruins  of  Xebucliadnez- 
zar's  palace  were  so  full  of  serpents  and  venomous  reptiles  that 
they  could  not,  without  great  danger,  be  closely  inspected. 
And  to-day  scarcely  enough  even  of  the  ruins  is  left  to  mark 
the  spot  where  once  stood  the  largest,  richest,  and  proudest 
city  the  world  has  ever  seen.  Thus  the  ruin  of  great  Babylon 
shows  us  how  accurately  God  will  fulfil  his  word,  and  make 
the  doubts  of  skepticism  appear  like  wilful  blindness. 

'^And  after  thee  shall  arise  another  kingdom  inferior  to 
thee."  The  use  of  the  word  hingdom  here,  shows  that  king- 
doms, and  not  particular  kings,  are  represented  by  the  different 
parts  of  this  image;  and  hence  Avhen  it  was  said  to  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, "  Thou  art  this  head  of  gold,"  although  the  per- 
sonal pronoun  was  used,  the  kingdom,  not  the  person  of  the 
king,  was  meant. 

The  succeeding  kingdom,  Medo-Persia,  is  the  one  which 
answers  to  the  breast  and  arms  of  silver  of  the  great  image. 
It  was  to  be  inferior  to  the  preceding  kingdom.  In  what  re- 
spect inferior  ?  !N^ot  in  power ;  for  it  was  its  conqueror.  Xot 
in  extent ;  for  Cyrus  subdued  all  the  East  from  the  ^Egean 
Sea  to  the  River  Indus,  and  thus  erected  the  most  extensive 
empire  that  up  to  that  time  had  ever  existed.  But  it  was 
inferior  in  wealth,  luxury,  and  magiiifieence. 

Viewed  from  a  Scriptural  standpoint,  the  principal  event 
under  the  Babylonish  empire  was  the  captivity  of  the  children 
of  Israel ;  so  the  principal  event  under  the  Medo-Persian  king- 
dom was  the  restoration  of  Israel  to  their  own  land.  At  the 
taking  of  Babylon,  b.  c.  538,  Cyrus,  as  an  act  of  courtesy, 
assigned  the  first  place  in  the  kingdom  to  his  uncle,   Darius. 


64  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

liut,  two  years  afterward,  b.  c.  536,  Darius  died;  and  in  the 
same  year  also  died  Canibyses,  king  of  Persia,  Cyrus's  father. 
By  these  events,  Cyrus  was  left  sole  monarch  of  the  whole 
empire.  In  this  year,  which  closed  Israel's  seventy  years  of 
ca])tivity,  Cyrus  issued  his  famous  decree  for  the  return  of  the 
Jews  and  the  rebuilding  of  their  temple.  This  was  the  first 
instalment  of  the  great  decree  for  the  restoration  and  building 
again  of  Jerusalem  (Ezra  G:  14),  which  was  completed  in  the 
seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  b.  c.  457,  and  marked, 
as  will  hereafter  be  shown,  the  commencement  of  the  2300 
days  of  Daniel  8,  the  longest  and  most  important  prophetic 
period  mentioned  in  the  Bible.      Dan.  0:25. 

After  a  reign  of  seven  years,  Cyrus  left  the  kingdom  to  his 
son  Cambyses,  called  Ahasuerus  in  Ezra  4 :  G,  who  reigned 
seven  years  and  five  months,  to  b.  c.  522.  Eight  monarchs 
whose  reigns  varied  from  seven  months  to  forty-six  years  each, 
took  the  throne  in  order  till  the  year  b.  c.  33 G,  as  follows: 
Sraerdis  the  Magian,  called  Artaxerxes  in  Ezra  4 :  7,  seven 
months,  in  the  year  b.  c.  522;  Darius  Ilystaspes,  from  b.  c. 
521  to  48G ;  Xerxes,  from  b.  c.  485  to  4G5 ;  Artaxerxes  Lon- 
gimanus,  from  b.  c.  464  to  424 ;  Darius  iSTothus,  from  b.  c.  423 
to  405 ;  Artaxerxes  Mnemon,  from  b.  c.  404  to  359 ;  Oehus. 
from  B.  c.  358  to  338 ;  Arses,  from  b.  c.  337  to  336.  The  year 
335  is  set  down  as  the  first  of  Darius  Codomanus,  the  last  of 
the  line  of  the  old  Persian  kings.  This  man,  according  to 
Prideaux,  was  of  noble  stature,  of  goodly  person,  of  the  great- 
est personal  valor,  and  of  a  mild  and  generous  disposition. 
II;id  ho  lived  at  any  other  age,  a  long  and  splendid  career 
w(.uld  undoubtedly  have  been  his.  But  it  was  his  ill-fortune 
to  have  to  contend  with  one  who  was  an  agent  in  the  fulfilment 
of  prophecy;  and  no  qualifications,  natural  or  acquired,  could 
render  liim  successful  in  the  unequal  contest.  Scarcely  was  he 
warm  upon  the  throne,  says  the  last-named  historian,  ere  he 
found  his  formidable  enemy,  Alexander,  at  the  head  of  the 
Greek  soldiers,  preparing  to  dismount  him   from   it. 

The  cause  and  particulars  of  the  contest  between  the  Greeks 
aTid  Persians  we  leave  to  histories  specially  devoted  to  such 
matters.       Suliicc   it  here   to  say  that  the  deciding  point   was 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSE  39  65 

reached  on  the  field  of  Arbela,  b.  c.  331,  in  wliich  tlie  Grecians, 
though  only  one  to  twenty  in  number  as  compared  with  the 
Persians,  were  entirely  victorious ;  and  Alexander  thenceforth 
became  absolute  lord  of  the  Persian  empire  to  the  utmost  ex- 
tent that  it  was  ever  possessed  by  any  of  its  own  kings. 

"And  another  third  kingdom  of  brass  shall  bear  rule  over 
all  the  earth,"  said  the  prophet.  So  few  and  brief  are  the 
inspired  words  which  involved  in  their  fulfilment  a  change  of 
the  world's  rulers.  In  the  ever-changing  political  kaleidoscope, 
Grecia  now  comes  into  the  field  of  vision,  to  be,  for  a  time,  the 
all-absorbing  object  of  attention,  as  the  third  of  what  are  called 
the  great  universal  empires  of  the  earth. 

After  the  fatal  battle  which  decided  the  fate  of  the  empire, 
Darius  still  endeavored  to  rally  the  shattered  remnants  of  his 
army,  and  make  a  stand  for  his  kingdom  and  his  rights.  But 
he  could  not  gather,  out  of  all  the  host  of  his  recently  so  nu- 
merous and  Avell-appointed  army,  a  force  with  which  he  deemed 
it  prudent  to  hazard  another  engagement  with  the  victorious 
Grecians.  Alexander  pursued  him  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
Time  after  time  did  Darius  barely  elude  the  grasp  of  his  swiftly 
following  foe.  At  length  two  traitors,  Bessus  and  Xabarzanes, 
seized  the  unfortunate  prince,  shut  him  up  in  a  close  cart,  and 
fled  with  him  as  their  prisoner  toward  Bactria.  It  was  their 
purpose,  if  Alexander  pursued  them,  to  purchase  their  own 
safety  by  delivering  up  their  king.  Hereupon  Alexander, 
learning  of  Darius's  dangerous  position  in  the  hands  of  the 
traitors,  immediately  put  himself  with  the  lightest  part  of  his 
army  upon  a  forced  pursuit.  After  several  days'  hard  march, 
he  came  up  with  the  traitors.  They  urged  Darius  to  mount  on 
liorseback  for  a  more  speedy  flight.  Upon  his  refusing  to  do 
this,  they  gave  him  several  mortal  wounds,  and  left  him  dying 
in  his  cart,  while  they  mounted  their  steeds  and  rode  away. 

^^Tien  Alexander  came  up,  he  beheld  only  the  lifeless  form 
of  the  Persian  king.  As  ho  gazed  upon  the  corpse,  he  might 
have  learned  a  profitable  lesson  of  the  instability  of  human 
fortune.  Here  was  a  man  who  but  a  few  months  before, 
possessing  many  noble  and  generous  qualities,  was  seated  upon 
the  throne  of  universal  empire.      Disaster,  overthrow,  and  de- 


66  rnuPUECY  Ui''  JJAXIEL 

dertion  had  come  suddenly  upon  him.  His  kingdom  had  been 
conquered,  his  treasure  seized,  and  his  family  reduced  to  cap- 
tivity. And  now,  brutally  slain  by  the  hand  of  traitors,  he 
lay  a  bloody  corpse  in  a  rude  cart.  The  sight  of  the  melan- 
choly spectacle  drew  tears  even  from  the  eyes  of  Alexander, 
familiar  though  he  was  with  all  the  horrible  vicissitudes  and 
bloody  scenes  of  war.  Throwing  his  cloak  over  the  body,  he 
commanded  it  to  be  conveyed  to  the  captive  ladies  of  Susa, 
himself  furnishing  the  necessary  means  for  a  royal  funeral. 
Por  this  generous  act  let  us  give  him  credit;  for  he  stands 
sadly  in  need  of  all  that  is  his  due. 

When  Darius  fell,  Alexander  saw  the  field  cleared  of  his 
last  formidable  foe.  Thenceforward  he  could  spend  his  time 
in  his  own  manner,  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  rest  and  pleasure, 
and  again  in  the  prosecution  of  some  minor  conquest.  He 
entered  upon  a  pompous  campaign  into  India,  because,  accord- 
ing to  Grecian  fable,  Bacchus  and  Hercules,  two  sons  of  Jupi- 
ter, whose  son  he  also  claimed  to  be,  had  done  the  same.  With 
contemptible  arrogance,  he  claimed  for  himself  divine  honors. 
He  gave  up  conquered  cities,  freely  and  unprovoked,  to  the 
absolute  mercy  of  his  blood-thirsty  and  licentious  soldiery. 
He  himself  often  murdered  his  own  friends  and  favorites  in 
his  drunken  frenzies.  He  sought  out  the  vilest  persons  for 
the  gratification  of  his  lust.  At  the  instigation  of  a  dissolute 
and  drunken  Avoman,  he,  with  a  company  of  his  courtiers,  all 
in  a  state  of  frenzied  intoxication,  sallied  out,  torch  in  hand, 
and  fired  the  city  and  palace  of  Persepolis,  one  of  the  then 
finest  palaces  in  the  world.  He  encouraged  such  excessive 
drinking  among  his  followers  that  on  one  occasion  twenty  of 
them  together  died  as  the  result  of  their  carousal.  At  length, 
having  sat  through  one  long  drinking  spree,  he  was  immediately 
invited  to  another,  when,  after  drinking  to  each  of  the  twenty 
guests  present,  he  tAvice  drank  full,  says  history,  incredible 
as  it  may  seem,  the  Herculean  cup  containing  six  of  our  (luarts. 
He  thereupon  fell  dowm,  seized  with  a  violent  fever,  of  wliich 
lie  died  eleven  days  later,  in  ^lay  or  .Tune,  b.  c.  32.'],  while 
yet  he  stood  only  at  the  thresliold  of  mature  life,  in  the  tliirtv- 
socond  venr  of  liis  aire. 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSE  40  69 

The  progress  of  the  Grecian  empire  we  need  not  stop  to 
trace  here,  since  its  distinguishing  features  will  claim  more 
particular  notice  under  other  prophecies.  Daniel  thus  con- 
tinues in  his  interpretation  of  the  great  image: — 

Verse  40.  And  the  fourth  kingdom  shall  be  strong  as  iron;  foras- 
much as  iron  breaketh  in  pieces  and  subdueth  all  things;  and  as  iron 
that  breaketh  all  these,  shall  it  break  in  pieces  and  bruise. 

Thus  far  in  the  application  of  this  prophecy  there  is  a  gen- 
eral agTeement  among  expositors.  That  Babylon,  Medo-Persia, 
and  Grecia  are  represented  resiDCctively  by  the  head  of  gold,  the 
breast  and  arms  of  silver,  and  the  sides  of  brass,  is  acknowl- 
edged by  all.  But  with  just  as  little  ground  for  a  diversity  of 
views,  there  is  strangely  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  what 
kingdom  is  symbolized  by  the  fourth  division  of  the  great 
image, —  the  legs  of  iron.  On  this  point  we  have  only  to  in- 
quire, What  kingdom  did  succeed  Grecia  in  the  empire  of  the 
world  ?  for  the  legs  of  iron  denote  the  fourth  kingdom  in  the 
series.  The  testimony  of  history  is  full  and  explicit  on  this 
point.  One  kingdom  did  this,  and  one  only,  and  that  was 
Rome.  It  conquered  Grecia;  it  subdued  all  things;  like  iron, 
it  broke  in  pieces  and  bruised.  Gibbon,  following  the  sym- 
bolic imagery  of  Daniel,  thus  describes  this  empire: — 

"  The  arms  of  the  Republic,  sometimes  vanquished  in  bat- 
tle, always  victorious  in  war,  advanced  with  rapid  steps  to  the 
Euphrates,  the  Danube,  the  Rhine,  and  the  ocean;  and  the 
images  of  gold,  or  silver,  or  brass,  that  might  serve  to  represent 
the  nations  or  their  kings,  were  successively  broken  by  the  iron 
monarchy  of  Rome." 

At  the  opening  of  the  Christian  era,  this  empire  took  in  the 
whole  south  of  Europe,  France,  England,  the  greater  part  of 
the  ISTetherlands,  Switzerland,  and  the  south  of  Germany, 
Hungary,  Turkey,  and  Greece,  not  to  speak  of  its  possessions 
in  Asia  and  Africa.      Well,  therefore,  may  Gibbon  say  of  it : — 

"  The  enquire  of  the  Romans  filled  the  world.  And  when 
that  empire  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  single  person,  the  world 
became  a  safe  and  dreary  prison  for  his  enemies.  To  resist 
was  fatal :  and  it  was  impossible  to  fly." 


70  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

It  will  be  noticed  that  at  first  the  kingdom  is  described  un- 
qualifiedly as  strong  as  iron.  And  this  was  the  period  of  its 
strength,  during  -which  it  has  been  likened  to  a  mighty  Colos- 
sus, bestriding  the  nations,  conquering  everything,  and  giving 
laws  to  the  world.      But  this  was  not  to  continue. 

Verse  41.  And  whereas  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  pot- 
ters' clay,  and  part  of  iron,  the  kingdom  shall  be  divided;  but  there 
shall  be  in  it  of  the  strength  of  the  iron,  forasmuch  as  thou  sawest 
the  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay.  42.  And  as  the  toes  of  the  feet  were 
part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay,  so  the  kingdom  shall  be  partly  strong, 
and  partly  broken. 

The  element  of  weakness  symbolized  by  the  clay,  pertained 
to  the  feet  as  well  as  to  the  toes.  Rome,  before  its  division 
into  ten  kingdoms,  lost  that  iron  tenacity  which  it  possessed  to 
a  superlative  degree  during  the  first  centuries  of  its  career. 
Luxury,  with  its  accompanying  effeminacy  and  degeneracy,  the 
destroyer  of  nations  as  well  as  of  individuals,  began  to  corrode 
and  weaken  its  iron  sinews,  and  thus  prepared  the  way  for  its 
subsequent  disruption  into  ten  kingdoms. 

The  iron  legs  of  the  image  terminate,  to  maintain  the  con- 
sistency of  the  figure,  in  feet  and  toes.  To  the  toes,  of  which 
there  were  of  course  just  ten,  our  attention  is  called  by  the 
explicit  mention  of  them  in  the  prophecy;  and  the  kingdom 
represented  by  that  portion  of  the  image  to  which  the  toes 
belonged,  was  finally  divided  into  ten  parts.  The  question 
therefore  naturally  arises.  Do  the  ten  toes  of  the  image  repre- 
sent the  ten  final  divisions  of  the  Roman  empire?  To  those 
who  prefer  what  seems  to  be  a  natural  and  straightforward 
interpretation  of  the  word  of  God,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  little 
astonishment  that  any  question  should  here  be  raised.  To  take 
the  ten  toes  to  represent  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  Rome  was 
divided  seems  like  such  an  easy,  consistent,  and  matter-of-course 
procedure,  that  it  requires  a  labored  effort  to  interpret  it  other- 
wise. Yet  such  an  effort  is  made  by  some  —  by  Romanists 
universally,  and  by  such  Protestants  as  still  cling  to  Romish 
errors. 

A  volume  by  11.  Cowles,  D.  D.,  may  perhaps  best  be  taken 
as   a   representative  exposition  on   this   side   of   the   question. 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  Jkh  k^  71 

The  writer  gives  every  evidence  of  exteiisive  erudition  and 
great  ability.  It  is  the  more  to  be  regretted,  therefore,  that 
these  powers  are  devoted  to  the  propagation  of  error,  and  to 
misleading  the  anxious  inquirer  who  wishes  to  know  his  where- 
abouts on  the  great  highway  of  time. 

^Ye  can  but  briefly  notice  his  positions.  They  are,  (1) 
That  the  third  kingdom  was  Grecia  during  the  lifetime  of 
Alexander  only;  (2)  That  the  fourth  kingdom  Avas  Alexan- 
der's successors;  (3)  That  the  latest  point  to  which  the  fourth 
kingdom  could  extend,  is  the  manifestation  of  the  Messiah ; 
for  (4)  There  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  his  kingdom;  there 
the  stone  smote  the  image  upon  its  feet,  and  commenced  the 
process  of  grinding  it  up. 

ISTor  can  we  reply  at  any  great  length  to  these  positions. 

1.  We  might  as  well  confine  the  Babylonian  empire  to  the 
single  reign  of  Xebuchadnezzar,  or  that  of  Persia  to  the  reign 
of  Cyrus,  as  to  confine  the  third  kingdom,  Grecia,  to  the  reign 
of  Alexander. 

2.  Alexander's  successors  did  not  constitute  another  king- 
dom, but  a  continuation  of  the  same,  the  Grecian  kingdom  of 
the  image ;  for  in  this  line  of  prophecy  the  succession  of  king- 
doms is  by  conquest.  AVhen  Persia  had  conquered  Babylon, 
we  had  the  second  empire ;  and  when  Grecia  had  conquered 
Persia,  we  had  the  third.  But  Alexander's  successors  (his 
four  leading  generals)  did  not  conquer  his  empire,  and  erect 
another  in  its  place ;  they  simply  divided  among  themselves 
the  empire  which  Alexander  had  conquered,  and  left  ready  to 
their  hand. 

"  Chronologically,"  says  Professor  C,  "  the  fourth  empire 
must  immediately  succeed  Alexander,  and  lie  entirely  between 
him  and  the  birth  of  Christ."  Chronologically,  we  reply,  it 
must  do  no  such  thing;  for  the  birth  of  Christ  was  not  the 
introduction  of  the  fifth  kingdom,  as  will  in  due  time  appear. 
Here  he  overlooks  almost  the  entire  duration  of  the  third  di- 
vision of  the  image,  confounding  it  with  the  fourth,  and  giving 
no  room  for  the  divided  state  of  the  Grecian  empire  as  sym- 
bolized by  the  four  heads  of  the  leopard  of  chapter  7,  and 
the  four  horns  of  the  goat  of  chapter  8. 


^2  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

"  Territorially,"  continues  Professor  C,  ''  it  [the  fourth 
kingdom]  should  be  sought  in  Western  Asia,  not  in  Europe; 
in  general,  on  the  same  territory  where  the  first,  second,  and 
third  kingdoms  stood."  VThj  not  Europe?  we  ask.  Each 
of  the  first  three  kingdoms  possessed  territory  which  was  pecul- 
iarly its  own.  Why  not  the  fourth?  Analogy  requires  that 
it  siiould.  And  was  not  the  third  kingdom  a  European  king- 
dom ^  that  is,  did  it  not  rise  on  European  territory,  and  take 
its  namo  fn.m  the  land  of  its  hirth  ?  Why  not,  then,  go  a 
degree  farther  west  for  the  place  where  the  fourth  great  king- 
dom should  he  founded  ?  And  how  did  Grecia  ever  occupy 
the  territory  of  the  first  and  second  kingdoms  (  — ■  Only  by 
concpiest.  And  Eome  did  the  same.  Hence,  so  far  as  the 
territorial  recpiirements  of  the  professor's  theory  are  concerned, 
Rome  could  be  the  fourth  kingdom  as  truthfully  as  Grecia 
could  be  the  third. 

"  Politically,"  he  adds,  "  it  should  be  the  immediate  suc- 
cessor of  Alexander's  empire,  .  .  .  changing  the  dynasty,  but 
not  the  nations."  Analogy  is  against  him  here.  Each  of 
the  first  three  kingdoms  was  distinguished  by  its  own  peculiar 
nationality.  The  Persian  was  not  the  same  as  the  Babylonian, 
nor  the  Grecian  the  same  as  either  of  the  two  that  preceded 
it.  Xow  analogy  requires  that  the  fourth  kingdom,  instead  of 
being  composed  of  a  fragment  of  this  Grecian  empire,  should 
possess  a  nationality  of  its  own,  distinct  from  the  other  three. 
And  this  we  find  in  the  Roman  kingdom,  and  in  it  alone.  But, 
3.  The  grand  fallacy  which  nnderlies  this  whole  system  of 
misinterpretation,  is  the  too  connnonly  taught  theory  that  the 
kingdom  of  God  Avas  set  up  at  the  first  advent  of  Christ.  It 
can  easily  l)e  seen  how  fatal  to  this  theory  is  the  admission  that 
flic  fonrth  empire  is  Rome.  For  it  was  to  be  after  the  division 
of  tliat  fonrtli  empire,  that  the  God  of  heaven  was  to  set  up  his 
kingdom.  Ihit  the  division  of  the  Ronian  enqfire  into  ten  parts 
was  not  acconq)li shell  previous  to  a.  d.  470;  consequently  the 
kingdom  of  God  conld  not  have  been  set  up  at  the  first  advent 
of  Christ,  nearly  five  hnn<lred  years  before  that  date.  Rome 
must  not,  therefore,  fmni  their  standpoint,  though  it  answers 
admirably  to  tlie  ])riiplie<'v   in  every  inirticnlar,  be  allowed  to 


CHAPTER  %,  VERSES  J,l,  J,2  73 

bo  the  kingdom  in  question.  The  position  that  tlie  kingdom 
of  God  Avas  set  up  in  the  days  ^vhen  Christ  was  upon  earth, 
must,  these  interpreters  seem  to  think,  be  maintained  at  all 
hazards. 

Such  is  the  ground  on  which  some  expositors  appear,  at 
least,  to  reason.  And  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  this 
theory  that  our  author  dwindles  down  the  third  great  empire 
of  the  world  to  the  insignificant  period  of  about  eight  years ! 
For  this,  lie  endeavors  to  prove  that  the  fourth  universal  em- 
pire was  bearing  full  sway  during  a  period  Avheu  the  providence 
of  God  was. simply  filling  up  the  outlines  of  the  third!  For 
this,  he  presumes  to  fix  the  points  of  time  between  which  we 
must  look  for  the  fourth,  though  the  prophecy  does  not  deal 
in  dates  at  all,  and  then  whatever  kingdom  he  fi.nds  within 
his  specified  time,  that  he  sets  down  as  the  fourth  kingdom, 
and  endeavors  to  bend  the  prophecy  to  fit  his  interpretation, 
utterly  regardless  of  how  much  better  material  he  might  find 
outside  of  his  little  inclosure,  to  answer  to  a  fulfilment  of 
the  prophetic  record.  Is  such  a  course  logical  ?  Ts  the  time 
the  point  to  be  first  established  ?  —  No ;  the  kingdoms  are  the 
great  features  of  the  prophecy,  and  Ave  are  to  look  for  them ; 
and  when  we  find  them,  we  must  accept  them,  whatever  may 
be  the  chronology  or  location.  Let  them  govern  the  time  and 
place,  not  the  time  and  place  govern  them. 

But  that  view  which  is  the  cause  of  all  this  misapplication 
and  confusion  is  sheer  assumption.  Christ  did  not  smite  the 
image  at  his  first  adA'ent.  Look  at  it !  When  the  stone  smites 
the  image  upon  its  feet,  the  image  is  dashed  in  pieces.  Vio- 
lence is  used.  The  effect  is  immediate.  The  image  becomes 
as  chafF.  And  then  what  ?  Is  it  absorbed  l)y  the  stone,  and 
gradually  incorjwrated  with  it  ?  —  Xothing  of  the  kind.  It  is 
blown  off,  removed  away,  as  incompatible  and  unavailable  ma- 
terial ;  and  no  place  is  found  for  it.  The  territory  is  entirely 
cleared ;  and  then  the  stone  becomes  a  mountain,  and  fills  the 
whole  e?rth.  Xow  Avhat  idea  shall  we  attach  to  this  work  of 
smiting  and  breaking  in  pieces  ?  Is  it  a  gentle,  peaceful,  and 
quiet  work  ?  or  is  it  a  manifestation  of  vengeance  and  violence  ? 
How  did  the  kingdoms  of  the  prophecy  succeed  the  one  to  the 


74  PROPHECY  OF  IJAXIEL 

(^ttier  ?  —  It  was  tlirougli  the  A'iolence  and  din  of  war,  the  shock 
of  armies  and  the  roar  of  battle.  "  Confused  noise  and  gar- 
ments rolled  in  blood/'  told  of  the  force  and  violence  with 
which  one  nation  had  been  brought  into  subjection  to  another. 
Yet  all  this  is  not  called  "  smiting  "  or  "  breaking  in  pieces." 

AVhen  Persia  conquered  Babylon,  and  Greece  Persia,  neither 
of  the  conquered  empires  is  said  to  have  been  broken  in  pieces, 
tliough  crushed  beneath  the  overwhelming  power  of  a  hostile 
nation.  But  when  Ave  reach  the  introduction  of  the  fifth  king- 
dom, the  imag'e  is  smitten  with  violence;  it  is  dashed  to  pieces, 
and  so  scattered  and  obliterated  that  no  place  is  found  for  it. 
And  now  what  shall  we  understand  by  this  ?  —  We  must  under- 
stand that  here  a  scene  transpires  in  which  is  manifested  so 
much  more  violence  and  force  and  power  than  accompany  the 
overthrow  of  one  nation  by  another  through  the  strife  of  war, 
that  the  latter  is  not  worthy  even  of  mention  in  connection 
with  it.  The  subjugation  of  one  nation  by  another  by  war, 
is  a  scene  of  peace  and  quietude  in  comparison  with  that  which 
transpires  when  the  image  is  dashed  in  pieces  by  the  stone 
cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands. 

Yet  what  is  the  smiting  of  the  image  made  to  mean  bv  the 
theory  under  notice  ?  —  Oh,  the  peaceful  introduction  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ !  the  quiet  spreading  abroad  of  the  light  of 
truth !  the  gathering  out  of  a  few  from  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  to  be  made  ready  through  obedience  to  the  truth,  for 
his  second  coming,  and  reign !  the  calm  and  unpretending 
formation  of  a  Christian  church, —  a  church  that  has  been 
domineered  over,  persecuted,  and  oppressed  by  the  arrogant 
and  triumphant  powers  of  earth  from  that  day  to  this !  And 
this  is  the  smiting  of  the  image !  this  is  the  breaking  of  it 
into  pieces,  and  violently  removing  the  shattered  fragnnents 
from  the  face  of  tlio  earth!      Was  ever  absurdity  more  absurd? 

From  this  digression  we  return  to  the  inquiry.  Do  the  toes 
represent  the  ten  divisions  of  the  Roman  empire  ?  We  answer. 
Yes ;    because, — 

1.  The  image  of  chapter  2  is  exactly  parallel  with  the 
vision  of  tlie  four  beasts  of  chapter  7.  The  fourth  beast  of 
chapter  7  r('])rosents  (he  same  as  the  iron  le2;s  of  the  image. 


CHAPTER  2.  VEBSES  1^1,  42  75 

The  ten  liorns  of  the  beast,  of  course,  correspond  very  naturally 
to  the  ten  toes  of  the  image ;  and  these  horns  are  plainly  de- 
clared to  be  ten  kings  which  should  arise;  and  they  are  just 
as  much  independent  kingdoms  as  are  the  beasts  themselves; 
for  the  beasts  are  spoken  of  in  precisely  the  same  manner; 
namely,  as  "  four  kings  which  should  arise.''  Verse  17.  They 
dc»  not  denote  a  line  of  successive  kings,  but  kings  or  king- 
doms which  exist  contemporaneously;  for  three  of  them  were 
plucked  up  by  the  little  horn.  The  ten  horns,  beyond  contro- 
versy, represent  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  Eome  was  divided. 

2.  We  have  seen  that  in  Daniel's  interpretation  of  the 
image  he  uses  the  words  hing  and  kingdom  interchangeably, 
the  former  denoting  the  same  as  the  latter.  In  verse  44  he 
says  that  "  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven 
set  up  a  kingdom."  This  shows  that  at  the  time  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  set  up,  there  will  be  a  plurality  of  kings  existing 
contemporaneously.  It  cannot  refer  to  the  four  preceding 
kingdoms;  for  it  would  be  absurd  to  use  such  language  in 
reference  to  a  line  of  successive  kings,  since  it  would  be  in 
the  days  of  the  last  king  only,  not  in  the  days  of  any  of  the 
preceding,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  Avould  be  set  up. 

Here,  then,  is  a  division  presented;  and  wdiat  have  we  in 
the  symbol  to  indicate  it  ?  —  Xothing  but  the  toes  of  the  image. 
Unless  they  do  it,  we  are  left  utterly  in  the  dark  as  to  the 
nature  and  extent  of  the  division  which  the  prophecy  shows 
did  exist.  To  suppose  this  would  be  to  cast  a  serious  impu- 
tation upon  the  prophecy  itself.  We  are  therefore  held  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  ten  toes  of  the  image  denote  the  ten 
parts  into  which  the  Roman  empire  was  divided.^ 

1  This  division  was  accomplished  between  the  years  A.  D.  351  and  A.  D.  483. 
The  era  of  this  dissolution  thus  covered  almost  a  hundred  and  fifty  years,  trom 
about  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century  to  near  the  close  of  the  fifth  No  his- 
torians of  whom  we  are  aware,  place  the  beginnmg  of  this  work  of  the  dismem- 
berment of  the  Roman  empire  earlier  than  A.  D.  351,  and  none  assign  its  close 
to  a  later  date  than  A.  D.  483.  Concerning  the  intermediate  dates,  that  is.  the 
precise  time  from  which  each  of  the  ten  kingdoms  that  arose  on  the  ruins  of  the 
Roman  empire  is  to  be  dated,  there  is  some  difference  of  views  among  historians. 
Nor  does  this  seem  strange,  when  we  consider  that  there  was  an  era  of  great  con- 
fusion that  the  map  of  the  Roman  empire  during  that  time  underwent  many 
sudden  and  violent  changes,  and  that  the  paths  of  hostile  nations  charging  upon 
its  territory,  crossed  and  recrossed  each  other  in  a  labyrinth  of  confusion.  But 
an  historians  agree  in  this,  that  out  of  the  territory  of  Western  Rome,  ten  sep- 
arate kingdoms^vere  ultimately  established,  and  we  may  safely  assign  them  to 
the    time    between    the    extreme    dates    above    named:     namely,     A.     D.    Sr,l    and    483. 

The  ten  nations  which  were  most  instrumental  in  breaking  up  the  Roman 
empire      and     which     at    some     time    in    their     history     held     respectively     portions    of 


70  piwriiEcr  OF  daxiel 

As  an  objection  to  the  view  that  the  ten  toes  of  the  image 
denote  the  ten  kingdoms,  we  are  sometimes  reminded  that 
Rome,  before  its  division  into  ten  kingdoms,  was  divided  into 
two  parts,  the  Western  and  Eastern  empires,  corresponding  to 
the  two  legs  of  the  iinage;  and  as  the  ten  kingdoms  all  arose 
ont  of  the  western  division,  if  they  are  denoted  bv  the  toes, 
we  would  ha\'e,  it  is  claimed,  ten  toes  on  one  foot  of  the 
imaiie,  and  none  on  the  other;  which  would  be  unnatural  and 
inconsistent. 

But  this  objection  devours  itself;  for  certainly  if  the  two 
legs  denote  division,  the  toes  must  denote  division  also.  It 
wotdd  be  inconsistent  to  say  that  tlie  legs  symbolize  division, 
but  the  toes  do  not.  But  if  the  toes  do  indicate  division  at 
all,  it  can  be  nothing  but  the  division  of  Rome  into  ten  parts. 

The  fallacy,  however,  which  forms  the  basis  of  this  objec- 
tion, is  the  \'iew  that  the  two  legs  of  the  image  do  signify  the 
sej)aration  of  the  Roman  empire  into  its  eastern  and  western 
divisions.       To  this  view   there   are  several  objections. 

1.  The  two  legs  of  iron  symbolize  Rome,  not  merely  during 
its  closing  years,  but  from  the  very  beginning  of  its  existence 
as  a  nation ;  and  if  these  legs  denote  division,  the  kingdom 
should  have  been  divided  from  the  very  commencement  of  its 
history.  This  claim  is  sustained  by  the  other  symbols.  Thus 
the  division  (that  is,  the  two  elements)  of  the  Persian  kingdom, 
denoted  by  the  two  horns  of  the  ram  (Dan.  8:  20),  also  by  the 
elevation  of  the  bear  u])on  one  side  (Dan.  7  :  5),  and  perhaps 
by  the  two  arms  of  the  image  of  this  chapter,  existed  from  the 
first.  The  division  of  the  Grecian  kingdom,  denoted  by  the 
tonr  horns  of  the  goat  and  the  four  heads  of  the  leopard,  dates 
back  to  within  eight  years  of  the  time  when  it  was  introdiu'cMl 
into  propliecy.  So  Rome  should  have  been  divided  from  the 
first,  if  tlie  legs  denote  division,  instead  of  remaining  a  unit 
for  nearly  six  Imndred  years,  and   se])arating  into  its  eastern 

Roman  territory  as  separate  and  independent  kingdoms,  may  be  enumerated  (with- 
out respect  to  the  time  of  their  establishment)  as  follows:  The  Huns,  Ostrogoths, 
X'isigoths,  Franks,  N'andals,  Suevi,  Hurgundians,  Ileruli,  Anglo-Saxons,  and  I^oni- 
bards.  The  connection  between  these  and  some  of  the  modern  nations  of  Europe, 
is  still  traceable  in  the  names,  as  England,  Rurgundy,  Lombardy,  France,  etc.  Such 
authorities  as  Calmet,  Faber,  I.loyd,  Hales.  Scott,  Harnes,  etc.,  concur  in  the  fore- 
going  enumeration.       (See    Rarnes's   concluding   notes  on    Daniel    7.) 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  J,l,  Jt£  77 

and  western  divisions  only  a  few  years  prior  to  its  final  dis- 
ruption into  ten  kingdoms. 

2.  ]S'o  sucli  division  into  two  great  parts  is  denoted  by  the 
other  symbols  under  which  Rome  is  represented  in  the  book  of 
Daniel ;  namely,  the  great  and  terrible  beast  of  Daniel  7,  and 
the  little  horn  of  chapter  8.  Hence  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude 
that  the  two  legs  of  the  image  were  not  designed  to  represent 
such  a  division. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  AVhy  not  suppose  the  two  legs  to 
denote  division  as  well  as  the  toes  {  AVould  it  not  be  just  as 
inconsistent  to  say  that  the  toes  denote  division,  and  the  legs 
do  not,  as  to  say  that  the  legs  denote  division,  and  the  toes  do 
not  ?  We  answer  that  the  prophecy  itself  must  govern  our 
conclusions  in  this  matter;  and  whereas  it  says  nothing  of 
division  in  connection  with  the  legs,  it  does  introduce  the  sub- 
ject of  division  as  we  come  down  to  the  feet  and  toes.  It  says, 
".Vnd  whereas  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  potters' 
clay  and  part  of  iron,  the  kingdom  shall  be  divided."  Iso 
division  could  take  place,  or  at  least  none  is  said  to  have  taken 
place,  till  the  weakening  element  of  the  clay  is  introduced ; 
and  we  do  not  find  this  till  we  come  to  the  feet  and  toes.  But 
we  are  not  to  understaud  that  the  clay  denotes  one  divisif)n  and 
the  iron  the  other;  for  after  the  long-existing  unity  of  the  king- 
dom was  broken,  no  one  of  the  fragments  was  as  strong  as  the 
original  iron,  but  all  wore  in  a  state  of  weakness  denoted  by 
the  mixture  of  iron  and  clay.  The  conclusion  is  inevitable, 
therefore,  that  the  prophet  has  here  stated  the  (^ause  for  the 
eifect.  The  introduction  of  the  weakness  of  the  clay  element, 
as  we  come  to  the  feet,  resulted  in  the  division  of  the  kingdom 
into  ten  parts,  as  represented  by  the  ten  toes;  and  this  result, 
or  division,  is  more  than  intimated  in  the  sudden  mention 
of  a  plurality  of  contemporaneous  kings.  Therefore,  while 
we  find  no  evidence  that  the  legs  denote  division,  but  serious 
ol)jections  against  such  a  view,  we  do  find,  we  think,  good 
reason  for  supposing  that  the  toes  denote  division,  as  here 
claimed. 

3.  Each  of  the  four  monarchies  had  its  own  ])articular  ter- 
ritory, which  was  the  kingdom  proper,   and  where  we  are  to 


^S  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

look  for  the  chief  events  in  its  history  shadowed  forth  by  the 
sjanbol.  We  are  not,  therefore,  to  look  for  the  divisions  of  the 
Roman  empire  in  the  territory  formerly  occupied  by  Babylon, 
or  Persia,  or  Grecia,  but  in  the  territory  proper  of  the  Roman 
kingdom,  which  was  what  was  finally  known  as  the  Western 
empire.  Rome  conquered  the  world ;  but  the  kingdom  of 
Rome  proper  lay  west  of  Grecia.  That  is  what  was  repre- 
sented by  tlie  legs  of  iron.  There,  then,  we  look  for  the  ten 
kingdoms;  and  there  we  find  them.  We  are  not  obliged  to 
mutilate  or  deform  the  s^nnbol  to  make  it  a  fit  and  accurate 
representation  of  historical  events. 

Verse  43.  And  whereas  thou  sawest  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay, 
they  sliall  mingle  themselves  with  the  seed  of  men ;  but  they  shall  not 
cleave  one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with  clay. 

^^'ith  Rome  fell  the  last  of  the  universal  empires  belonging 
to  tlie  world  in  its  present  state.  Heretofore  the  elements  of 
society  had  been  such  that  it  was  possible  for  one  nation,  rising 
superior  to  its  neighbors  in  prowess,  bravery,  and  the  science 
of  war,  to  attach  them  one  after  another  to  its  chariot  wheels 
till  all  were  consolidated  into  one  vast  empire,  and  one  man 
seated  upon  the  dominant  throne  could  send  forth  his  will  as 
law  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  AMien  Rome  fell,  such  pos- 
sibilities forever  passed  away.  Crushed  beneath  the  weight 
of  its  own  vast  proportions,  it  crumbled  to  pieces,  never  to  be 
united  again.  The  iron  was  mixed  with  the  clay.  Its  ele- 
ments lost  the  power  of  cohesion,  and  no  man  or  combination  of 
men  can  again  consolidate  them.  This  point  is  so  well  set  forth 
by  another  that  we  take  pleasure  in  quoting  his  words: — 

''  From  this,  its  divided  state,  the  first  strength  of  the  em- 
pire (Ifj)arted;  but  not  as  that  of  the  others  had  done.  N'o 
other  kingdom  was  to  succeed  it,  as  it  had  the  three  which 
went  before  it.  Tt  was  to  continue  in  this  tenfold  division, 
until  the  kingdom  of  stone  smote  it  upon  its  feet,  broke  them 
in  ])ioces,  and  scattered  them  as  the  wind  does  the  chafF  of  the 
Slimmer  threshing-floor!  Yet,  through  all  this  time,  a  portion 
of  its  strength  was  to  remain.  And  so  the  prophet  says,  'And 
as  the  toes  of  the  feet  were  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay, 
so   the   kingdom    shall   be   partly   strong,    and    partly   broken.' 


MAP     SHOWING     TERRITORY    COVERED     BY    THE     FOUR     UNIVERSAL 

K  I  NGDOM  S 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSE  J^S  81 

Verse  42.  How  in  any  other  way  could  you  so  strikingly 
represent  the  facts  ?  For  more  than  fourteen  hundred  years, 
this  tenfold  division  has  existed.  Time  and  again  men  have 
dreamed  of  rearing  on  these  dominions  one  mighty  kingdom. 
Charlemagne  tried  it.  Charles  V  tried  it.  Louis  XIV  tried 
it.  j^apoleon  tried  it.  But  none  succeeded.  A  single  verse 
of  prophecy  was  stronger  than  all  their  hosts.  Their  own 
power  was  wasted,  frittered  away,  destroyed.  But  the  ten 
kingdoms  did  not  become  one.  '  Partly  strong,  and  partly 
broken,'  was  the  prophetic  description.  And  such,  too,  has 
been  the  historic  fact  concerning  them.  With  the  book  of 
history  open  before  you,  I  ask  you.  Is  not  this  an  exact  repre- 
sentation of  the  remnants  of  this  once  mighty  empire  ?  It 
ruled  with  unlimited  power.  It  was  the  throned  mistress  of  the 
world.  Its  scepter  was  broken;  its  throne  pulled  down;  its 
power  taken  away.  Ten  kingdoms  were  formed  out  of  it; 
and  *  broken  '  as  then  it  was,  it  still  continues;  i.  c,  'partly 
broken ;  '  for  its  dimensions  still  continue  as  when  the  kingdom 
of  iron  stood  upright  upon  its  feet.  And  then  it  is  '  partly 
strong ;  '  %.  e.,  it  retains,  even  in  its  broken  state,  enough  of 
its  iron  strength  to  resist  all  attempts  to  mold  its  parts  to- 
gether. '  This  shall  not  be,'  says  the  word  of  God.  '  This 
has  not  been,'  replies  the  book  of  history. 

"  '  But  then,'  men  may  say,  '  another  plan  remains.  If 
force  cannot  avail,  diplomacy  and  reasons  of  state  may;  we 
will  try  them.'  And  so  the  prophecy  foreshadows  this  when  it 
says,  '  They  shall  mingle  themselves  with  the  seed  of  men ;  ' 
i.  e.,  marriages  shall  be  formed,  in  hope  thus  to  consolidate 
their  power,  and,  in  the  end,  to  unite  these  divided  kingdoms 
into  one. 

"And  shall  this  device  succeed?  —  Xo.  The  prophet  an- 
swers: *  They  shall  not  cleave  one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is 
not  mixed  with  clay.'  And  the  history  of  Europe  is  but  a 
running  commentary  on  the  exact  fulfilment  of  these  words. 
From  the  time  of  Canute  to  the  present  age,  it  has  been  the 
policy  of  reigning  monarchs,  the  beaten  path  which  they  have 
trodden  in  order  to  reach  a  mightier  scepter  and  a  wider  sway. 
And  the  most  signal  instance  of  it  which  history  has  recorded 


82  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

in  our  o-\\ti  day,  is  in  the  case  of  Xapoleon.  He  ruled  in  one 
of  the  kingdoms.  .  .  .  He  sought  to  gain  by  alliance  what  he 
could  not  gain  by  force;  i.  e.,  to  build  up  one  mighty,  con- 
solidated empire.  And  did  he  succeed?  —  Xay.  The  very 
power  with  which  he  was  allied,  proved  his  destruction,  in  the 
troops  of  Blucher,  on  the  held  of  Waterloo !  The  iron  would 
not  mingle  with  clay.      The  ten  kingdoms  continue  still. 

*'And  yet,  if  as  the  result  of  these  alliances  or  of  other 
causes,  that  number  is  sometimes  disturbed,  it  need  not  sur- 
prise us.  It  is,  indeed,  just  what  the  prophecy  seems  to  call 
for.  The  iron  was  '  mixed  with  the  clay.'  For  a  season,  in 
the  image,  you  might  not  distinguish  between  them.  But  they 
would  not  remain  so.  '  They  shall  not  cleave  one  to  another.' 
The  nature  of  the  substances  forbids  them  to  do  so  in  the  one 
case ;  the  word  of  prophecy  in  the  other.  Yet  there  was  to  be 
an  attempt  to  mingle  —  nay,  more,  there  was  an  approach  to 
mingling  in  both  cases.  But  it  was  to  be  abortive.  And  how 
marked  the  emphasis  with  which  history  affirms  this  declara- 
tion of  the  word  of  God !  "  —  IFm.  Newton,  Lectures  on  the 
First  Two  Visions  of  the  Bool-  of  Daniel,  pp.  SJf  -  36. 

Yet  with  all  these  facts  before  them,  asserting  the  irresist- 
ible power  of  God's  providence  through  the  overturnings  and 
changes  of  centuries,  the  efforts  of  warriors,  and  the  diplomacy 
and  intrigues  of  courts  and  kings,  some  modern  expositors 
have  manifested  such  a  marvelous  misapprehension  of  this 
prophecy  as  to  predict  a  future  universal  kingdom,  and  point 
to  a  European  ruler,  even  now  of  waning  years  and  declining 
prestige,  as  the  "  destined  monarch  of  the  world."  Vain  is 
the  breath  they  spend  in  promulgating  such  a  theory,  and  delu- 
sive the  hopes  or  fears  they  may  succeed  in  raising  over  such 
an  expectation.^ 

Verse  44.  And  in  the  days  o£  tliese  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven 
set  lip  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed;  and  the  kingdom 
shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  con- 
sume all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  forever.  45.  Forasmuch 
as  thou  sawest  that  the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without 


1  Shortly  after  this  lanpuapc  was  penned.  Napoleon  III,  this  "  destined  monarch 
of  tlic  world  "!  was  dethroned,  and  died  in  ignominious  retirement,  and  his  son 
and   heir   has   sinee    fallen    by    the    hands   of    savages    in    .Africa. 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  U,  -45  83 

hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces  the  iron,  the  brass,  the  clay,  the 
silver,  and  the  gold;  the  great  God  hath  made  known  to  the  king 
what  shall  come  to  pass  hereafter;  and  the  dream  is  certain,  and  the 
interpretation  thereof  sure. 

We  here  reach  the  climax  of  this  stupendous  prophecy; 
and  when  Time  in  his  onward  llight  shall  bring  us  to  the  sub- 
lime scene  here  predicted,  we  shall  have  reached  the  end  of 
human  history.  The  kingdom  of  God!  Grand  provision  for 
a  new  and  glorious  dispensation,  in  which  his  people  shall 
find  a  liappy  terminus  of  this  world's  sad,  degenerate,  and 
changing  career.  Transporting  change  for  all  the  righteous, 
from  gloom  to  glory,  from  strife  to  peace,  from  a  sinful  to  a 
holy  world,  from  death  to  life,  from  tyranny  and  oppression  to 
the  bappy  freedom  and  blessed  privileges  of  a  heavenly  king- 
dom !  Glorious  transition,  from  weakness  to  strength,  from 
the  changing  and  decaying  to  the  immutable  and  eternal! 

But  when  is  this  kingdom  to  be  established  ?  ^Jay  we  hoj^e 
for  an  answer  to  an  inquiry  of  such  momentous  concern  to  our 
race  ?  These  are  the  very  questions  on  which  the  word  of  God 
does  not  leave  us  in  ignorance ;  and  herein  is  seen  the  surpass- 
ing value  of  this  heavenly  boon.  We  do  not  say  that  the  exact 
time  is  revealed  (we  emphasize  the  fact  that  it  is  not)  either 
in  this  or  in  any  other  jorophecy ;  but  so  near  an  approximation 
is  given  that  the  generation  which  is  to  see  the  establishment  of 
this  kingdom  may  mark  its  approach  unerringly,  and  make 
that  preparation  which  Avill  entitle  them  to  share  in  all  its 
glories. 

As  already  explained,  we  are  brought  down  by  verses  41  -  43 
this  side  of  the  division  of  the  Roman  empire  into  ten  king- 
doms ;  Avhicli  division  was  accomplished,  as  already  noticed, 
betAveen  351  and  483.  The  kings,  or  kingdoms,  in  the  days 
of  which  the  God  of  heaven  is  to  set  up  his  kingdom,  are 
evidently  those  kingdoms  which  arose  out  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire. Then  the  kingdom  of  God  here  brought  to  view  could 
not  have  been  set  up,  as  some  claim  it  was,  in  connection  with 
the  first  advent  of  Christ,  four  hundred  and  fifty  years  before. 
Rut  whether  we  apply  this  division  to  the  ten  kingdoms  or  not, 
it  is  certain  that  some  kind  of  division  was  to  take  place  in 
6 


84  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

the  Itoiuan  empire  before  the  kingdom  of  God  should  be  set 
up ;  for  the  prophecy  expressly  declares,  "  The  kingdom  shall 
be  divided."  And  this  is  equally  fatal  to  the  popular  view; 
for  after  the  unification  of  the  tirst  elements  of  the  llonian 
power  down  to  tlic  days  of  Christ,  there  was  no  division  of  the 
kingdom;  nor  during  his  days,  nor  for  many  years  after,  did 
any  such  thing  take  place.  The  civil  Avars  were  not  divisions 
of  the  empire;  they  were  only  the  efforts  of  individuals  wor- 
shiping at  the  shrine  of  ambition,  to  obtain  svipreme  control  of 
the  empire.  The  occasional  petty  revolts  of  distant  provinces, 
suppressed  as  with  the  power,  and  almost  with  the  speed,  of  a 
thunderbolt,  did  not  constittite  a  division  of  the  kingdom.  And 
these  are  all  that  can  be  pointed  to  as  interfering  with  the 
unity  of  the  kingdom,  for  more  than  three  hundred  years  this 
side  of  the  days  of  Christ.  This  one  consideration  is  suffi- 
cient to  disprove  forever  the  view  that  the  kingdom  of  God, 
which  constitutes  the  fifth  kingdom  of  this  series  as  bnuight 
to  view  in  Daniel  2,  was  set  up  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  era.       But  a  thought  more  may  be  in  place. 

1.  This  fifth  kingdom,  then,  could  not  have  been  set  up  at 
Christ's  first  ad^^ent,  becatise  it  is  not  to  exist  contemporane- 
ously with  earthly  governments,  but  to  succeed  them.  As  the 
second  kingdom  succeeded  the  first,  the  third  the  second,  and 
the  fourth  the  third,  by  violence  and  overthrow^,  so  the  fifth 
succeeds  the  fourth.  It  does  not  exist  at  the  same  time  with 
it.  The  fourth  kingdom  is  first  destroyed,  the  fragments  are 
removed,  the  territory  is  cleared,  and  then  the  fifth  is  estab- 
lislied  as  a  succeeding  kingdom  in  the  order  of  time.  But  the 
church  has  existed  contemporaneously  with  earthly  governments 
ever  since  earthly  governments  were  formed.  There  was  a 
church  in  Abel's  day,  in  Enoch's,  in  !N"oah's,  in  Abraham's, 
and  so  on  to  the  present,  Xo;  the  church  is  not  the  stone 
tliat  smote  the  image  upon  its  feet.  Tt  existed  too  early  in 
point  of  time,  and  the  work  in  which  it  is  engaged  is  not  that 
of  smiting  and  overthrowing  earthly  governments. 

2.  Tho  fiftli  kiugfloiii  is  iiitro(hu'('d  by  the  stone  smiting 
the  image.  A\1iat  part  <>f  lh(^  image  does  the  stone  smite? 
- — Tlie   feet   and   toes.        lUit    these   were   not   developed    until 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  U,  45 


85 


four  centuries  and  a  half  after  the  crucifixion  of  Christ.  The 
image  was,  at  the  time  of  the  crucifixion,  only  developed  to 
the  thighs,  so  to  speak ;  and  if  th(i  kingdom  of  God  was  there 
set  up,  if  there  the  stone  smote  the  imago,  it  smote  it  upon 
the  thighs,  not  upon  the  feet,  where  the  prophecy  places  the 
smiting. 

o.  The  stone  that  smites  the  iuiage  is  cut  out  of  the  moun- 
tain without  hands.  The  margin  reads,  "•  Which  was  not  in 
hand."  This  shows  that  the  smiting  is  not  done  by  an  a^"-ont 
acting  for  another,  not  by  the  church,  for  instance,  in  the  hands 
of  Christ;  but  it  is  a  work  which  the  Lord  does  by  his  own 
divine  power,  without  any  human  agency. 

4.  Again,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  placed  before  tho  church 
as  a  matter  of  hope.  The  Lord  did  not  teach  his  disciples  a 
prayer  which  in  two  or  three  years  was  to  ])eeome  obsolete. 
The  petition  may  as  appropriately  ascend  from  the  lips  of  the 
patient,  waiting  flock  in  these  last  days,  as  from  the  lips  of  his 
first  disciples,  "  Thy  kingdom  come." 

5.  We  have  plain  Scripture  declarations  to  establish  the 
following  propositions:  (1)  The  kingdom  was  still  future  at 
the  time  of  our  Lord's  last  Passover.  Matt.  20:29.  (2) 
Christ  did  not  set  it  up  before  his  ascension.  Acts  1:6.  (3) 
Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  it.  1  Cor.  15:  50.  (4)  It  is 
a  matter  of  promise  to  the  apostles,  and  to  all  those  that  love 
God.  James  2:5.  (5)  It  is  promised  in  the  future  to  the 
little  flock.  Luke  12:  32.  (6)  Through  much  tribulation  the 
saints  are  to  enter  therein.  Acts  14:  22.  (7)  It  is  to  be  set 
up  when  Christ  shall  judge  the  living  and  the  dead.  2  Tim. 
4:1.  (8)  This  is  to  be  when  he  shall  come  in  his  glory  Avith 
all  his  holy  angels.      Matt.   25:31-  34. 

As  militating  against  the  foregoing  view,  it  may  be  asked 
if  the  expression,  '^  Kingdom  of  heaven,"  is  not,  in  the  New 
Testament,  applied  to  the  church.  In  some  instances  it  may 
be;  but  in  others  as  evidently  it  cannot  be.  In  the  decisive 
texts  referred  to  above,  which  show  that  it  was  still  a  matter 
of  promise  oven  after  the  church  was  fully  established,  tliat 
mortality  cannot  inherit  it,  and  that  it  is  to  be  set  up  only  in 
connection  with  the  coming  of  our  Lord  t<>  judgment,  the  refer- 


8(3  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

ence  cannot  be  to  any  state  or  organization  here  upon  earth. 
The  object  we  have  before  ns  is  to  ascertain  what  constitutes 
the  kingdom  of  Dan.  2  :  44 ;  and  we  have  seen  that  the  prophecy 
utterly  forbids  our  applying  it  there  to  the  church,  inasmuch 
as  by  the  terms  of  the  prophecy  itself  w^e  are  prohibited  from 
looking  for  that  kingdom  till  over  four  hundred  years  after  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ  and  the  establishment  of  the  gosjoel  church. 
Therefore  if  in  some  expressions  in  the  ISTew  Testament  the 
M'ord  "  kingdom  "  can  be  found  applying  to  the  work  of  God's 
grace,  or  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  it  cannot  in  such  instances 
be  the  kingdom  brought  to  view  in  Daniel.  That  can  only  be 
the  future  literal  kingdom  of  Christ's  glory,  so  often  brought  to 
view  in  both  the  Old  Testament  and  the  J^ew. 

It  may  be  objected  again,  that  when  the  stone  smites  the 
image,  the  iron,  the  brass,  the  silver,  and  the  gold  are  broken 
to  pieces  together ;  hence  the  stone  must  have  smitten  the  image 
when  all  these  parts  wore  in  existence.  In  reply  Ave  ask.  What 
is  meant  by  their  being  broken  to  pieces  together  ?  Does  the 
expression  mean  that  the  same  persons  who  constituted  the 
kingdom  of  gold  would  be  alive  when  the  image  was  dashed 
to  pieces  ?  —  ISTo ;  else  the  image  covers  but  the  duration  of 
a  single  generation.  Does  it  mean  that  that  would  be  a  ruling 
kingdom  ?  —  Xo ;  for  there  is  a  succession  of  kingdoms  down 
to  the  fourth.  On  the  supposition,  then,  that  the  fifth  king- 
dom was  set  up  at  the  first  advent,  in  what  sense  were  the 
brass,  silver,  and  gold  in  existence  then  any  more  than  at  the 
present  day  ?  Does  it  refer  to  the  time  of  the  second  resurrec- 
tion, when  all  these  wicked  nations  will  be  raised  to  life  ?  — 
N^o;  for  the  destruction  of  earthly  governments  in  this  present 
state,  which  is  here  symbolized  by  the  smiting  of  the  image, 
certainly  takes  place  at  the  end  of  this  dispensation;  and  in 
the  second  resurrection  national  distinctions  will  be  no  more 
known. 

Xo  objection  really  exists  in  the  point  under  consideration; 
for  all  tlio  kingdoms  s^Tubolized  by  the  image  are,  in  a  certain 
sense,  still  in  existence.  Chaldea  and  Assyria  are  still  the  first 
divisions  of  the  image;  Media  and  Persia,  the  second;  Macedo- 
nia, Greece,  Thrace,  Asia  Minor,  and  Egypt,  the  third.      Polit- 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  U,  ^  87 

ical  life  and  dominion,  it  is  true,  have  passed  from  one  to  the 
other,  till,  so  far  as  the  image  is  concerned,  it  is  all  now  con- 
centrated in  the  divisions  of  the  fourth  kingdom;  but  the 
others,  in  location  and  substance,  though  without  dominion, 
are  still  there;  and  together  all  will  be  dashed  to  pieces  when 
the  fifth  kingdom  is  introduced. 

It  may  still  further  be  asked,  by  way  of  objection,  Have 
not  the  ten  kingdoms,  in  the  days  of  which  the  kingdom  of 
God  was  to  be  set  up,  all  passed  away  ?  and  as  the  kingdom  of 
God  is  not  yet  set  up,  has  not  the  prophecy,  according  to  the 
view  here  advocated,  proved  a  failure  ?  We  answer :  Those 
kingdoms  have  not  yet  passed  away.  We  are  yet  in  the  days 
of  those  kings.  The  following  illustration  from  Dr.  Nelson's 
"  Cause  and  Cure  of  Infidelity,"  pp.  374,  375,  will  set  this 
matter  in  a  clear  light: — 

"  Suppose  some  feeble  people  should  be  suffering  from  the 
almost  constant  invasions  of  numerous  and  ferocious  enemies. 
Suppose  some  powerful  and  benevolent  prince  sends  them  word 
that  he  will,  for  a  number  of  years,  say  thirty,  maintain,  for 
their  safety  along  the  frontier,  ten  garrisons,  each  to  contain 
one  hundred  well-armed  men.  Suppose  the  forts  are  built  and 
remain  a  few  years,  when  two  of  them  are  burned  to  the  ground 
and  rebuilt  without  delay;  has  there  been  any  violation  of  the 
sovereign's  word  ?  —  No ;  there  was  no  material  interruption 
in  the  continuance  of  the  walls  of  strength;  and,  further- 
more, the  most  important  part  of  the  safeguard  was  still  there. 
Again,  suppose  the  monarch  sends  and  has  two  posts  of  strength 
demolished,  but,  adjoining  the  spot  where  these  stood,  and 
immediately,  he  has  other  two  buildings  erected,  more  capa- 
cious and  more  desirable ;  does  the  promise  still  stand  good  ? 
We  answer  in  the  affirmative,  and  we  believe  no  one  would 
difi^er  with  us.  Finally,  suppose,  in  addition  to  the  ten  gar- 
risons, it  could  be  sho^^Ti  that  for  several  months  during  the 
thirty  years,  one  more  had  been  maintained  there ;  that  for 
one  or  two  years  out  of  the  thirty,  there  had  been  there  eleven 
instead  of  ten  fortifications ;  shall  we  call  it  a  defeat  or  a  fail- 
ure of  the  original  undertaking?  Or  shall  any  seeming  inter- 
ruptions,  such  as  have  been  stated,  destroy  the  propriety  of 


88  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

our  calling  these  the  ten  garrisons  of  the  frontier  ?  The  answer 
is,  Xo,  Avithout  disj^ute. 

"  So  it  is,  and  has  been,  respecting  the  ten  kingdoms  of 
Europe  once  under  the  Roman  scepter.  They  have  been  there 
for  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years.  If  several  have  had  their 
names  changed  according  to  the  caprice  of  him  who  concpiered, 
this  change  of  name  did  not  destroy  existence.  If  otliers  have 
had  their  territorial  limits  changed,  the  nation  was  siill  there. 
If  others  have  fallen  while  successors  were  forming  in  their 
room,  the  ten  horns  were  still  there.  If,  during  a  few  years 
out  of  a  thousand,  there  were  more  than  ten,  if  some  tem- 
porary power  reared  its  head,  seeming  to  claim  a  place  with 
the  rest  and  soon  disappeared,  it  has  not  caused  the  beast  to 
have  less  than  ten  horns." 

Scott  remarks : — 

''  It  is  certain  that  the  Roman  empire  Avas  divided  into  ten 
kingdoms;  and  though  they  might  be  sometimes  more  and 
sometimes  fcAver,  yet  they  Avere  still  knoAAm  by  the  name  of  the 
ten  kingdoms  of  the  "Western  empire." 

Thus  the  subject  is  cleared  of  all  difficulty.  Time  has  fully 
developed  this  great  image  in  all  its  parts.  Most  strictly  does 
it  represent  the  important  political  events  it  Avas  designed  to 
SAnnbolize.  It  stands  complete  upon  its  feet.  Thus  it  has  been 
standing  for  OA-er  fourteen  hundred  years.  It  Avaits  to  be 
smitten  upon  the  feet  by  the  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain 
Avithout  hand,  that  is,  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  This  is  to  be 
accomplished  Avhen  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed  in  flaming  fire, 
taking  A'engeance  on  them  that  knoAv  not  God,  and  that  obey 
not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  (See  Ps.  2:  8,  9.) 
In  the  days  of  these  kings  the  God  of  lieaA'en  is  to  set  up  a 
kingdom.  We  liaA'e  been  in  the  days  of  these  kings  for  oA-er 
fourteen  centuries,  and  aa'o  are  still  in  their  days.  So  far  as 
this  prophecy  is  concerned,  the  A-ery  next  eA'ent  is  the  setting  up 
of  God's  eA'^erlasting  kingdom.  Other  prophecies  and  innumer- 
able signs  show  unmistakably  its  innnediate  proximity. 

The  coming  kingdom!  This  ought  to  be  the  all-absorbing 
topic  Avith  the  present  generation.  Reader,  are  you  ready  for 
thf  issue?      lie  Avho  enters  this  hingdom  enters  it  not  merely 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  U-V^  89 

for  such  a  lifetime  as  men  live  in  this  present  state,  not  to  see 
it  degenerate,  not  to  see  it  overthrown  by  a  succeeding  and 
more  powerful  kingdom ;  but  he  enters  It  to  participate  in  all 
its  privileges  and  blessings,  and  to  share  its  glories  forever ; 
for  this  kingdom  is  not  to  "  be  left  to  other  peo})le."  Again 
we  ask  you,  Are  you  ready  ?  The  terms  of  heirship  are  most 
liberal:  "  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and 
heirs  according  to  the  promise."  Are  you  on  terms  of  friend- 
ship with  Christ,  the  coming  King  I  Do  you  love  his  char- 
acter ?  Are  you  trying  to  walk  humbly  in  his  footsteps,  and 
obey  his  teachings  ?  If  not,  read  your  fate  in  the  cases  of 
those  in  the  parable,  of  whom  it  was  said,  "  But  those  mine 
enemies,  which  would  not  that  I  should  reigii  over  them,  bring 
hither,  and  slay  them  before  me."  There  is  to  be  no  rival 
kingdom  where  ^you  can  find  an  asylum  if  you  remain  an 
enemy  to  this;  for  this  is  to  occupy  all  the  territory  ever  pos- 
sessed by  any  and  all  of  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  past  or 
present.  It  is  to  fill  the  whole  earth.  Happy  they  to  whom 
the  rightful  Sovereign,  the  all-conquering  King,  at  last  can 
say,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

Verse  46.  Then  th3  king  Nebuchadnezzar  fell  u])on  his  face,  and 
worshiped  Daniel,  and  commanded  that  they  should  otfer  an  obla- 
tion and  sweet  odors  unto  him.  47.  The  king  answered  unto  Daniel, 
and  said.  Of  a  truth  it  is,  that  your  God  is  a  God  of  gods,  and  a  Lord 
of  kings,  and  a  revealer  of  secrets,  seeing  thou  couldest  reveal  this 
secret.  48.  Then  the  king  made  Daniel  a  great  man,  and  gave  him 
many  great  gifts,  and  made  him  ruler  over  the  whole  province  of 
Babylon,  and  chief  of  the  governors  over  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon. 
49.  Then  Daniel  requested  of  the  king,  and  he  set  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abed-nego  over  the  affairs  of  the  province  of  Babylon;  but  Dan- 
iel sat  in  the  gare  of  the  king. 

Wq  have  dwelt  quite  at  length  on  the  interpretation  of  th(^ 
dream,  which  Daniel  made  known  to  the  Chaldean  monarch. 
From  this  we  must  now  return  to  the  palace  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, and  to  Daniel,  as  he  stands  in  the  presence  of  the  king, 
having  made  kno^\^l  to  him  the  dream  and  the  interpretation 
thereof,  v.hile  the  courtiers  and  the  baffled  soothsayers  and 
astrologers  wait   around   in    silent   awe   an<l    wonder. 


90  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

It  might  be  exj^ected  that  an  aniLitious  monarch,  raised  to 
the  highest  earthly  throne,  and  in  the  full  flush  of  uninter- 
rupted success,  would  scarcely  brook  to  be  told  that  his  king- 
dom, Avhicli  he  no  doubt  fondly  hoped  ^vould  endure  through 
all  time,  was  to  be  overthrown  by  another  peoide.  Yet  Daniel 
plainly  and  boldly  made  known  this  fact  to  the  king,  and  the 
king,  so  far  from  being  offended,  fell  upon  his  face  before  the 
prophet  of  God,  and  offered  him  worship.  Daniel  doubtless 
innnediately  countermanded  the  orders  which  the  king  issued 
to  pay  him  divine  honors.  That  Daniel  had  some  comnmni- 
cation  with  the  king  which  is  not  here  recorded,  is  evident 
from  verse  47 :  "  The  king  answered  unto  Daniel,"  etc.  And 
it  may  be  still  further  inferred  that  Daniel  labored  to  turn  the 
king's  feelings  of  reverence  from  himself  to  the  God  of  heaven, 
inasmuch  as  the  king  replies,  "  Of  a  truth  it  is  that  your  God 
is  a  God  of  gods  and  a  Lord  of  kings." 

Then  the  king  made  Daniel  a  great  man.  There  are  two 
things  which  in  this  life  are  specially  supposed  to  nicike  a 
man  great,  and  both  these  Daniel  received  from  the  king:  (1) 
Riches.  A  man  is  considered  great  if  he  is  a  man  of  wealth ; 
and  we  read  that  the  king  gave  him  many  and  great  gifts.  (2) 
Power,  If  in  conjunction  with  riches  a  man  has  power,  cer- 
tainly in  popular  estimation  he  is  considered  a  great  man ;  and 
power  was  bestowed  upon  Daniel  in  abundant  measure.  He 
was  made  ruler  over  the  whole  province  of  Babylon,  and  chief 
of  the  governors  over  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon. 

Thus  speedily  and  abundantly  did  Daniel  l)egin  to  be  re- 
warded for  his  fidelity  to  his  own  conscience  and  the  require- 
ments of  God,  So  great  Avas  Balaam's  desire  for  the  presents 
of  a  certain  heathen  king,  that  he  endeavored  to  obtain  them 
in  s])ite  of  the  Lord's  ex]U'essed  will  to  the  contrary,  and  thus 
signally  failed.  Daniel  did  not  act  with  a  view  to  obtaining 
these  presents;  yet  by  niniiitainiiig  his  integrity  with  the  17(n'(] 
they  were  given  abundantly  into  his  hands.  His  advancement, 
both  with  respect  to  wealth  and  power,  was  a  matter  of  no 
small  iiioiiiciit  Avitli  him,  as  it  enabled  liim  to  be  of  service  to 
his  fellow-countrymen  less  favored  than  himself  in  their  long 
(•;ii)tivitv. 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  46  -  49 


91 


Daniel  did  not  become  bewildered  nor  intoxicated  by  his 
signal  victory  and  his  wonderful  advancement.  He  first  re- 
members the  three  who  were  companions  with  him  in  anxiety 
respecting  the  king's  matter;  and  as  they  had  helped  him 
with  their  prayers,  he  determined  that  they  should  share  with 
him  in  his  honors.  At  his  request  they  were  placed  over  the 
affairs  of  Babylon,  Avhile  Daniel  himself  sat  in  the  gate  of  the 
king.  The  gate  was  the  place  where  councils  were  held,  and 
matters  of  chief  moment  were  deliberated  upon.  The  record 
is  a  simple  declaration  that  Daniel  became  chief  counselor  to 
the  king. 


Verse  1.  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king 
made  an  image  of  gold,  whose  height 
was    tliroescore    cubits,    and   the   breadth 

thereof  six  cubits;  he  set  it  up  in  the  plain  of  Dura,  in  the  province 

of  Babylon. 

THERE  is  a  conjecture  extant  that  this  image  had  some 
reference  to  the  dream  of  the  king  as  described  in  the 

previous  chapter,  it  having  been  erected  only  twentv- 
ihi-ee  years  subsequently,  accor<ling  to  the  marginal  chronology. 
In  that  dream  the  head  was  of  gold,  representing  Xebucliad- 
nezzar's  kingdom.  That  was  succeeded  by  metals  of  inferior 
(piality,  denoting  a  succession  of  kingdoms.  ^Nebuchadnezzar 
was  doubtless  (juite  gratified  that  his  kingdom  should  be  repre- 
sented by  tlie  gold;  but  that  it  should  ever  be  succeeded  by 
another  kingdom  was  not  so  ])leasing.  Hence,  instead  of  hav- 
ing simply  the  head  of  his  image  of  gold,  he  made  it  all  of 
gold,  to  denote  that  the  gold  of  the  head  should  extend  through 
the  entire  image;  or,  in  other  Avords,  tliat  his  kingdom  sliould 
not  give   way  to  another  kiug(h)iii,  but    bo  ]>er])('tual. 

Tt  is  ])robable  tliat  the  height  here  mentioned,  ninety  feet 
at  the  lowest  estimate,  was  not  the  height  of  the  image  proper, 

(92) 


THE  THREE  HEBREWS   REFUSING  TO  BOW  TO  THE  IMAGE 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  1-7  95 

but  included  the  pedestal  also.  Nor  is  it  probable  that  any 
more  than  the  image  proper,  ii  even  that,  was  of  solid  gold. 
It  could  have  been  overlaid  with  thin  plates,  nicely  joined,  at 
a  much  less  exj)ense,  without  detracting  at  all  from  its  external 
appearance. 

Verse  2.  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  sent  to  gather  together 
the  princes,  the  governors,  and  the  captains,  the  judges,  the  treasur- 
ers, the  counselors,  the  sheriffs,  and  all  the  rulers  of  the  provinces,  to 
come  to  the  dedication  of  the  image  which  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king 
had  set  up.  3.  Then  the  princes,  the  governors,  and  captains,  the 
judges,  the  treasurers,  the  counselors,  the  sheriffs,  and  all  the  rulers 
of  the  provinces,  were  gathered  together  unto  the  dedication  of  the 
image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  had  set  up;  and  they  stood  be- 
fore the  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  had  set  up.  4.  Then  an  herald 
cried  aloud,  To  you  it  is  commanded,  O  people,  mations,  and  lan- 
guages, 5.  That  at  what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute, 
harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall 
down  and  worship  the  golden  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king 
hath  set  up;  C.  And  whoso  falleth  not  down  and  worshipeth  shall  the 
same  hour  be  cast  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace.  7. 
Therefore  at  that  time,  when  all  the  people  heard  the  sound  of  the 
cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  all  the 
people,  the  nations,  and  the  languages,  fell  down  and  worshiped  the 
golden  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  had  set  up. 

The  dedication  of  this  image  was  made  a  great  occasion. 
The  chief  men  of  all  the  kingdom  were  gathered  together ;  so 
much  pains  and  expense  will  men  undergo  in  sustaining  idola- 
trous and  heathen  systems  of  worship.  So  it  is  and  ever  has 
been.  Alas,  that  those  who  have  the  true  religion  should  be 
so  far  outdone  in  these  respects  by  the  upholders  of  the  false 
and  counterfeit !  The  worship  was  accompanied  with  music ; 
and  whoso  should  fail  to  participate  therein  was  tlireatened 
with  a  fiery  furnace.  Such  are  ever  the  strongest  motives  to 
impel  men  in  any  direction, —  pleasure  on  the  one  hand,  pain 
on  the  other. 

Verse  G  contains  the  first  mention  to  l)e  found  in  the  Bible 
of  the  division  of  time  into  hours.  It  was  probably  the  inven- 
tion of  the  Chaldeans. 

Verse  8.  Wherefore  at  that  time  certain  Chaldeans  came  near,  and 
accused  the  Jews.  9.  They  spake  and  said  to  the  king  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, O  king,  live  forever.  10.  Thou,  O  king,  hast  made  a  decree,  that 
every  man  that  shall  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackb\it. 


(j,^;  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

psaltery,  and  dulciiner,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  shall  fall  down  and 
worship  the  golden  image;  11.  And  whoso  falleth  not  down  and  wor- 
shipeth,  that  he  should  be  cast  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  fur- 
nace. 12.  There  are  certain  Jews  whom  thou  hast  set  over  the  affairs 
of  the  province  of  Babylon,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego;  these 
men,  O  king,  have  not  regarded  thee;  they  serve  not  thy  gods,  nor 
worship   the  golden   image   which   thou  hast   set  up. 

Those  Chaldeans  who  accused  the  Je^vs  were  probably  the 
sect  of  philosophers  wlio  M'ent  by  that  name,  and  who  were 
.'till  smarting  under  the  chagrin  of  their  ignominions  failure  in 
respect  to  their  interpretation  of  the  king's  dream  of  chapter  2. 
They  were  eager  to  seize  wpon  any  pretext  to  accnse  the  Jews 
before  the  king,  and  either  disgrace  or  destroy  them.  They 
worked  upon  the  king's  prejndice  by  strong  insinuations  of 
I  heir  ingratitude:  Thou  hast  set  them  over  the  affairs  of  Baby- 
lon, and  yet  they  liavo  disregarded  thee.  Where  Daniel  was 
upon  this  occasion,  is  not  known.  lie  was  probably  absent  on 
some  business  of  the  empire,  the  importance  of  which  demanded 
his  presence.  But  why  should  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego,  since  they  knew  they  could  not  worshij)  the  image,  be 
present  on  the  occasion  ?  Was  it  not  because  they  were  willing 
to  comply  with  the  king's  requirements  as  far  as  they  could 
without  compromising  their  religious  principles?  The  king 
re([nire(l  them  to  be  present.  With  this  requirement  they 
could  comply,  and  they  did.  He  required  them  to  worship 
ihe  image.  This  their  religion  forbade,  and  this  they  therefore 
refused  to  do. 

Vehsk  1.'3.  Then  Xebuchadnozzar  in  his  rage  and  ftiry  commanded 
to  bring  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego.  Then  they  brought 
these  men  before  the  king.  14.  Nebuchadnezzar  spake  and  said  unto 
them,  Is  it  true,  O  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  do  not  ye 
serve  my  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  I  have  set  up? 
15.  Now  if  ye  be  ready  that  at  what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the 
cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of 
nuisic,  ye  fall  down  and  worshi])  the  image  which  I  have  made,  well: 
but  if  ye  worship  not,  ye  shall  be  cast  the  same  hour  into  the  midst 
of  a  burning  fiery  furnace;  and  who  is  that  God  that  shall  deliver 
you  out  of  my  hands?  16.  Sliadrach.  IMeshach,  and  Abed-nego  an- 
swered and  said  to  the  king,  O  Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to 
answer  thee  in  this  matter.  17.  If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve 
is  able  to  deliver  us  from  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  he  will  de- 
Hvcr  us  out  of  thine  hand,  O  king.      18.  But  if  not,  be  it  known  unto 


THE    THREE.     HEBREWS     IN     THE     FIERY     FURNACE 


CHAPTER  S,  VERSES  IS  -  25  99 

thee,  0  king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden 
image  which  thou  hast  set  up. 

The  forbearance  of  the  king  is  shown  in  his  granting  Shad- 
racli,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego  another  trial  after  their  tirst 
failure  to  comply  Avitli  his  requirements.  Doubtless  the  mat- 
ter was  thoroughly  understood.  They  could  not  plead  igno- 
rance. They  knew  just  what  the  king  wanted,  and  their  failure 
to  do  it  was  an  intentional  and  deliberate  refusal  to  obey  him. 
With  most  kings  this  would  have  been  enough  to  seal  their  fate. 
Jiut  no,  says  Xebuchadnezzar,  I  will  overlook  this  offense,  if 
upon  a  second  trial  they  comply  w'ith  the  law.  lUit  they  in- 
formed the  king  that  he  need  not  trouble  himself  to  repeat  the 
farce.  "  We  are  not  careful,"  said  they,  "  to  answer  thee  in 
this  matter."  That  is,  you  need  not  grant  us  the  favor  of 
another  trial;  our  mind  is  made  up.  We  can  answer  just  as 
well  now. as  at  any  future  time;  and  our  answer  is,  We  will 
not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  inuige  wdiich  thou 
hast  set  up.  Our  God  can  deliver  if  he  will ;  but  if  not,  it  is 
just  the  same.  We  know  his  will,  and  to  that  w^e  shall  render 
unconditional  obedience.  Their  answer  was  both  honest  and 
decisive. 

Verse  19.  Then  was  Nebuchadnezzar  full  of  fury,  and  the  form  of 
his  visage  was  changed  against  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego ; 
therefore  he  spake,  and  commanded  that  they  should  heat  the  furnace 
one  seven  times  more  than  it  was  wont  to  be  heated.  20.  And  he 
commanded  the  most  mighty  men  that  were  in  his  army  to  bind 
Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  and  to  cast  them  into  the  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace,  21.  Then  these  men  were  bound  in  their  coats, 
their  hosen,  and  their  hats,  and  their  other  garments,  and  were  cast 
into  the  midst  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  22.  Therefore  because 
the  king's  commandment  was  urgent,  and  the  furnace  exceeding  hot, 
the  flame  of  the  fire  slew  those  men  that  took  up  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abed-nego.  23.  And  these  three  men,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego,  fell  down  bound  into  the  midst  of  the  burning  fiery 
furnace.  24.  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  was  astonied,  and  rose 
up  in  haste,  and  spake,  and  said  unto  his  counselors.  Did  not  we  cast 
three  men  bound  into  the  midst  of  the  fire?  They  answered  and  said 
imto  the  king,  True,  O  king.  25.  He  answered  and  said,  Lo,  I  see 
four  men  loose,  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no 
hurt;  and  the  form  of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son  of  God. 

Xebucbadnezzar  was  not  entirely  free  from  the  faults  and 
follies  into  which  an  absolute  monarch  so  easily  runs.      Intox- 


iOO  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

icated  with  unlimited  power,  he  could  not  brook  disobedience  or 
contradiction.  Let  his  expressed  authority  be  resisted,  on  how- 
ever good  grounds,  and  he  exhibits  the  weakness  common  to 
our  fallen  humanity  under  like  circumstances,  and  flies  into  a 
passion.  Ruler  of  the  world,  he  was  not  equal  to  that  still 
harder  task  of  ruling  his  o^^^l  spirit.  And  even  the  form  of  his 
visage  was  changed.  Instead  of  the  calm,  dignified,  self-pos-  ' 
sessed  ruler  that  he  should  have  appeared,  he  betrayed  him- 
self in  look  and  act  as  the  slave  of  ungovernable  passion. 

The  furnace  Avas  heated  one  seven  times  hotter  than  usual ; 
ill  other  words,  to  its  utmost  capacity.  The  king  overreached 
himself  in  this;  for  even  if  the  fire  had  been  suffered  to  have 
its  ordinary  effect  upon  the  ones  he  cast  into  the  furnace,  it 
would  only  have  destroyed  them  the  sooner.  ISTothing  would 
have  been  gained  by  that  means  on  the  part  of  the  king.  But 
seeing  they  were  delivered  from  it,  much  was  gained  on  the 
part  of  the  cause  of  God  and  his  truth ;  for  the  more  intense 
the  heat,  the  greater  and  more  impressive  the  miracle  of  being 
delivered  from  it.  Every  circumstance  was  calculated  to  show 
the  direct  power  of  God.  They  were  bound  in  all  their  gar- 
ments, but  came  out  with  not  even  the  smell  of  fire  upon  them. 
The  most  mighty  men  in  the  army  were  chosen  to  cast  them  in. 
These  the  fire  slew  ere  they  came  in  contact  with  it;  while 
on  the  Hebrews  it  had  no  effect,  though  they  were  in  the  very 
midst  of  its  flames.  It  was  evident  that  the  flre  was  under  the 
control  of  some  supernatural  intelligence ;  for  while  it  had 
effect  upon  the  cords  with  which  they  Avere  bound,  destroying 
them,  so  that  they  were  free  to  walk  about  in  the  midst  of  the 
fire,  it  did  not  even  singe  their  garments.  They  did  not,  as 
soon  as  free,  spring  out  of  the  fire,  but  continued  therein;  for, 
first,  the  king  had  put  them  in,  and  it  was  his  place  to  call  them 
out;  and,  secondly,  the  form  of  the  fourth  was  Avith  them,  and 
in  his  presence  they  could  be  content  and  joyful,  as  Avell  in  the 
furnace  of  fire  as  in  the  delights  and  luxuries  of  the  palace. 
Lot  u.s  in  Jill  oiir  trials,  afflictions,  persecutions,  and  straitened 
places,  but  have  the  "  form  of  the  fourth  "  Avith  us,  and  it  is 
cnougli. 


CHAPTER  S,  VERSES  19-30  loi 

The  king  said,  "And  the  form  of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son 
of  God."  This  language  is  by  some  supposed  to  refer  to  Christ ; 
but  it  is  not  likely  that  the  king  had  any  idea  of  the  Saviour. 
A  better  rendering,  according  to  good  authorities,  would  be 
''  like  a  son  of  the  gods ;  "  that  is,  he  had  the  appearance  of  a 
supernatural  or  divine  being,  Xebuchadnezzar  subsequently 
called  him  an  angel. 

AMiat  a  scathing  rebuke  upon  the  king  for  his  folly  and 
madness  was  the  deliverance  of  these  worthies  from  the  fiery 
furnace !  A  higher  power  than  any  on  earth  had  vindicated 
those  who  stood  firm  against  idolatry,  and  poured  contempt  on 
the  worship  and  requirements  of  the  king.  None  of  the  gods 
of  the  heathen  ever  had  wrought  such  deliverance  as  that,  nor 
were  they  able  to  do  so. 

Verse  26.  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  came  near  to  the  mouth  of  the 
burning  fiery  furnace,  and  spake,  and  said,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego,  ye  servants  of  the  most  high  God,  come  forth,  and  come 
hither.  Then  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego  came  forth  of  the 
midst  of  the  fire.  27.  And  the  princes,  governors,  and  captains,  and 
the  king's  counselors,  being  gathered  together,  saw  these  men,  upon 
whose  bodies  the  fire  had  no  power,  nor  was  an  hair  of  their  head 
singed,  neither  were  their  coats  changed,  nor  the  smell  of  fire  had 
passed  on  them.  28.  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  spake,  and  said.  Blessed 
be  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  who  hath  sent  his 
angel,  and  delivered  his  servants  that  trusted  in  him,  and  have 
changed  the  king's  word,  and  yielded  their  bodies,  that  they  might 
not  serve  nor  worship  any  God,  except  their  own  God.  29.  Therefore 
I  make  a  decree.  That  every  people,  nation,  and  language,  which 
speak  anything  amiss  against  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego,  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  and  their  houses  shall  be  made  a 
dunghill;  because  there  is  no  other  God  that  can  deliver  after  this 
sort.  30.  Then  the  king  promoted  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego  in  the  province  of  Babylon. 

When  bidden,  these  three  men  came  forth  from  the  fur- 
nace. Then  the  princes,  governors,  and  king's  counselors, 
through  whose  advice,  or  at  least  concurrence,  they  had  been 
cast  into  the  furnace  (for  the  king  said  to  them,  verse  24, 
"  Did  not  ive  cast  three  men  bound  into  the  midst  of  the 
fire?"),  Avere  gathered  together  to  look  upon  these  men,  and 
have  optical  and  tangible  proof  of  their  Avonderful  preservation. 
The  worship  of  the  great  image  was  lost  sight  of.      The  whole 


102  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

interest  of  this  vast  concourse  of  people  was  now  concentrated 
upon  these  three  remarkable  men.  All  men's  thoughts  and 
minds  were  full  of  this  wonderful  occurrence.  And  how  the 
knuwledge  of  it  would  l)e  spread  abroad  throughout  the  empire, 
as  they  should  return  to  tlieir  respective  provinces!  What 
a  notable  instance  in  which  God  caused  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  him ! 

Then  the  king  blessed  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego,  and  made  a  decree  that  none  should  speak  against 
him.  This  the  Chal  leans  had  undoubtedly  done.  In  those 
days,  each  nation  had  its  god  or  gods ;  for  there  were  ''  gods 
many  and  lords  many."  And  the  victory  of  one  nation  over 
another  was  supposed  to  occur  because  the  gods  of  the  con- 
quered nation  were  not  able  to  deliver  them  from  the  con- 
querors. The  Jews  had  been  wholly  subjugated  by  the 
Babylonians,  on  which  account  the  latter  had  no  doubt  spoken 
disparagingly  or  contemptuously  of  the  God  of  the  Jews.  This 
the  king  now  proliil)its ;  for  he  is  plainly  given  to  understand 
that  his  success  against  the  Jews  was  owing  to  tlieir  sins,  not  to 
any  lack  of  power  on  the  part  of  their  God.  Tn  what  a  con- 
spicuous and  exalted  light  this  placed  the  God  of  the  Hebrews 
in  comparison  with  the  gods  of  the  nations !  It  was  an  ac- 
knowledgment that  he  held  men  amenable  to  some  high  standard 
of  moral  character,  and  that  he  did  not  regard  with  indifference 
their  actions  in  reference  to  it ;  since  he  would  visit  with  pun- 
ishment those  who  transgressed  it,  and  would  consequently 
bestow  his  blessing  on  those  who  complied  with  it.  Had  these 
Jews  been  time-servers,  the  name  of  the  true  God  had  not  thus 
been  exalted  in  Babylon.  "\Miat  honor  does  the  T^ord  put  upon 
them  that  are  steadfast  toward  him  ! 

The  king  promoted  them ;  that  is,  he  restored  to  them  the 
offices  which  they  held  before  the  charges  of  disobedience  and 
treason  were  brought  against  them.  At  the  end  of  verse  30 
tlie  Septuagint  adds:  "And  he  advanced  them  to  be  governors 
f)ver  all  the  Jews  that  were  in  his  kingdom."  Tt  is  not  prol)- 
able  that  lie  insisted  on  any  further  Avorship  of  liis  image. 


'^v-^iVSvVix 


CHAPTEE  IV. 

Verse  1.  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king,  unto  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth;  Peace  be  multiplied  unto  you. 
2.  I  thought  it  good  to  show  the  signs  and  wonders  that  the  high 
God  hath  wrought  toward  me.  3.  ITow  great  are  his  signs  I  and  how 
mighty  are  his  wonders !  his  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and 
his  dominion  is  from  generation  to  generation. 

TTTTS  chapter  opens,  says  Dr.  Clarke,  ^vith  '''  a  reo-iilar 
decree,  and  one  of  the  most  ancient  on  record."  Tt 
was  from  the  pen  of  Xebnchadnezzar,  and  was  promnl- 
gated  in  the  usual  form.  lie  wishes  to  make  kno^^ni,  not 
to  a  few  men  only,  hut  to  all  peoples,  nations,  and  languages, 
the  wonderful  dealings  of  God  with  him.  People  are  ever 
ready  to  tell  what  God  has  done  for  them  in  the  way  of  bene- 
fits and  blessings.  We  ouglit  to  be  no  less  ready  to  tell  what 
God  has  done  for  us  in  the  Avay  of  humiliation  and  chasfise- 
ments;    and   Xelmchadnezzar  sets  us   a  good  example   in   this 

(103) 


1U4  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

respect,  as  we  shall  see  from  the  subsequent  portions  of  this 
chapter.  He  frankly  confesses  the  vanity  and  pride  of  his 
heart,  and  the  means  that  Go<l  took  to  abase  him.  With  a 
genuine  spirit  of  repentance  and  humiliation,  he  thinks  it  good, 
of  his  own  free  will,  to  show  these  things,  that  the  sovereignty 
of  God  may  be  extolled,  and  his  name  adored.  In  reference  to 
the  kingdom,  he  no  longer  claims  immutability  for  his  own, 
but  makes  a  full  surrender  to  God,  acknowledging  his  king- 
dom alone  to  be  everlasting,  and  his  dominion  from  genera- 
tion to  generation. 

Verse  4.  I  Nebuchadnezzar  was  at  rest  in  mine  house  and  flourish- 
ing in  my  palace :  5.  I  saw  a  dream  which  made  me  afraid,  and  the 
thoughts  upon  my  bed  and  the  visions  of  my  head  troubled  me.  6. 
Therefore  made  I  a  decree  to  bring  in  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon 
before  me,  that  they  might  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation 
of  the  dream.  7.  Then  came  in  the  magicians,  the  astrologers,  the 
Chaldeans,  and  the  soothsayers;  and  I  told  the  dream  before  them; 
but  they  did  not  make  known  luito  me  the  interpretation  thereof.  8. 
But  at  the  last  Daniel  came  in  before  me,  whose  name  was  Belte- 
shazzar,  according  to  the  name  of  my  god,  and  in  whom  is  the  spirit 
of  the  holy  gods :  and  before  him  I  told  the  dream,  saying,  9.  O  Belte- 
shazzar,  master  of  the  magicians,  because  I  know  that  the  spirit  of 
tlie  holy  gods  is  in  thee,  and  no  secret  troubleth  thee,  tell  me  the  vi- 
sions of  my  dream  that  I  have  seen,  and  the  interpretation  thereof. 

10.  Thus  were  the  visions  of  mine  head  in  my  bed:  I  saw,  and  behold 
a  tree  in  the  midst  of  the  earth,  and  the  height  thereof  was  great. 

11.  The  tree  grew,  and  was  strong,  and  the  height  thereof  reached 
unto  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to  the  end  of  all  the  earth;  12. 
The  leaves  thereof  were  fair,  and  the  fruit  thereof  much,  and  in  it 
was  meat  for  all :  the  beasts  of  the  field  had  shadow  under  it,  and  the 
fowls  of  the  heaven  dwelt  in  the  boughs  thereof,  and  all  flesh  was  fed 
of  it.  13.  I  saw  in  the  visions  of  my  head  upon  my  bed,  and,  behold, 
a  watcher  and  an  holy  one  came  down  from  heaven;  14.  He  cried 
aloud,  and  said  thus.  Hew  down  the  tree,  and  cut  off  his  branches, 
shake  ofl  his  leaves,  and  scatter  his  fruit:  let  the  beasts  get  away 
from  under  it,  and  the  fowls  from  his  branches :  15.  Nevertheless, 
leave  the  stump  of  liis  roots  in  the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron 
and  brass,  in  the  tender  grass  of  the  field;  and  let  it  be  wet  with  the 
dew  of  heaven,  and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts  in  the  grass  of 
the  earth;  10.  Let  his  heart  be  changed  from  man's,  and  let  a  beast's 
heart  be  given  unto  him;  and  let  seven  times  pass  over  him.  17. 
This  matter  is  by  the  decree  of  the  watchers,  and  the  demand  by  the 
word  of  the  holy  ones;  to  the  intent  that  the  living  may  know  that 
the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whom- 
soever he  will,  and  setteth  up  over  it  the  basest  of  men.  IS.  This 
dream  I  king  Neb\ichadnezzar  have  seen.     Now  thou,  O  Belteshazzar, 


CHAPTER  It,  VERSES  k  -  IS  105 

declare  the  interpretation  thereof,  forasmueli  as  all  the  wise  men  of 
my  kingdom  are  not  able  to  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation : 
but  then  art  able;    for  the  spirit  of  the  holy  yods  is  in  thee. 

In  the  events  here  narrated,  several  striking  points  may  be 
noticed. 

1.  j^ebucliadnezzar  was  at  rest  in  his  house.  lie  had  ac- 
complished sticcessfully  all  his  enterprises.  He  had  subdued 
Syria,  Phoenicia,  Judea,  Egypt,  and  Arabia.  It  was  probably 
these  great  conquests  that  puffed  him  up,  and  betrayed  him 
into  such  vanity  and  self-confidence.  And  this  very  time, 
when  he  felt  most  at  rest  and  secure,  when  it  was  most  un- 
likely that  he  would  allow  a  thought  to  disturb  his  self-com- 
placent tranquillity, —  this  very  time  God  takes  to  trouble  him 
with  fears  and  forebodings. 

2.  The  means  by  which  God  did  this.  What  could  strike 
with  fear  the  heart  of  such  a  monarch  as  Nebuchadnezzar  ? 
He  had  been  a  warrior  from  his  youth.  With  the  perils  of 
battle,  the  terrors  of  slaughter  and  carnage,  he  had  often  stood 
face  to  face,  and  his  countenance  had  not  blanched,  nor  his 
nerves  trembled.  And  what  should  make  him  afraid  now? 
Xo  foe  threatened,  no  hostile  cloud  was  visible  ?  As  the  most 
unlikely  time  was  taken  for  him  to  be  touched  with  fear,  so 
the  most,  unlikely  means  was  selected  by  which  to  accomplish 
it  —  a  dream.  His  own  thoughts,  and  the  visions  of  his  own 
head,  were  taken  to  teach  him  what  nothing  else  could, —  a 
salutary  lesson  of  dependence  and  humility.  He  who  had 
terrified  others,  but  whom  no  others  cottld  terrify,  was  made 
a  terror  to  himself. 

3.  A  still  greater  humiliation  than  that  narrated  in  the 
second  chapter  was  brought  upon  the  magicians.  There,  they 
boasted  that  if  they  only  had  the  dream,  they  could  make 
known  the  interpretation.  Here,  Nebuchadnezzar  distinctly 
remembers  the  dream,  but  meets  the  mortification  of  having 
his  magicians  igiiominiously  fail  him  again.  They  could  not 
make  known  the  interpretation,  and  resort  is  again  had  to  the 
prophet  of  God. 

4.  The  remarkable  illustration  of  the  reign  of  Xobuchad- 
nezzar.      This  is  svmbolized  bv  a  tree  in  the  midst  of  the  earth. 


100  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Babylon,  where  Xebuchadnezzar  reigned,  was  about  in  the 
center  of  the  then  known  workl.  Tiie  tree  reached  unto  heaven, 
and  tlie  leaves  thereof  were  fair.  Its  external  glory  and  splen- 
dor were  great ;  but  this  was  not  all  of  it,  as  is  the  case  with 
too  many  kingdoms.  It  had  internal  excellences.  Its  fruit 
was  much,  and  it  had  meat  for  all.  The  beasts  of  the  field 
had  shadow  under  it,  the  fowls  of  heaven  dwelt  in  the  boughs 
thereof,  and  all  Hcsh  was  fed  of  it.  What  could  represent 
more  plainly  and  forcibly  the  fact  that  Nebuchadnezzar  ruled 
his  kingdom  in  such  a  way  as  to  afford  the  fullest  protection, 
support,  and  prosperity  to  all  his  subjects  ?  Keally  to  acconi- 
])lish  this  is  the  perfection  of  earthly  governments,  and  the 
highest  glory  of  any  kingdom. 

5.  The  mercy  that  God  mingles  with  his  judgments.  When 
order  was  given  that  this  tree  should  be  cut  down,  it  was 
commanded  that  the  stump  of  the  roots  should  be  left  in  the 
earth,  and  protected  with  a  band  of  iron  and  brass,  that  it 
might  not  be  Avholly  given  to  decay,  but  that  the  source  of 
future  growth  and  greatness  might  be  left.  The  day  is  com- 
ing when  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  down,  and  no  such  residue 
of  hope  be  left  them.  ]^o  mercy  will  be  mingled  with  their 
punishment.      Thoy  shall  be  destroyed  both  root  and  branch. 

6.  An  important  key  to  prophetic  interpretation.  Verse 
16.  "  Let  seven  times  pass  over  him,"  said  the  decree.  This 
is  plain,  literal  narration ;  hence  the  time  is  here  to  be  under- 
stood literally.  How  long  a  period  is  denoted?  This  may 
be  determined  by  ascertaining  how  long  Xebuchadnezzar,  in 
fulfilment  of  this  prediction,  was  driven  out  to  have  his  dwell- 
ing with  the  beasts  of  the  field ;  and  this,  eJosephus  informs  us, 
was  seven  years.  X  "  time,"  then,  denotes  one  year.  When 
used  in  symbolic  prophecy,  it  w^ould,  of  course,  denote  sym- 
bolic or  prophetic  time.  A  "  time "  would  then  denote  a 
prophetic  year,  or,  each  day  standing  for  a  year,  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  literal  years.  There  will  bo  occasion  to  refer 
to  this  fact  under  chapter  7  :  25. 

7.  The  interest  that  the  holy  ones,  or  the  angels,  take  in 
hmnan  affairs.  They  are  represented  as  demanding  this  deal- 
ing with   Xebuchadnezzar.       Tlioy  see,    as   mortals  never   can 


THE      HUMILIATION      OF      NEBUCHADNEZZAR 


CHAPTER  k,  VERSES  k-21  109 

see,  how  unseemly  a  thing  is  pride  in  the  human  heart.  And 
they  approve  of,  and  sympathize  with,  the  decrees  and  provi- 
dences of  God  by  which  he  works  for  the  correction  of  these 
evils,  Man  must  know  that  he  is  not  the  architect  of  his  o^vn 
fortune,  but  that  there  is  One  who  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men,  on  whom  his  dependence  should  be  humbly  placed.  A 
man  may  be  a  successful  monarch,  but  he  should  not  pride 
himself  upon  that ;  for  unless  the  Lord  had  set  him  up,  he 
would  never  have  reached  this  position  of  honor. 

8.  ISTebuchadnezzar  acknowledges  the  supremacy  of  the  true 
God  over  the  heathen  oracles.  He  appeals  to  Daniel  to  solve 
the  mystery.  "  Thou  art  able,"  he  says ;  "  for  the  spirit  of 
the  holy  gods  is  in  thee."  The  Septuagint  has  the  singular, 
the  Spirit  of  the  holy  God. 

Verse  19.  Then  Daniel,  whose  name  was  Belteshazzar,  was  astonied 
for  one  hour,  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him.  The  kinj?  spake,  and 
said,  Belteshazzar,  let  not  the  dream,  or  the  interpretation  thereof, 
trouble  thee.  Belteshazzar  answered  and  said.  My  lord,  the  dream 
be  to  them  that  hate  thee,  and  the  interpretation  thereof  to  thine 
enemies.  20.  The  tree  that  thou  sawest,  which  grew,  and  was  strong, 
whose  height  reached  unto  the  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to  all 
the  earth;  21.  Whose  leaves  were  fair,  and  the  fruit  thereof  much, 
and  in  it  was  meat  for  all;  under  which  the  beasts  of  the  field  dwelt, 
and  upon  whose  branches  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  had  their  habita- 
tion :  22.  It  is  thou,  O  king,  that  art  grown  and  become  strong ; 
for  thy  greatness  is  grown,  and  reacheth  unto  heaven,  and  thy 
dominion  to  the  end  of  the  earth.  23.  And  whereas  the  king  saw 
a  watcher  and  an  holy  one  coming  down  from  heaven,  and  say- 
ing, Hew  the  tree  down,  and  destroy  it;  yet  leave  the  stump  of  the 
roots  thereof  in  the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron  and  brass,  in  the 
tender  grass  of  the  field;  and  let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven, 
and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  till  seven  times 
pass  over  him;  24.  This  is  the  interpretation,  O  king,  and  this  is  the 
decree  of  the  Most  High,  which  is  come  upon  my  lord  the  king;  25. 
That  they  shall  drive  thee  from  men,  and  thy  dwelling  shall  be  with 
the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  they  shall  make  thee  to  eat  grass  as  oxen, 
and  they  shall  wet  thee  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  seven  times  shall 
pass  over  thee,  till  thou  know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  king- 
dom of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will.  26.  And  whereas 
they  commanded  to  leave  the  stump  of  the  tree  roots;  thy  kingdom 
shall  be  sure  imto  thee,  after  that  thou  sbalt  have  known  that  the 
heavens  do  rule.  27.  Wherefore,  O  king,  let  my  counsel  be  acceptable 
unto  thee,  and  break  off  thy  sins  by  righteousness,  and  thine  iniquities 
by  showing  mercy  to  the  poor;  if  it  may  be  a  lengthening  of  thy 
tranquillity. 


110  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

The  hesitation  of  Dimiel,  who  sat  astonished  for  one  hour, 
did  not  arise  from  any  difficulty  he  had  in  interpreting  the 
dream,  but  from  its  being  so  delicate  a  matter  to  make  it 
known  to  the  king.  Daniel  had  received  favor  from  the  king, 
— nothing  but  favor,  so  far  as  we  know, —  and  it  came  hard 
for  him  to  be  the  bearer  of  so  terrible  a  threatening  of  judg- 
ment against  him  as  was  involved  in  this  dream.  He  was 
troubled  to  determine  in  what  way  he  could  best  make  it  known. 
It  seems  the  king  had  anticipated  something  of  this  kind,  and 
hence  assured  the  prophet  by  telling  him  not  to  let  the  dream 
or  the  interpretation  trouble  him;  as  if  he  had  said.  Do  not 
hesitate  to  make  it  known,  whatever  bearing  it  may  have  upon 
me.  Thus  assured,  Daniel  speaks;  and  where  can  we  find  a 
parallel  to  the  force  and  delicacy  of  his  language:  "  The  dream 
be  to  them  that  hate  thee,  and  the  interpretation  thereof  to 
thine  enemies."  A  calandty  is  set  forth  in  this  dream,  which 
we  would  might  come  upon  your  enemies  rather  than  upon 
you. 

Xebuchadne//ar  had  given  a  minute  statement  of  his 
dream ;  and  as  soon  as  Daniel  informed  him  tliat  the  dream 
applied  to  himself,  it  was  evident  that  he  had  pronounced  his 
own  sentence.  The  interpretation  which  follows  is  so  plain 
that  it  need  not  detain  us.  The  threatened  judgments  were 
conditional.  They  were  to  teach  the  king  that  the  Heavens  do 
rule,  the  word  heavens  here  being  put  for  God,  the  ruler  of 
the  heavens.  Hence  Daniel  takes  occasion  to  give  the  king 
counsel  in  view  of  the  threatened  judgment.  But  he  does 
not  denounce  him  with  harshness  and  censoriousness.  Kind- 
ness and  ]iersuasion  are  the  weapons  he  chooses  to  wield:  "  Let 
my  counsel  be  acceptable  unto  thee."  So  the  apostle  beseeches 
men  to  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation,  Heb.  13:  22.  Tf  the 
king  would  break  off  his  sins  by  righteousness,  and  his  in- 
i(|uiiies  by  showing  mercy  to  the  ])(i()r,  it  might  result  in  a 
lengthening  of  his  tran(iuillity,  or,  as  the  margin  reads,  "An 
healing  of  thine  error."  That  is,  he  might  even  have  averted 
tlie   juilgiiiciit    the    Lord    designe*]    1o   l)i-ing   u])on   him. 

Versk  2S.  All  this  cnnie  ii])on  tlie  kinj;'  Nebuchadnozziir.      2'.).  At 
the  end  of  Iwdvc  mouths  ho  walked   in  tlic  ])iilace  of  the  kingdom  of 


CHAPTER  Jt.  VERSES  28-33  m 

i3abylon.  30.  The  king  spake,  and  said,  Is  not  this  great  Babylon, 
that  I  have  built  for  the  house  of  the  kingdom  by  the  might  of  my 
power,  and  for  the  honor  of  my  majesty  ?  31.  Wlille  tlie  word  was  in 
the  king's  mouth,  there  fell  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  O  king 
Nebuchadnezzar,  to  thee  it  is  spoken :  The  kingdom  is  departed  from 
thee.  32.  And  they  shall  drive  thee  from  men,  and  thy  dwelling 
shall  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field ;  they  shall  make  thee  to  eat  grass 
as  oxen,  and  seven  times  shall  pass  over  thee,  until  thou  know  that 
the  ]\rost  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whom- 
soever he  will.  33.  The  same  hour  was  the  thing  fulfilled  upon 
Nebuchadnezzar;  and  he  was  driven  from  men,  and  did  eat  grass  as 
oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  till  his  hairs  were 
grown  like  eagle's  feathers,  and  his  nails  like  bird's  claws. 

I*^ebuchadnezzar  failed  to  profit  bv  the  warning  ho  had 
received ;  yet  God  bore  with  him  twelve  months  before  the 
blow  fell.  All  the  time  he  was  cherishing  pride  in  his  heart, 
and  at  length  it  reached  a  climax  beyond  which  God  could  not 
suffer  it  to  pass.  The  king  Avalked  in  the  palace,  and  as  he 
looked  forth  npon  the  wonders  of  that  wonder  of  the  world, 
great  Babylon,  the  beauty  of  kingdoms,  he  forgot  the  source 
of  all  his  strength  and  greatness,  and  exclaimed,  "  Is  not  this 
great  Babylon,  that  /  have  built  ?  "  The  time  liad  come  for 
his  humiliation.  A  voice  from  heaven  again  announces  the 
threatened  judgment,  and  divine  Providence  proceeds  imme- 
diately to  execute  it.  His  reason  departed.  !N"o  longer  the 
pomp  and  glory  of  his  great  city  charmed  him,  when  God  with 
a  touch  of  his  finger  took  away  his  capability  to  appreciate 
and  enjoy  it.  He  forsook  the  dwellings  of  men,  and  sought 
a  home   and   companionship   among  the  beasts   of  the  forest. 

Verse  34.  And  at  the  end  of  the  days  I  Nebuchadnezzar  lifted  up 
mine  eyes  unto  heaven,  and  mine  iniderstanding  returned  unto  me, 
and  I  blessed  the  Most  High,  and  I  praised  and  honored  him  that  liv- 
eth  forever,  whose  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  and  his  king- 
dom is  from  generation  to  generation :  35.  And  all  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing;  and  he  doeth  according  to  his  will  in 
the  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ;  and  none 
can  stay  his  hand,  or  say  imto  him.  What  doest  thou  ?  3fi.  At  the 
same  time  my  reason  returned  unto  me;  and  for  the  glory  of  my  king- 
dom, mine  honor  and  brightness  returned  unto  me ;  and  my  counsel- 
ors and  my  lords  sought  unto  me;  and  I  was  established  in  my 
kingdom,  and  excellent  majesty  was  added  unto  me.  37.  Now  I 
Nebuchadnezzar  praise  and  extol  and  honor  the  King  of  heaven, 
all  whose  works  are  truth,  and  his  ways  judgment;  and  those  that 
walk  in  pride  he  is  able  to  abase. 


112  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

At  the  end  of  seven  years,  God  removed  liis  afflicting  hand, 
and  the  reason  and  understanding  of  the  king  returned  to  him 
again.  His  first  act  then  was  to  bless  the  Most  High.  On 
this  Matthew  Henry  has  the  following  appropriate  remark: 
'^  Those  may  justly  be  reckoned  void  of  understanding  that  do 
not  bless  and  praise  God ;  nor  do  men  ever  rightly  use  their 
reason  till  they  begin  to  be  religious,  nor  live  as  men  till  they 
live  to  the  glory  of  God.  As  reason  is  the  substratum  or  suh- 
ject  of  religion  (so  that  creatures  which  have  no  reason  are  not 
capable  of  religion),  so  religion  is  the  crown  and  glory  of 
reason;  and  we  have  our  reason  in  vain,  and  shall  one  day 
wish  we  had  never  had  it,  if  we  do  not  glorify  God  with  it." 

His  honor  and  brightness  returned  to  him,  his  coun- 
selors sought  unto  him,  and  he  w^as  once  more  established  in 
the  kingdom.  The  promise  was  (verse  26)  that  his  kingdom 
should  be  sure  unto  him.  During  his  insanity,  his  son,  Evil- 
merodach,  is  said  to  have  reigned  as  regent  in  his  stead. 
Daniel's  interpretation  of  the  dream  was  doubtless  well  under- 
stood throughout  the  palace,  and  was  probably  more  or  less 
the  subject  of  conversation.  Hence  the  return  of  K^ebuchad- 
nezzar  to  his  kingdom  must  have  been  anticipated,  and  looked 
for  with  interest.  ^^^ly  he  was  permitted  to  make  his  home 
in  the  open  field  in  so  forlorn  a  condition,  instead  of  being 
comfortably  cared  for  by  the  attendants  of  the  palace,  we  are 
not  informed.  It  is  supposed  that  he  dexterously  escaped 
from  the  palace,  and  eluded  all  search. 

The  affliction  had  its  designed  effect.  The  lesson  of  hu- 
mility was  learned.  He  did  not  forget  it  with  returning 
prosperity.  He  was  ready  to  acknowledge  that  the  Most  High 
rules  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  gives  it  to  whomsoever  he 
will ;  and  he  sent  forth  through  all  his  realm  a  royal  proc- 
lamation, containing  an  acknowledgment  of  his  pride,  and  a 
manifesto  of  praise  and  adoration  to  the  King  of  heaven. 

Tills  is  the  last  Scripture  record  we  have  of  N"ebuchad- 
nezzar.  This  decree  is  dated  in  the  authorized  version,  says 
Dr.  Clarke,  563  b.  c,  one  year  before  Nebuchadnezzar's  death; 
though  some  place  the  date  of  this  decree  seventeen  years  be- 
fore his  death.      Be  this  as  it  nuiy,  it  is  probable  that  he  did 


CHAPTER  k.  VERSES  SJ^-Sl  \  13 

not  again  rchqiise  into  idolatry,  but  died   in  the  faith  of  the 
God  of  Israel. 

Thns  closed  the  life  of  this  remarkable  num.  With  all  the 
temjitations  .incident  to  his  exalted  position  as  king,  may  we 
not  snppose  that  God  saw  in  him  honesty  of  heart,  integrity, 
and  pnrity  of  pnrpose,  Avhich  he  conld  nse  to  the  glory  of  his 
name  ?  Hence  his  wonderfnl  dealings  with  him,  all  of  which 
seem  to  have  been  designed  to  wean  him  from  his  false  religion, 
and  attach  him  to  the  service  of  the  trne  God.  We  have,  first, 
his  dream  of  the  great  image,  containing  such  a  valuable  lesson 
for  the  people  of  all  coming  generations.  Secondly,  his  expe- 
rience with  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego  in  reference  to 
his  golden,  image,  wherein  he  was  again  led  to  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  supremacy  of  the  true  God.  And  lastly,  we  have 
the  wonderfnl  incidents  recorded  in  this  chapter,  showing  the 
still  unceasing  efforts  of  the  Lord  to  bring  him  to  a  full  ac- 
knowledgment of  himself.  And  may  w^e  not  hope  that  the 
most  illustrious  king  of  the  first  prophetic  kingdom,  the  head 
of  gold,  may  at  last  have  part  in  that  kingdom  before  which 
all  earthly  kingdoms  shall  become  as  chaff,  and  the  glory  of 
which  shall  never  dim  ? 


BEI/^BAZM^ 
FEMT 


CHAPTER  V. 

Verse  1.  Belsliazzar  the 
king  made  a  great  feast 
to  a  thousand  of  his  lords, 
and  drank  wine  before  the 
thousand. 


THE  chief  feature  of  interest  pertaining  to  this  chapter 
is '  the  fact  that  it  describes  the  closing  scenes  of  the 
Babylonish  empire,  the  transition  from  the  gold  to  the 
silver  of  the  great  image  of  chapter  2,  and  from  the  lion  to 
the  bear  of  Daniel's  vision  in  chapter  7.  This  feast  is  sup- 
posed by  some  to  have  been  a  stated  annual  festival  in  honor 
of  one  of  their  deities.  On  this  account,  Cyrus,  who  was  then 
besieging  Babylon,  learned  of  its  ap})roach,  and  knew  when  to 
lay  his  plans  for  the  overthrow  of  the  city.  Our  translation 
reads  that  Belsliazzar,  having  invited  a  thousand  of  his  lords, 
dr;nd<:  l)efore  the  thousand.  Some  translate  it  "  drank  against 
till'  thousand,"  showing  that  whatever  other  propensities  he 
may  have  had,  he  was  at  least  an  oiiorinous  drinker. 

Verse  2.   Belsliazzar,  whiles  lie  tasted  the  wine,  coininanded   to 
hring:  the  golden  and  silver  vessels  which  his  father  Nebuchadnezzar 
had  taken  out  of  the  temple  wliieli  was  in  Jonisalcm ;  that  the  king, 
(114) 


CHAPTER  0,  VERSES  2-0  115 

and  his  princes,  his  wives,  and  his  concubines,  might  drink  therein. 
3.  Then  they  brought  the  golden  vessels  that  were  taken  out  of  the 
temple  of  the  house  of  God  which  was  in  Jerusalem;  and  the  king, 
and  his  princes,  his  wives,  and  his  concubines,  drank  in  them.  4. 
They  drank  wine,  and  praised  the  g-ods  of  gold,  and  of  silver,  of  brass, 
of  iron,  of  wood,  and  of  stone. 

That  this  festival  Lad  some  reference  to  former  victories 
over  the  Jews  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  the  king, 
when  he  began  to  bo  heated  witli  his  wine,  called  for  the  sa- 
cred vessels  which  had  been  taken  from  Jerusalem.  It  would 
be  most  lilcely  that,  lost  to  a  sense  of  all  sacred  things,  he 
would  use  them  to  celelirate  the  victory  bv  which  they  were 
obtained.  Xo  other  king,  probably,  had  carried  his  impiety 
to  such  a  height  as  this.  And  while  they  drank  wine  from 
vessels  dedicated  to  the  true  God,  tliey  praised  their  gods  of 
gold,  silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone.  Perhaps,  as  noticed 
on  chapter  3  :  29,  they  celebrated  the  superior  power  of  their 
gods  over  the  God  of  the  Jews,  from  whose  vessels  they  now 
drank  to  their  heathen  deities. 

Verse  5.  In  the  same  hour  came  forth  fingers  of  a  man's  hand, 
and  wrote  over  against  the  candlestick  upon  the  plaster  of  the  wall 
of  the  king's  palace;  and  the  king  saw  the  part  of  the  hand  that 
wrote.  6.  Then  the  king's  countenance  was  changed,  and  his  thoughts 
troubled  him,  so  that  the  joints  of  his  loins  were  loosed,  and  his  knees 
smote  one  against  anothei'.  7.  The  king  cried  aloud  to  bring  in  the 
astrologers,  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  soothsayers.  And  the  king  spake, 
and  said  to  the  wise  men  of  Babylon,  Whosoever  shall  read  this  writ- 
ing, and  show  me  the  interpretation  thereof,  shall  be  clothed  with 
scarlet,  and  have  a  chain  of  gold  about  his  neck,  and  shall  be  the 
third  ruler  in  the  kingdom.  8.  Then  came  in  nil  the  king's  wise 
men:  but  they  could  not  read  the  writing,  nor  make  known  to  the 
king  the  interpretation  thereof.  9.  Then  was  king  Belshazznr  greatly 
troubled,  and  his  countenance  was  changed  in  him,  and  his  lords 
were  astonied. 

Xo  flashes  of  supernatural  light,  uor  deafening  peals  of 
thunder,  announce  the  interference  of  God  in  their  im]>ious 
revelries.  A  hand  silently  a]>peare(l,  tracing  mystic  characters 
upon  the  M\all.  It  wrote  over  against  the  candlestick.  In  the 
light  of  their  own  lamp  they  saw  it.  Terror  seized  upon  the 
king;  for  his  conscience  accused  him.  .Mthough  he  could  not 
read    the   writing,   lie   knew   it   was  no  message  of  peace   and 


110  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

blessing  that  was  traced  in  glittering  characters  Tii3on  his  palace 
>vall.  And  the  description  the  prophet  gives  of  the  effect  of 
the  king's  fear  cannot  he  excelled  in  any  particular.  The 
king's  countenance  Avas  changed,  his  heart  failed  hiui,  pain 
seized  upon  him,  and  so  violent  was  his  trembling  that  his 
knees  smote  one  against  another.  lie  forgot  his  boasting  and 
revelry;  he  forgot  his  dignity;  and  he  cried  aloud  for  his  as- 
trologers and  soothsayers  to  solve  the  meaning  of  the  terrible 
apparition. 

Verse  10.  Xow  tlie  queen  by  reason  of  the  M^ords  of  the  king  and 
his  lords  came  into  the  banquet  house :  and  the  queen  spake  and  said, 
O  kins',  live  forever;  let  not  thy  thoughts  trouble  thee,  nor  let  thy 
countenance  be  changed.  11.  There  is  a  man  iu  thy  kingdom,  in 
whom  is  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods;  and  in  the  days  of  thy  father 
light  and  understanding  and  wisdom,  like  the  wisdom  of  the  gods, 
was  found  in  him ;  whom  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  thy  father,  the 
king,  I  say,  thy  father,  made  master  of  the  magicians,  astrologers, 
Chaldeans,  and  soothsayers;  12.  Forasmuch  as  an  excellent  spirit,  and 
knowledge,  and  understanding,  interpreting  of  dreams,  and  showing 
of  bard  sentences,  and  dissolving  of  doubts,  were  found  in  the  same 
Daniel,  whom  the  king  named  Beltesbazzar :  now  let  Daniel  be  called, 
and  lie  will  show  the  interpretation.  13.  Then  was  Daniel  brought 
in  before  the  king.  And  the  king  spake  and  said  unto  Daniel,  Art 
thou  that  Daniel,  which  art  of  the  children  of  the  captivity  of  Judah, 
wliom  the  king  my  father  brought  out  of  Jewry?  14.  I  have  even 
heard  of  thee,  that  the  spirit  of  the  gods  is  in  thee,  and  that  light 
and  miderstanding  and  excellent  wisdom  is  found  in  thee.  15.  And 
now  the  wise  men,  the  astrologers,  have  been  brought  in  before  me, 
that  they  should  read  this  writing,  and  make  known  luito  me  the 
interpretation  thereof:  but  they  could  not  show  the  interpretation  of 
the  tbing.  16.  And  I  have  heard  of  thee,  that  thou  canst  make  inter- 
pretations, and  dissolve  doubts:  now  if  thou  canst  read  the  writing, 
and  make  known  to  me  the  interpretation  thereof,  thoii  sbalt  be 
clothed  with  scarlet,  and  have  a  chain  of  gold  about  thy  neck,  and 
sbalt  be  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom. 

It  appears  from  the  circumstance  here  narrated,  that  the 
fact  that  Daniel  was  a  prophet  of  God  had  by  some  means 
been  lost  sight  of  at  the  court  and  ])alace.  This  was  doubtless 
owing  to  his  having  Ikhmi  al)S('iit  at  Shnshan,  in  the  province  of 
Elam,  as  narrated  in  cha]iter  S:  1,  2,  27,  whither  he  had  been 
sent  to  attend  to  the  business  of  tlie  kingdom  there.  The 
counfry  being  swept  by  th(^  Persian  army  Avould  compel  his 
return  to  Ihibylon  at  this  time.      The  (jueen,  who  came  in  and 


CHAPTER  5.  VERSES  10  -  2k  119 

made  known  to  the  king  that  tliere  was  such  a  person  to  whom 
appeal  could  be  made  for  knowledge  in  supernatural  things,  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  queen  mother,  the  daughter  of  iS'ebu- 
chadnezzar,  in  whose  memory  the  wonderful  part  Daniel  had 
acted  in  her  father's  reign  would  still  be  fresh  and  vivid. 
Nebuchadnezzar  is  here  called  Belshazzar's  father,  according  to 
the  tlien  connnon  custom  of  calling  any  paternal  ancestor  father, 
and  any  male  descendant  son.  Xebuchadnezzar  was  in  reality 
his  grandfather.  The  king  inc^uired  of  Daniel,  when  he  came 
in,  if  he  was  of  the  ehihh'en  of  the  captivity  of  Judah.  Thus 
it  seems  to  have  been  ordered,  that  while  they  were  holding 
impious  revelry  in  honor  of  their  false  gods,  a  servant  of  the 
true  God,  and  one  whom  they  were  holding  in  captivity,  was 
called  in  to  pronounce  the  merited  judgment  upon  their  wicked 
course. 

Vehse  it.  Then  Daniel  answered  and  said  before  the  king,  Let 
thy  gifts  be  to  thyself,  and  give  thy  rewards  to  another;  yet  I  will 
read  the  writing  unto  the  king,  and  make  known  to  him  the  inter- 
pretation. 18.  O  thou  king,  the  most  high  God  gave  Nebuchadnezzar 
thy  father  a  kingdom,  and  majesty,  and  glory,  and  honor;  19.  And 
for  the  majesty  that  he  g^ve  him,  all  peoples,  nations,  and  languages, 
trembled  and  feared  before  him :  whom  he  would  he  slew ;  and  wliom 
he  would  he  kept  alive;  and  whom  he  would  he  set  up;  and  whom 
he  would  he  put  down.  20.  But  when  his  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  his 
mind  hardened  in  pride,  he  was  deposed  from  his  kingly  throne,  and 
they  took  iiis  glory  from  him:  21.  And  he  was  driven  from  the  sons 
of  men;  and  his  heart  was  made  like  the  beasts,  and  his  dwelling- 
was  with  the  wild  asses :  they  fed  him  with  grass  like  oxen,  ami  his 
body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven ;  till  he  knew  that  the  most 
high  God  ruled  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  that  he  appointeth  over 
it  whomsoever  he  will.  22.  And  thou  his  son,  O  Belshazzar,  hast  not 
humbled  thine  heart,  though  thou  knewest  all  this ;  23.  But  hast  lifted 
up  thyseff  against  the  Lord  of  heaven;  and  they  have  brought  the 
vessels  of  his  house  before  thee,  and  thou,  and  thy  lords,  thy  wives, 
and  thy  concubines,  have  drunk  wine  in  them ;  and  thou  hast  praised 
the  gods  of  silver,  and  gold,  of  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone,  which 
see  not,  nor  hear,  nor  know:  and  the  God  in  whose  hand  thy  breath 
is,  and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not  glorified :  24.  Theii  was 
the  part  of  the  hand  sent  from  him;  and  this  writing  was  written. 

Daniel  iirst  of  all  disclaims  the  idea  of  i)eing  influenced  by 
such  motives  as  governed  the  soothsayers  and  astrologers.  Tie 
says.  Let  thv  rewards  he  to  another.  Tie  wishes  it  distinctly 
understood  that  he  does  not  enter  u])on  the  work  of  interpret- 


120  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

ing  this  matter  on  account  of  the  offer  of  gifts  and  rewards. 
He  then  rehearses  the  experience  of  the  king's  grandfather, 
Xebuchadnezzar,  as  set  forth  in  the  preceding  chapter.  He 
told  the  king  that  though  he  knew  all  this,  yet  he  had  not 
humbled  his  heart,  but  had  lifted  up  himself  against  the  God 
of  heaven,  and  even  carried  his  impiety  so  far  as  to  profane 
his  sacred  vessels,  praising  the  senseless  gods  of  men's  making, 
and  failing  to  glorify  the  God  in  whose  hand  his  breath  was. 
For  this  reason,  he  tells  him,  it  is,  that  the  hand  has  been  sent 
forth  from  that  God  whom  he  had  daringly  and  insultingly 
challenged,  to  trace  those  characters  of  fearful,  though  hidden 
import.      He  then  proceeds  to  explain  the  writing. 

Verse  25.  And  this  is  the  writing  that  was  written,  MENE. 
MENE,  TEKEL,  UPHAKSIN.  26.  This  is  the  interpretation  of 
the  thing:  MENE ;  God  hath  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  finished 
it.  27.  TEKEL;  Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art  foiuid 
wanting.  28.  PERES;  Thy  kingdom  is  divided,  and  given  to  the 
Medes  and  Persians.  29.  Then  commanded  Belshazzar,  and  they 
clothed  Daniel  with  scarlet,  and  put  a  chain  of  gold  about  his  neck, 
and  made  a  proclamation  concerning  him,  that  he  shoidd  be  the  third 
ruler  in  the  kingdom. 

It  is  not  known  in  what  language  this  inscription  was  writ- 
ten. If  it  had  been  in  Chaldaic,  the  king's  wise  men  would 
have  been  able  to  read  it.  Dr.  Clarke  conjectures  that  it  Avas 
written  in  the  Samaritan,  the  true  Hebrew,  a  language  with 
which  Daniel  was  familiar,  as  it  w^as  the  character  used  by  the 
Jews  previous  to  the  Babylonish  captivity.  It  seems  much 
more  likely  that  it  was  a  character  strange  to  all  the  parties, 
and  that  it  was  specially  made  known  to  Daniel  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord. 

In  this  inscription  each  word  stands  for  a  short  sentence. 
Menr,  numbered;  Tehel,  weighed;  Upharsin,  from  the  root 
percs,  divided.  God,  whom  thou  hast  defied,  has  thy  king- 
dom in  his  own  hands,  and  has  numbered  its  days  and  finished 
its  course  just  at  the  time  thou  thoughtest  it  at  the  height  of 
its  prosperity.  Thou,  who  hast  lifted  up  thy  heart  in  pride 
as  the  great  one  of  the  earth,  art  weighed,  and  found  ligliter 
than  vanity.  Thy  kingdom,  which  thou  didst  dream  M'as  to 
stand  forever,  is  divided  between  the  foes  already  waiting  at 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  2.J-31  121 

tliv  gates.  XotwitlistaiKling  this  terrible  denimciiition,  Ijel- 
sliazzar  did  not  forget  liis  promise,  Imt  had  Daiiicd  at  once 
invested  with  the  scarlet  rohe  and  chain  of  gold,  an<l  proclaimed 
him  third  rnler  in  the  kingdom.  This  Daniel  acccpteil,  proh- 
ahly  with  a  view  to  being  better  prepared  to  look  after  the 
interests  of  his  people  dnring  the  transition  to  the  snccecding 
kingdom. 

Verse  30.  In  that  nig-lit  was  Belsliazzar  the  king'  of  the  Chaldeans 
slain.  31.  And  Darius  the  IMedian  took  the  kingdom,  being  about 
threescore  and  two  years  old. 

The  scene  here  so  briefly  mentioned  is  described  in  remarks 
on  chapter  2,  verse  39.  AMiile  Belshazzar  was  indnlging  in 
his  presnmptnous  revelry,  Avhile  the  angel's  hand  was  tracing 
the  doom  of  the  empire  on  the  walls  of  the  palace,  while  Daniel 
was  making  kno^\Ti  the  fearfnl  import  of  the  heavenly  writing, 
the  Persian  soldiery,  throngh  the  emptied  channel  of  the  Eu- 
phrates, had  made  their  Avay  into  the  heart  of  the  city,  and 
were  speeding  forward  with  drawn  swords  to  the  palace  of 
the  king.  Scarcely  can  it  be  said  that  they  surprised  him, 
for  God  had  just  forewarned  him  of  his  doom.  But  they 
found  him  and  slew  him;  and  with  him  the  empire  of  Baby- 
lon ceased  to  be. 

As  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  chapter,  we  give  the  follow- 
ing beantiful  poetic  description  of  Belshazzar's  feast,  from 
the  pen  of  Edwin  Arnold,  author  of  "  The  Light  of  Asia." 
It  was  written  in  1S52,  and  obtained  the  Xewdegate  prize 
for  an  English  poem  on  the  Feast  of  Belshazzar,  at  University 
College,  Oxford : — 

Not  by  one  portal,  or  one  path  aloi^e, 
God's  holy  messages  to  men  are  known ; 
Waiting  the  glances  of  his  awful  eyes. 
Silver-winged  seraphs  do  him  embassies ; 
And  stars,  interpreting  his  high  behest. 
Guide  the  lone  feet  and  glad  the  falling  breast ; 
The  rolling  thunder  and  the  raging  sea 
Speak  the  stern  purpose  of  the  Deity, 
And  storms  beneath  and  rainbow  hues  above 
Herald  his  anger  or  proclaim  his  love; 
The  still  small  voices  of  the  summer  day, 
The  red  sirocco,  and  the  breath  of  INFay, 


122  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

The  lingering'  liarmoiiy  in  ocean  shells, 
The  fairy  music  of  the  meadow  bells, 
Earth  and  void  air,  water  and  wasting  flame. 
Have  words  to  whisper,  tongues  to  tell,  his  name. 
Once,  with  no  cloak  of  careful  mystery, 
Himself  was  herald  of  his  own  decree; 
The  hand  that  edicts  on  the  marble  drew. 
Graved  the  stern  sentence  of  their  sconier  too. 
Listen  and  learn !      Tyrants  have  heard  the  tale. 
And  turned  from  hearing,  terror-struck  and  pale; 
Spiritless  captives,  sinking  with  the  chain, 
Have  read  this  page,  and  taken  heart  again. 

From  sunlight  unto  starlight,  trumpets  told 
Her  king's  command  in  Babylon  the  old; 
From  sunlight  unto  starlight,  west  and  east, 
A  thousand  satraps  girt  them  for  the  feast. 
And  rein"ed  their  chargers  to  the  palace  hall 
Where  king  Belshazzar  held  high  festival : 
A  pleasant  palace  under  pleasant  skies. 
With  cloistered  courts  and  gilded  galleries. 
And  gay  kiosk  and  painted  balustrade 
For  winter  terraces   and  summer  shade; 
By  court  and  terrace,  minaret  and  dome, 
Euphrates,  rushing  from  his  mountain  home. 
Rested  his  rage  and  curbed  his  crested  pride 
To  belt  that  palace  with  his  bluest  tide; 
Broad-fronted  bulls  with  chiseled  feathers  barred. 
In  silent  vigil  keeping  watch  and  ward. 
Giants  of  granite,  wrought  by  cunning  hand, 
Guard  in  the  gate  and  frown  upon  the  land. 
Not  summer's  glow  nor  yellow  autumn's  glare 
Pierced  the  broad  tamarisks  that  blossomed  there; 
The  moonbeams,  darting  through  their  leafy  screen, 
Lost  half  their  silver  in  the  softened  green, 
Aud  fell  with  lessened  luster,  broken  light. 
Tracing  quaint  arabesque  of  dark  and  white. 
Or   dimly   tintiug   on    the   graven    stones 
The  pictured  annals  of  Chaldean  thrones. 
There,  from  tlie  rising  to  the  setting  day, 
Birds  of  bright  feathers  sang  the  light  away. 
And  fountain  waters  on  the  palace  floor 
^fade  even  answer  to  the  river's  roar, 
Kisiug  in  silver  from  the  crystal  well, 
■^  And  breaking  into  spangles  as  they  fell, 

Tlioiigh  now  ye  heard  them  not  —  for  far  along 
Rang  the  broad  cborus  of  the  banquet  song. 
And  sounds  as  gentle,  echoes  soft  as  the^c, 
Died  out  of  hearing  from  the  revelries. 


ciiapteh  5,  verses  17 -so  123 

High  oil  a  throne  of  ivory  aucl  gold. 

From  crown  to  footstool  clad  in  purple  fold. 

Lord  of  the  East  from  sea  to  distant  sea. 

The  king  Belshazzar  feasteth  royally  ■ — • 

And  not  that  dreamer  in  the  desert  cave 

Peopled  his  paradise  with  pomp  as  brave ; 

Vessels  of  silver,  cups  of  crusted  gold. 

Blush  with  a  brighter  red  than  all  they  hold; 

Pendulous    lamps,    like   planets    of   the    night, 

Plung  on  the  diadems  a  fragrant  light. 

Or,  slowly  swinging  in  the  midnight  sky, 

Gilded  the  ripples  as  they  glided  by. 

And  sweet  and  sweeter  rose  the  cittern's  ring. 

Soft  as  the  beating  of  a  seraph's  wing; 

And  swift  and  swifter  in  the  measured  dance 

The  tresses  gather  and  the  sandals  glance; 

And  bright  and  brighter  at  the  festal  board 

The  flagons  bubble,  and  the  wines  are  poured. 

No  lack  of  goodly  company  was  there. 

No  lack  of  laughing  eyes  to  light  the  cheer; 

From  Dara  trooped  they,  from  Daremma's  grove, 

"  The  sons  of  battle  and  the  moons  of  love ;  "  ^ 

From  where  Arsissa's  silver  waters  sleep 

To  Imla's  marshes  and  the  inland  deep. 

From  pleasant  Calah,  and  from  Cattacene  — 

The  horseman's  captain  and  the  harem's  queen. 

It  seemed  no  summer-cloud  of  passing  woe 
Could  fling  its  shadow  on  so  fair  a  show; 
It  seemed  the  gallant  forms  that  feasted  there 
Were  all  too  grand  for  woe,  too  great  for  care;  — 
Whence  came  the  anxious  eye,  the  altered  tone. 
The  dull  presentiment  no  heart  would  own. 
That  ever  changed  the  smiling  to  a  sigh 
Sudden  as  sea-bird  flashing  from  the  sky? 
It  is  not  that  they  know  the  spoiler  waits. 
Harnessed  for  battle,  at  the  brazen  gates ; 
It  is  not  that  they  hear  the  watchman's  call 
Mark  the  slow  minutes  on  the  leaguered  wall; 
The  clash  of  quivers  and  the  ring  of  spears 
Make  pleasant  music  in  a  soldier's  ears. 
And  not  a  scabbard  hideth  sword  to-night 
That  hath  not  glimmered  in  the  front  of  fight. 
May  not  the  blood  of  every  beating  vein 
Have  quick  foreknowledge  of  the  coming  pain. 
Even  as  the  prisoned  silver,  -  dead  and  dumb, 
Shrinks  at  cold  winter's  footfall  ere  he  come? 


^  Ilafiz,    the    Persian    Anacreon. 

^  The    quicksilver    in    the    tube    of    the-    thermometer. 


124:  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

The  king  hath  felt  it,  and  the  heart's  unrest 

Heaves  the  broad  purple  of  his  belted  breast. 

Sudden  he  speaks:  "What!  doth  the  beaded  juice 

Savor  like  hyssop,  that  ye  scorn  its  use? 

Wear  ye  so  pitiful  and  sad  a  soul, 

That  tramp  of  foemen  scares  ye  from  the  bowl? 

Think  ye  the  gods  of  yonder  starry  floor 

Tremble  for  terror  when  the  thunders  roar  I 

Are  we  not  gods  ?  have  we  not  fought  with  God  ? 

And  shall  we  shiver  at  a  robber's  nod? 

No;  let  them  batter  till  the  brazen  bars 

Ring  merry  mocking  of  their  idle  wars. 

Their  fall  is  fated  for  to-morrow's  sun ; 

The  lion  rouses  when  his  feast  is  done. 

Crown  me  a  cup,  and  fill  the  bowls  we  brought 

From  Judah's  temple  when  the  fight  was  fought; 

Drink,  till  the  merry  madness  fill  the  soul. 

To  Salem's  conqueror  in  Salem's  bowl; 

Each  from  the  goblet  of  a  god  shall  sip. 

And  Judah's  gold  tread  heavy  on  the  lip."  ^ 

The  last  loud  answer  dies  along  the  line. 

The  last  light  bubble  bursts  upon  the  wine. 

His  eager  lips  are  on  the  jeweled  brink, — 

Hath  the  cup  poison  that  he  doubts  to  drink  I 

Is  there  a  spell  upon  the  sparkling  gold. 

That  so  his  fevered  fingers  quit  their  hold? 

Whom  sees  he  where  he  gazes?  what  is  there? 

Freezing  his  vision  into  fearful  stare? 

Follow  his  lifted  arm  and  lighted  eye, 

And  watch  with  them  the  wondrous  mystery. 

There  cometh  forth  a  hand,  upon  the  stone 
Graving  the  symbols  of  a  speech  unknown ; 
Fingers  like  mortal  fingers,  leaving  tiiere 
The  blank  wall  flashing  characters  of  fear; 
And  still  it  glidetli  silently  and  slow, 
And  still  beneath  the  spectral  letters  grow; 
Now  the  scroll  endeth ;  now  the  seal  is  set ; 
The  hand  is  gone;  the  record  tarries  yet. 
As  one  who  waits  the  warrant  of  his  death, 
With  pale  lips  parted  and  with  bridled  breath, 
They  watch  tlie  sign,  and  dare  not  turn  to  seek 
Their  fear  reflected  in  their  fellow's  cheek, 
73ut  stand  as  statues  where  the  life  is  none, 
Half  tlie  jest  uttered,  half  the  laughter  done, 


*  "  He   never    drinks 

But    Timon's    silver    treads    upon    his    lips." 

—  Shakespeare,    "Titus   Aiidronicus.' 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  11  -  80  125 

Half  the  flask  empty,  half  the  flagon  poured; 
Each  where  the  phantom  found  him  at  the  board 
Struck  into  silence,  as  December's  arm 
Curbs  the  quick  ripples  into  crystal  calm. 

With  wand  of  ebony  and  sable  stole, 
Chaldea's  wisest  scan  the  spectral  scroll. 
Strong  in  the  lessons  of  a  lying  art. 
Each  comes  to  gaze,  but  gazes  to  depart; 
And  still  for  mystic  sign  and  muttered  spell 
The  graven  letters  guard  their  secret  well; 
Gleam  they  for  warning,  glare  they  to  condemn, 
God  speaketh,  but  he  speaketh  not  for  them. 

Oh !  ever,  when  the  happy  laugh  is  dumb. 

All  the  joy  gone,  and  all  the  anguish  come; 

When  strong  adversity  and  subtle  pain 

Wring  the  sad  sovd  and  rack  the  throbbing  brain ; 

When  friends  once  faithful,  hearts  once  all  our  own. 

Leave  us  to  weep,  to  bleed  and  die  alone; 

Wlien  fears  and  cares  the  lonely  thought  employ. 

And  clouds  of  sorrow  hide  the  sun  of  joy; 

When  weary  life,  breathing  reluctant  breath. 

Hath  no  hope  sweeter  than  the  hope  of  death, — 

Then  the  best  counsel  and  the  last  relief. 

To  cheer  the  spirit  or  to  cheat  the  grief, 

The  only  calm,  the  only  comfort  heard. 

Comes  in  the  music  of  a  woman's  word. 

Like  beacon-bell  on  some  wild  island  shore, 

Silverly  ringing  in  the  tempest's  roar; 

Whose  sound,  borne  shipward  through  the  midnight  gloom, 

Tells  of  the  path,  and  turns  her  from  her  doom. 

So  in  the  silence  of  that  awful  hour, 

When  baffled  magic  mourned  its  parted  power, 

When  kings  were  pale,  and  satraps  shook  for  fear, 

A  woman  speaketh,  and  the  wisest  hear. 

She,  the  high  daughter  of  a  thousand  thrones. 

Telling  with  trembling  lip  and  timid  tones 

Of  him,  the  captive,  in  the  feast  forgot, 

Wlio  readeth  visions ;  him  whose  wondrous  lot 

Sends  him  to  lighten  doubt  and  lessen  gloom, 

And  gaze  undazzled  on  the  days  to  come; 

Daniel,  the  Hebrew,  such  his  name  and  race. 

Held  by  a  monarch  highest  in  his  grace, 

He  may  declare  —  oh!  bid  them  quickly  send. 

So  may  the  mystery  have  happy  end. 

Calmly  and  silent  as  the  fair,  full  moon 

Comes  smiling  upward  in  the  sky  of  Juno, 


!:>,;  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Fearfully  as  the  troubled  clouds  of  nigrht 
Shrink  from  before  the  coming  of  its  light, 
So  through  the  hall  the  prophet  passed  along, 
So  from  before  him  fell  the  festal  throng. 
By  broken  wassail-cup,  and  wine  o'erthrown. 
Pressed  he  still  onward  for  the  monai'ch's  throne; 
His  spirit  failed  him  not,  his  quiet  eye 
Lost  not  its  light  for  earthly  majesty; 
If  is  lip  was  steady  and  his  accent  clear  — 
"  The  king  hath  needed  me,  and  I  am  here." 

"Art  thou  the  prophet?      Read  me  yonder  scroll. 
Whose  undeciphered  horror  daunts  my  send. 
There  shall  be  guerdon  for  the  grateful  ta^k. 
Fitted  for  me  to  give,  for  thee  to  ask, — 
A  chain  to  deck  thee,  and  a  robe  to  grace, 
Thine  the  third  throne,  and  thou  the  third  in  placr-. 
lie  heard,  and  turned  him  where  the  lighted  wall 
Dimmed  the  red  torches  of  the  festival, 
r.azed  on  the  sign  with  steady  gaze  and  set; 
And  he  who  quailed  not  at  a  kingly  threat 
Bent  the  true  knee  and  bowed  the  silver  hair, 
For  that  he  knew  the  King  of  kings  was  there ; 
Then  nerved  his  soul  the  sentence  to  unfold, 
While  his  tongue  trembled  at  the  tale  it  told. 
And  never  tongue  shall  echo  tale  r.s  strange 
Till  that  change  cometh  which  shall  never  change. 

"'  Keep  for  thyself  the  guerdoii  and  the  gold ; 

What  God  hath  graved,  God's  prophet  must  mifold : 

Gould  not  thy  father's  crime,  thy  father's  fate, 

Teach  thee  the  terror  thou  hast  learned  too  late? 

Hast  thou  not  read  the  lesson  of  his  life, — 

Who  wars  with  God  shall  strive  a  losing  strife? 

His  was  a  kingdom  mighty  as  thine  own. 

The  sword  his  scepter  and  the  earth  his  throne; 

The  nations  trembled  when  his  awful  eye 

Gave  to  them  leave  to  live  or  doom  to  die: 

The  lord  of  life,  the  keeper  of  the  grave, 

His  frown  could  wither,  and  his  smile  could  save. 

Yet,  when  his  heart  was  hard,  his  spirit  high, 

God  drave  him  from  his  kingly  majesty. 

Far  from  the  brotherhood  of  fellow-men, 

To  seek  for  dwelling  in  the  desert  den; 

Where  the  wild  asses  feed  and  oxen  roam. 

He  sought  his  pasture  and  he  made  his  home; 

And  bitter-biting  frost  and  dews  of  night. 

Schooled  him  in  sorrow  till  he  knew  the  right. — 

That  God  is  ruler  of  the  rulers  still. 

And  setteth  up  the  sovereign  that  he  will. 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  17  -  31  127 

Oh!  liadst  thou  treasured  in.  repentant  breast 

I  lis  pride  and  fall,  his  penitence  and  rest, 

And  bowed  submissive  to  Jehovah's  will. 

Then  had  thy  scepter  been  a  scepter  still. 

But  thou  hast  mocked  the  Majesty  of  heaven; 

And  shamed  the  vessels  to  his  service  given. 

And  thou  hast  fashioned  idols  of  thine  own, — 

Idols  of  gold,  of  silver,  and  of  stone; 

To  them  hast  bowed  the  knee,  and  breathed  the  breath, 

And  they  must  help  thee  in  the  hour  of  death. 

Woe  for  the  sight  unseen,  the  sin  forgot ! 

God  was  among  ye,  and  ye  knew  it  not ! 

Hear  what  he  sayoth  now:    '  Thy  race  is  run, 

Thy  years  are  numbered,  and  thy  days  are  done; 

Thy  soul  hath  mounted  in  the  scale  of  fate, 

The  Lord  hath  weighed  thee,  and  thou  lackcst  weight , 

Now  in  thy  palace  porch  the  spoilers  stand. 

To  seize  thy  scepter,  to  divide  thy  land.'  " 

Tie  ended,  and  his  passing  foot  was  heard. 
But  none  made  answer,  not  a  lip  v/as  stirred; 
Mute  the  free  tongue,  and  bent  the  fearless  brow ; 
The  mystic  letters  had  their  meaning  now. 
Soon  came  there  other  sound, —  the  clash  of  steel. 
The  hea\'y  ringing  of  the  iron  heel. 
The  curse  in  dying,  and  the  cry  for  life, — 
The  bloody  voices  of  the  battle  strife. 

That  night  they  slew  him  on  his  father's  throne. 
The  deed  unnoticed  and  the  hand  unknown : 
Crownless  and  scepterless  Belshazzar  lay, 
A  robe  of  purple  round  a  form  of  clay. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 


Verse  1.  It  pleased  Darius  to  set  over  the  king-dom  an  hundred 
and  twenty  princes,  which  should  be  over  the  whole  kingdom ;  2.  And 
over  these  three  presidents;  of  whom  Daniel  was  first;  that  the 
princes  might  give  accounts  unto  them,  and  the  king  should  have 
no  damage.  3.  Then  this  Daniel  was  preferred  above  the  presidents 
and  princes,  because  an  excellent  spirit  was  found  in  him;  and  the 
king  thought  to  set  him  over  the  whole  realm.  4.  Then  the  presi- 
dents and  princes  sought  to  find  occasion  against  Daniel  concerning 
the  kingdom ;  but  they  could  find  none  occasion  nor  fault ;  forasmuch 
as  he  was  faithful,  neither  was  tliere  any  error  or  fault  found  in  him. 
5.  Then  said  these  men.  We  shall  not  find  any  occasion  against  this 
Daniel,  except  we  find  it  against  him  concerning  the  law  of  his  God. 

BABYLOy  was  taken  by  the   Persians,   and  Darius  the 
^Median  placed  upon  tlie  throne,  b.  c.  538.      Two  years 
later,  u.  c.   536,  Darius  dying,  Cyrus  took  the  throne. 
Somewhere,  therefore,  between  these  two  dates  the  event  here 
narrated  occurred. 

Daniel  was  a  chief  actor  in  the  kingdom  of  Babylon  in  the 

height  of  its  glory;  and  from  that  time  on  to  the  time  wlien 

the  l\fedes  and  Persians  took  the  throne  of  universal  empire, 

he  was  at  least  a  resident  of  that  citv,  and  ac(piaint(Ml  with  all 

(128) 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  1-7  129 

the  affairs  of  the  kiugdoni;  yet  he  gives  us  no  consecutive 
account  of  events  that  occurred  during  his  long  connection  with 
these  kingdoms.  He  only  touches  upon  an  event  here  and 
there  such  as  is  calculated  to  inspire  faith  and  hope  and  cour- 
age in  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  God  in  every  age,  and  lead 
them  to  be  steadfast  in  their  adherence  to  the  right. 

The  event  narrated  in  this  chapter  is  alluded  to  by  the 
apostle  Paul  in  Hebrews  11,  where  he  speaks  of  some  who 
through  faith  have  "  stopped  the  mouths  of  lions."  Darius 
set  over  the  kingdom  a  hundred  and  twenty  princes,  there 
being,  as  is  supposed,  at  that  time  a  hundred  and  twenty 
provinces  in  the  empire,  each  one  having  its  prince,  or  gov- 
ernor. By  the  victories  of  Cambyses  and  Darius  Hystaspes, 
it  was  afterward  enlarged  to  a  himdred  and  twenty-seven  prov- 
inces. Esther  1:1.  Over  these  one  hundred  and  twenty 
princes  were  set  three,  and  of  these  Daniel  was  chief.  Pref- 
erence was  given  to  Daniel  because  of  his  excellent  spirit. 
Daniel,  wdio,  for  being  a  great  man  in  the  empire  of  Babylon, 
might  have  been  esteemed  an  enemy  by  Darius,  and  so  have 
been  banished  or  otherwise  put  out  of  the  way;  or,  being  a 
captive  from  a  nation  then  in  ruins,  might  have  been  despised 
and  set  at  naught,  was  not  treated  in  either  of  these  ways; 
but  to  the  credit  of  Darius  be  it  said,  Daniel  was  preferreti 
over  all  the  others,  because  the  discerning  king  saw  in  him 
an  excellent  spirit.  And  the  king  thought  to  set  him  over  the 
whole  realm.  Then  was  the  envy  of  the  other  rulers  raised 
against  him,  and  they  set  about  to  destroy  him.  But  Daniel's 
conduct  was  perfect  so  far  as  related  to  the  kingdom.  He  was 
faithful  and  true.  They  could  find  no  ground  for  complaint 
against  him  on  that  score.  Then  they  said  they  could  find 
no  occasion  to  accuse  him,  except  as  concerning  the  law  of 
his  God.  So  let  it  be  with  us.  A  person  can  have  no  better 
recommendation. 

Verse  6.  Then  these  presidents  and  princes  assembled  together  to 
the  king,  and  said  thus  unto  him,  King  Darius,  live  forever.  7.  All 
the  presidents  of  the  kingdom,  the  governors,  and  the  princes,  the 
counselors,  and  the  captains,  have  consulted  together  to  establish  a 
royal  statute,  and  to  make  a  firm  decree,  that  whosoever  shall  ask  a 
petition  of  any  God  or  man  for  thirty  days,  save  of  thee,  O  king,  he 


130  PliOPIIECY  OF  DANIEL 

shall  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  8.  Now,  0  king,  establish  the  de- 
cree, and  sign  the  writing,  that  it  be  not  changed,  according  to  the 
law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  which  altereth  not.  9.  Wherefore 
king  Darius  signed  the  w^riting  and  the  decree.  10.  Now  when  Daniel 
knew  that  the  writing  was  signed,  he  went  into  his  house;  and  his 
windows  being  open  in  his  chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he  kneeled 
upon  his  knees  three  times  a  day,  and  prayed,  and  gave  thanks  before 
his  God,  as  he  did  aforetime. 

Mark  the  course  these  persons  took  to  accoinplisli  their 
nefarious  purposes.  Thev  came  together  to  the  king, —  came 
tumultously,  savs  the  margin.  They  came  as  thougli  some 
urgent  matter  had  suddenly  sprung  up,  and  they  had  come 
unanimously  to  present  it  before  him.  They  claimed  that  all 
were  agreed.  This  was  false;  for  Daniel,  the  chief  of  them 
all,  was  not,  of  course,  consulted  in  the  matter.  The  decree 
they  fixed  upon  v.-as  one  which  would  flatter  the  king's  vanity, 
and  thus  the  more  readily  gain  his  assent.  It  would  be  a 
position  before  unheard  of,  for  a  man  to  be  the  only  dispenser 
of  favors  and  granter  of  petitions  for  thirty  days.  Hence  the 
king,  not  fathoming  their  evil  designs,  signed  the  decree,  and 
it  took  its  place  on  the  statute-books  as  one  of  the  unalterable 
laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians. 

]\Iark  the  subtlety  of  these  men  • —  the  length  to  which  peo- 
])\e  will  go  to  accomplish  the  ruin  of  the  good.  Tf  they  had 
made  the  decree  read  that  no  petition  should  be  asked  of  the 
God  of  the  Hebrews,  which  was  the  real  design  of  the  matter, 
the  king  would  at  once  have  divined  their  object,  and  the  de- 
cree would  not  have  been  signed.  So  they  gave  it  a  general 
application,  and  were  willing  to  ignore  and  heap  insult  upon 
their  whole  system  of  religion,  and  all  the  niultitiule  of  their 
gods,  for  the  sake  of  ruining  the  object  of  their  hatred. 

Daniel  foresaw  the  conspiracy  going  (m  against  him,  but 
took  no  means  to  thwart  it.  He  simply  committed  himself  to 
God,  and  left  the  issue  to  his  providence.  He  did  not  leave 
the  empire  on  ])retende(l  business,  or  perform  his  devotions 
with  more  than  ordinary  secrecy;  but  when  he  knew  the  writ- 
ing was  signed,  just  as  aforetime,  with  his  face  turned  toward 
his  beloved  Jerusalem,  he  kneeled  down  in  his  chamber  three 
times  a  day,  and  ]X)ured  out  his  ])ray('rs  and  sup])lications  to 
God. 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  11-17  133 

Verse  11.  Then  these  men  assembled,  and  found  Daniel  praying 
and  making  supplication  before  his  God.  12.  Then  they  came  near, 
and  spake  before  the  king  concerning  the  king's  decree:  Ilast  thou 
not  signed  a  decree,  that  every  man  that  shall  ask  a  petition  of  any 
God  or  man  within  thirty  days,  save  of  thee,  O  king,  shall  be  cast 
into  the  den  of  lions  ?  The  king  answered  and  said,  The  thing  is  true 
according  to  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  which  altereth  not. 
13.  Then  answered  they  and  said  before  the  king,  That  Daniel,  which 
is  of  the  children  of  the  .captivity  of  Judah,  regardeth  not  thee,  O 
king,  nor  the  decree  that  thou  hast  signed,  but  maketh  his  petition 
three  times  a  day.  14.  Then  the  king,  when  he  heard  these  words, 
was  sore  displeased  with  himself,  and  set  his  heart  on  Daniel  to  de- 
liver him;  and  he  labored  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun  to  deliver 
him.  15.  Then  these  men  assembled  unto  the  king,  and  said  unto  the 
king.  Know,  O  king,  that  the  law  of  the  Modes  and  Persians  is,  That 
no  decree  nor  statute  which  the  king  establisheth  may  be  changed. 
16.  Then  the  king  commanded,  and  they  brought  Daniel,  and  cast 
him  into  the  den  of  lions.  Xow  the  king  spake  and  said  unto  Daniel, 
Thy  God,  whom  thou  servest  continually,  he  will  deliver  thee.  17. 
And  a  stone  was  brought,  and  laid  upon  the  mouth  of  the  den;  and 
the  king  sealed  it  with  his  own  signet,  and  with  the  signet  of  his 
lords,  that  the  purpose  might  not  be  changed  concerning  Daniel. 

It  only  remained  for  these  men,  having  set  the  trap,  to 
watcli  their  victim  that  they  might  ensnare  him  therein.  So 
they  again  came  tumiiltiionsly  together,  this  time  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Daniel,  as  though  some  important  business  had  called 
them  suddenly  together  to  consult  the  chief  of  the  presidents ; 
and  lo,  they  found  him,  just  as  they  intended  and  hoped, 
2:)raying  to  his  God.  So  far  all  had  worked  well.  They  were 
not  long  in  going  to  the  king  with  the  matter,  and,  to  render 
it  more  sure,  got  an  acknowledgment  from  the  king  that  such 
a  decree  Avas  in  force.  Then  they  were  ready  to  inform 
against  Daniel;  and  mark  their  mean  resort  to  excite  the  prej- 
udices of  the  king:  "That  Daniel,  which  is  of  the  children 
vi  the  captivity  of  Judah."  Yes;  that  poor  captive,  who  is 
entirely  dependent  on  you  for  all  that  he  enjoys,  so  far  from 
being  grateful  and  appreciating  your  favors,  regards  not  you, 
nor  pays  any  attention  to  yonr  decree.  Then  the  king  saw 
the  trap  that  had  been  prepared  for  him  as  well  as  for  Dan- 
iel, and  ho  labored  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun  to  deliver 
liim,  ])robably  by  personal  efforts  with  tlie  conspirators  to  cause 
lliom  to  relent,  or  by  arginnents  and  endeavors  to  procure  the 
repeal  of  the  l•A^\■.      But  they  were  inexorable.       The  law  was 


134  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

sustained;  and  Dauiel,  the  venerable,  the  grave,  the  upright 
and  faultless  servant  of  the  kingdom,  ^vas  thrown,  as  if  he 
had  been  one  of  the  vilest  malefactors,  into  the  don  of  lions 
to  be  deA'Oured  by  them. 

Verse  18.  Then  the  king  went  to  his  palace,  and  passed  the  night 
fasting;  neither  were  instruments  of  nnisic  brought  before  him;  and 
his  sleep  went  from  him.  19.  Then  the  king  arose  very  early  in  the 
morning,  and  went  in  haste  unto  the  den  of  lions.  20.  And  when  he 
came  to  the  den,  he  cried  with  a  lamentable  voice  luito  Daniel;  and 
the  king  spake  and  said  to  Daniel,  O  Daniel,  servant  of  the  living 
God,  is  thy  God,  whom  thou  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver  thee 
from  the  lions?  21.  Then  said  Daniel  unto  the  king,  O  king,  live 
forever,  22.  My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut  the  lions' 
mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me;  forasmuch  as  before  him  inno- 
ccncy  was  found  in  me ;  and  also  before  thee,  O  king,  have  I  done  no 
hurt.  23.  Then  was  the  king  exceeding  glad  for  him,  and  commanded 
that  they  should  take  Daniel  up  out  of  the  den.  So  Daniel  was  taken 
up  out  of  the  den,  and  no  manner  of  hurt  was  found  upon  him,  be- 
cause he  believed  in  his  God.  24.  And  the  king  commanded,  and 
they  brought  those  men  which  had  accused  Daniel,  and  they  cast 
them  into  the  den  of  lions,  them,  their  children,  and  their  wives; 
and  the  lions  bed  the  mastery  of  them,  and  brake  all  their  bones  in 
pieces  or  ever  they  came  at  the  bottom  of  the  den. 

The  course  of  the  king  after  Daniel  had  been  cast  into  the 
den  of  lions  attests  his  genuine  interest  in  his  behalf,  and  the 
severe  condemnation  he  felt  for  his  own  course  in  the  matter. 
At  earliest  dawn  he  repaired  to  the  den  Avhere  his  prime  min- 
ister had  passed  the  niglit  in  company  with  hungry  and  rav- 
enous beasts.  Daniel's  response  to  his  first  salutation  was  no 
word  of  reproach  for  the  king's  course  in  yielding  to  his  per- 
secutors, but  a  term  of  respect  and  honor,  "  O  king,  live  for- 
ever." He  afterward,  however,  reminds  the  king,  in  a  manner 
whicli  lie  mitst  have  keenly  felt,  l)nt  to  whicli  he  could  take  no 
exception,  that  before  him  he  had  done  no  linrt.  And  on 
account  of  his  innocency,  God,  whom  he  served  continually, 
not  at  intervals,  nor  by  fits  and  starts,  had  sent  his  angel,  and 
shut  the  lions'  months. 

TTere,  then,  stood  Daniel,  preserved  by  a  power  higher  than 
any  jwwer  of  earth.  His  causc^  vas  vindicated,  his  innocency 
(Icchired.  "X<>  hnri  was  found  on  him,  becanse  he  believed  in 
his  God.       Faith  did  it.       A  iniraeh'  liad  l)een  wruuiilit.      Whv, 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  18  -  28  135 

then,  were  Danicr.s  accusers  brought  and  cast  in  ^  It  is  con- 
jectured that  they  attributed  the  preservation  of  Daniel,  not 
to  any  miracle  in  his  behalf,  hut  to  the  fact  that  the  lions 
chanced  at  that  time  not  to  he  hungry.  Then,  said  the  king, 
they  will  no  more  attack  you  than  him,  so  we  will  test  the 
matter  by  putting  you  in.  The  lions  were  hungry  enough 
when  they  could  get  hold  of  the  guilty;  and  these  men  were 
torn  to  pieces  ere  they  reached  the  bottom  of  the  den.  Thus 
was  Daniel  doubly  vindicated ;  and  thus  strikingly  were  the 
words  of  Solomon  fulfilled:  ''The  righteous  is  delivered  out 
of  trouble,  and  the  wicked  cometh  in  his  stead."      Prov.  11 :  8. 

Verse  25.  Then  king  Darius  wrote  unto  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth:  Peace  be  multiplied  unto  you. 
26.  I  make  a  decree,  That  in  every  dominion  of  my  kingdom  men 
tremble  and  fear  before  the  God  of  Daniel;  for  he  is  the  living  God, 
and  steadfast  forever,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  de- 
stroyed, and  his  dominion  shall  be  even  unto  the  end.  27.  He  deliver- 
eth  and  rescueth,  and  he  worketh  signs  and  wonders  in  heaven  and 
in  earth,  who  hath  delivered  Daniel  from  the  power  of  the  lions. 
28.  So  this  Daniel  prospered  in  the  reign  of  Darius,  and  in  the  reign 
of  Cyrus  the  Pei'sian. 

The  result  of  Daniel's  deliverance  was  that  another  })rocla- 
niation  went  out  through  the  emi)ire  in  fa\-<>r  of  the  true  God, 
the  God  of  Israel.  All  men  were  to  fear  and  tremble  before 
him.  What  Daniel's  enemies  designed  to  ])rove  his  ruin,  re- 
sulted only  in  his  advancement.  In  this  case,  and  in  the  case 
of  the  three  Hebrews  in  the  fiery  furnace,  the  seal  of  God  is 
set  in  favor  of  two  great  lines  of  duty:  (  1 )  As  in  the  case  of 
the  three  in  the  fiery  furnace,  not  to  yield  t<~>  any  known  sin; 
and  (2)  As  in  the  present  case,  not  to  (vmir  any  known  duty. 
And  from  these  instances,  the  people  of  God  in  all  ages  are  to 
derive  encouragement. 

The  decree  of  the  king  sets  forth  the  chara('t(>r  of  the  true 
God  in  tine  terms.  (1)  He  is  the  living  (Jod  ;  all  others  are 
dead.  (2)  lie  is  steadfast  forever;  all  others  change.  f-"]) 
He  has  a  kingdom;  for  he  made  and  governs  all.  (4)  llis 
kingdom  shall  not  be  destroyed ;  all  others  come  to  an  (Mid. 
(T))  His  dominion  is  without  end;  no  human  ])ow('i'  can  prcx'ail 
acainst  it.       ft'O   lie  (hdivcrcMh  those  who  are  in  bondaiic       (7) 


130 


PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 


He  rescueth  his  servants  from  their  enemies  when  they  call 
upon  him  for  help.  (8)  He  worketh  wonders  in  the  heavens 
and  signs  upon  the  earth.  (9)  And  to  complete  all,  he  hath 
delivered  Daniel,  giving  before  onr  own  eyes  the  fullest  proof 
of  his  jDOwer  and  goodness  in  rescuing  his  servant  from  the 
power  of  the  lions.  How  excellent  an  eulogium  is  this  on  the 
great  God  and  his  faithful  servant ! 

Thus  closes  the  historical  part  of  the  hook  of  Daniel.  We 
now  come  to  the  prophetic  portion,  which,  like  a  shining  bea- 
con light,  has  throAvn  its  rays  over  all  the  course  of  time  from 
that  point  to  the  present,  and  is  still  lighting  up  the  pathway 
of  the  church  onward  to  the  eternal  kingdom. 


THE     LION   --    SYMBOL.     OF"     BADYLON 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Verse  1.  In  the  first  year  of  Belshazzar  king  of  Babylon  Daniel 
had  a  dream  and  visions  of  his  head  upon  his  bed;  then  he  wrote  the 
dream,  and  told  the  sum  of  the  matters. 

THIS    is    the    same    Belshazzar   mentioned    in    cliajiter    5. 
Chronologically,  therefore,  this  chapter  precedes  cha}>ter 
5  ;  but  chronological  order  has  been  disregarded  in  order 
that   the   historical   part   of   the   book   might    stand   by   itself, 
and  the   prophetic  part,   on   which   -we   now   enter,   might   not 
be  interrupted  by  writings  of  that  nature. 

Verse  2.  Daniel  spake  and  said,  I  saw  in  my  vision  by  night,  and, 
behold,  the  four  winds  of  the  heaven  strove  upon  the  great  sea.  3. 
And  four  great  beasts  came  up  from  the  sea,  diverse  one  from  another. 

All  Scripture  language  is  to  be  taken  literally,  unless  there 
exists  some  good  reason  for  supposing  it  to  be  figurative ;  and 
all  that  is  figurative  is  to  be  interpreted  by  that  which  is  lit- 
eral. That  the  language  here  used  is  symbolic,  is  evident  frinn 
verse  17,  which  reads,  '^  These  great  beasts,  M'hicli  are  four,  are 
four  kings  which  shall  arise  out  of  the  earth."  And  to  show- 
that  kingdoms  are  intended,  and  not  merelv  individual  kings, 

(130) 


140  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  angel  continues,  "  JJut  tlie  saints  of  the  ^Most  Higli  shall 
take  the  kingdom."  And  further,  in  the  explanation  of  verse 
2'6,  the  angel  said,  "  The  fourth  beast  shall  be  the  fourth  king- 
dom ui)on  earth."  These  beasts  are  therefore  symbols  of 
four  great  kingdoms;  and  the  circumstances  under  which  they 
arose,  and  the  means  by  which  their  elevation  was  accomplished, 
as  represented  in  the  prophecy,  are  symbolic  also.  The  sym- 
bols introduced  are,  the  four  winds,  the  sea,  four  great  beasts, 
ten  horns,  and  another  horn  which  had  eyes  and  a  mouth,  and 
rose  up  in  war  against  God  and  his  people.  We  have  now  to 
inquire  what  they  denote. 

Winds,  in  symbolic  language,  denote  strife,  political  com- 
motion, and  war.  Jer.  25:  31,  ;>2,  oo:  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts.  Behold,  evil  shall  go  forth  from  nation  to  nation,  and 
a  great  whirlwind  shall  be  raised  up  from  the  coasts  of  the 
earth.  And  the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  at  that  day  from 
one  end  of  the  earth  even  unto  the  other  end  of  the  earth." 
Here  the  in-ophet  speaks  of  a  controversy  which  the  Lord  is  to 
have  with  all  nations,  when  the  wicked  shall  be  given  to  the 
sword,  and  the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  from  one  end  of  the 
earth  to  the  other;  and  the  strife  and  commotion  which  ])ro- 
duces  ill!  this  destruction  is  called  a  great  whirlwind. 

That  winds  denote  strife  and  war  is  further  evident  from 
a  consideration  of  the  vision  itself;  for  as  the  result  of  tlio 
striving  of  the  winds,  kingdoms  arise  and  fall ;  and  these 
events   are   accomplished   through   political   strife. 

The  Lible  definition  of  sea,  or  waters,  when  used  as  a  sym- 
bol, is  i)eoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues.  In  proof  of  this, 
see  liev.  17:15,  where  it  is  expressly  so  declared. 

Tlic  definition  of  the  symbol  of  the  four  beasts  is  given 
to  Daniel  ere  the  close  of  the  vision.  Verse  17:  "  These  great 
beasts,  which  are  four,  are  four  kings  which  shall  arise  out  of 
the  earth."  The  field  of  the  vision  is  thus  definitely  opened 
before  us. 

Vkrse  4.  The  first  was  like  a  lion,  and  liad  eagle's  wings;  I  beheld 
till  the  wings  thereof  were  plucked,  and  it  was  lifted  up  from  the 
earth,  and  made  stand  upon  the  feet  as  a  man,  and  a  man's  heart 
was  given  to  it. 


THE     BEAR    --SYMBOL     OF     MEDO-PERSIA 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  Jf,  5  143 

As  these  beasts  denote  four  kings,  or  kingdoms,  we  inc^uire, 
What  four  ?  Where  shall  we  commence  to  enumerate  i  These 
beasts  do  not  rise  all  at  once,  but  consecutively,  as  they  are 
spoken  of  as  first,  second,  etc. ;  and  the  last  one  is  in  existence 
when  all  earthly  scenes  are  brought  to  an  end  by  the  final 
Judgment.  Xow,  from  the  time  of  Daniel  to  the  end  of  this 
world's  history,  there  were  to  be  but  four  universal  kingdoms, 
as  we  learn  from  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  of  the  great  image 
in  chapter  2.  Daniel  was  still  living  under  the  same  king- 
dom which  he  had  declared,  in  his  interpretation  of  the  king's 
dream,  about  sixty-five  years  before,  to  be  the  head  of  gold. 
The  first  beast  of  this  vision  must  therefore  denote  the  same 
as  the  head  of  gold  of  the  great  image,  namely,  the  kingdom 
of  Babylon,  and  the  other  beasts  the  succeeding  kingdoms  shown 
by  that  image.  But  if  this  vision  covers  essentially  the  same 
ground  as  the  image  of  chapter  2,  the  (juery  may  arise  why 
it  is  given  ;  why  was  not  the  vision  of  chapter  2  sufficient  i 
We  answer.  The  ground  is  passed  over  again  and  again  that 
additional  characteristics  may  be  brought  out,  and  additional 
facts  and  features  may  be  presented.  It  is  thus  that  we  have 
"  line  upon  line."  Here  earthly  governments  are  viewed  as 
represented  in  the  light  of  Heaven.  Their  true  character  is 
shown  by  the  symbol  of  wild  and  ravenous  beasts. 

At  first  the  lion  had  eagle's  wings,  denoting  the  rapidity 
with  which  Babylon  extended  its  conquests  under  Xebuchad- 
nezzar.  At  this  point  in  the  vision  a  change  had  taken  place ; 
its  wings  had  been  plucked.  It  no  longer  flew  like  an  eagle 
upon  its  prey.  The  boldness  and  spirit  of  the  lion  were  gone. 
A  man's  heart,  weak,  timorous,  and  faint,  had  taken  its  place. 
Such  was  emphatically  the  case  with  the  nation  during  the  clos- 
ing Years  of  \\^  history,  when  it  had  become  enfeel)led  and 
effeminate  through  wealth  and  luxury. 

Verse  5.  And  behold  another  beast,  a  second,  like  to  a  hear,  and 
it  raised  up  itself  on  one  side,  and  it  had  three  ribs  in  the  mouth  of 
it  between  the  teeth  of  it;  and  they  said  thus  unto  it.  Arise,  flevour 
much  flesh. 

As  in  the  great  image  of  (•ha])ter  2,  so  in  this  series  (d'  sym- 
bols a  marked  deterioration  will  be  noticed  as  we  descend  from 


-^44-  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

one  kin2;dom  to  another.  The  silver  of  the  breast  and  arms 
was  inferior  to  the  gohl  of  the  head.  The  bear  was  inferior 
to  the  lion.  ]\Iedo-Persia  fell  short  of  liabylon  in  wealth  and 
magnificence,  and  the  brilliancy  of  its  career.  And  now  Ave 
come  to  additional  particulars  respecting  this  power.  The  bear 
raised  itself  np  on  one  side.  This  kingdom  was  composed  of 
two  nationalities,  the  JMedes  and  Persians.  The  same  fact 
is  represented  by  the  two  horns  of  the  ram  of  chapter  8.  Of 
these  horns  it  is  said  that  the  higher  came  up  last ;  and  of  the 
bear  that  it  raised  itself  up  on  one  side ;  and  this  was  fulfilled 
bv  the  Persian  division  of  the  kingdom,  which  came  \\\)  last, 
but  attained  the  higher  eminence,  becoming  the  controlling  in- 
fluence in  the  nation.  (See  on  chapter  8  :  3.)  The  three  ribs 
perhaps  signify  the  three  provinces  of  Babylon,  Lydia,  and 
Egypt,  which  were  especially  ground  down  and  oppressed  by 
this  power.  Their  saying  unto  it,  "Arise,  devour  much  flesh," 
Avould  naturally  refer  to  the  stimulus  given  to  the  ]\redes  and 
Persians,  by  the  overthrow  of  these  provinces,  to  plan  and 
undertake  more  extensive  conquests.  The  character  of  the 
power  is  well  represented  by  a  bear.  The  ]\Iedes  and  Persians 
were  cruel  and  rapacious,  robbers  and  spoilers  of  the  people. 
As  already  noticed  in  the  exposition  of  chapter  2,  this  king- 
dom dated  from  the  overthrow  of  Babylon  by  Cyrus,  b.  c. 
538,  and  continued  to  the  battle  of  Arbela,  b.  c.  331,  a  period 
of  207  years. 

Verse  6.  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo  another,  like  a  leopard,  which 
had  upon  the  back  of  it  four  wings  of  a  fowl;  the  beast  had  also 
four  heads ;  and  dominion  was  given  to  it. 

The  third  kingdom,  Grecia,  is  represented  by  this  symbol. 
Tf  wings  upon  the  lion  signified  rapidity  of  conquest,  thev 
A\-ould  signify  the  same  here.  The  leopard  itself  is  a  swift- 
friotf'(l  beast,  bnt  this  was  not  sufficient  to  represent  the  career 
of  the  nation  A\hich  it  sAnnbolized  in  this  respect;  it  must  have 
M-ings  in  addition.  Two  wings,  the  number  the  lion  had,  Avere 
nf>t  snfiicient,  it  mnst  have  four;  this  Avould  denote  unparal- 
leled celerity  of  movement,  which  Ave  find  to  be  historicallv 
true  of  the  Grecian  kingdom.      The  conquests  of  Grecia  under 


THE     LEOPARD   --    SYMBOL     OF     GRECIA 


THE      FOURTH      B  E  A  S  T   -  -    S  Y  M  □  O  L     O 


F      ROME 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  6,  7  149 

Alexander  have  no  parallel  in  historic  annals  for  snddenness 
and  rapidity. 

Ilollin,  Ancient  History,  h.  15,  sec.  2,  gives  the  following 
brief  synopsis   of   Alexander's   marches : — 

"  From  Macedonia  to  the  Ganges,  which  river  Alexander 
nearly  approached,  is  computed  at  least  eleven  hundred  leagues. 
Add  to  this  the  various  turnings  in  Alexander's  marches ;  first, 
from  the  extremity  of  Cilicia,  where  the  battle  of  Issus  was 
fought,  to  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Amnion  in  Libya ;  and  his 
returning  from  thence  to  Tyre,  a  journey  of  three  hundred 
leagues  at  least,  and  as  much  space  at  least  for  the  windings 
of  his  route  in  different  places ;  we  shall  find  that  Alexander, 
in  less  than  eight  years,  marched  his  army  upward  of  seven- 
teen hundred  leagues  [or  more  than  fifty-one  liundrcd  miles~\, 
without  including  his  return  to  Babylon." 

''  The  beast  had  also  four  heads."  "The  Grecian  empire 
maintained  its  unity  but  little  longer  than  the  lifetime  of 
Alexander.  Within  fifteen  years  after  his  brilliant  career 
ended  in  a  fever  induced  by  a  drunken  debauch,  the  empire 
was  divided  among  his  four  leading  generals.  Cassander  had 
Macedon  and  Greece  in  the  west ;  Lysimachus  had  Thrace  and 
the  parts  of  Asia  on  the  Hellespont  and  Bosphorus  in  the 
north ;  Ptolemy  received  Egypt,  Lydia,  Arabia,  Palestine,  and 
Coele-Syria  in  the  south;  and  Seleucus  had  S_^Tia  and  all  the 
rest  of  Alexander's  dominions  in  the  east.  These  divisions 
were  denoted  by  the  four  heads  of  the  leopard;  b.  c.  308. 

Thus  accurately  were  the  words  of  the  prophet  fulfilled. 
As  Alexander  left  no  available  successor,  why  did  not  the  huge 
em])ire  lireak  up  into  countless  petty  fragments  ?  Why  into 
just  four  parts,  and  no  more  ?  —  Because  the  })rophecy  had 
said  that  there  should  be  four.  The  leopard  had  four  heads, 
the  rough  goat  four  horns,  the  kingdom  was  to  have  four  di- 
visions; and  thus  it  was.       (See  more  fully  on  chapter  8.) 

Verse  7.  After  this  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  a  fourth 
beast,  dreadfid  and  terrible,  and  strong  exceedingly;  and  it  had  groat 
iron  teeth;  it  devoured  and  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue 
with  the  feet  of  it;  and  it  was  diverse  from  all  the  beasts  that  were 
before  it;  and  it  had  ten  horns. 


150  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Inspiration  linds  no  beast  in  nature  Avhicli  it  can  make  even 
the  basis  of  a  s;>Tnbol  to  represent  the  power  here  illustrated. 
Xo  addition  of  hoofs,  heads,  horns,  wings,  scales,  teeth,  or  nails 
to  any  beast  found  in  nature,  would  answer.  This  power  was 
diverse  from  all  the  others,  and  the  symbol  wholly  nondescript. 

The  foundation  for  a  volume  is  laid  in  verse  7,  just  quoted; 
but  we  are  compelled  to  treat  it  the  more  briefly  here,  because 
anything  like  a  full  history  is  entirely  beyond  the  spiice  that 
can  be  allowed  in  this  brief  exposition.  This  beast,  of  course, 
corresponds  to  the  fourth  division  of  the  great  image  —  the 
legs  of  iron.  Under  chapter  2 :  40  are  given  some  reasons 
for  supposing  this  power  to  be  Rome.  The  same  reasons  are 
applicable  to  the  present  prophecy.  IIow  accurately  Rome 
answered  to  the  iron  division  of  the  image !  IIow  accurately 
it  answers  to  the  beast  before  us!  In  the  dread  and  terror 
which  it  inspired,  and  in  its  exceeding  strength,  the  world  has 
never  seen  its  equal.  It  devoured  as  with  iron  teeth,  and 
brake  in  pieces;  and  it  ground  the  nations  into  the  very  dust 
l)cneath  its  brazen  feet.  It  had  ten  horns,  which  are  explained 
in  verse  24  to  be  ten  kings,  or  kingdoms,  whidi  should  arise 
out  of  this  empire.  As  already  noticed  in  chapter  2,  Rome 
was  divided  into  ten  kingdoms,  enumerated  as  follows:  The 
Huns,  the  Ostrogoths,  the  Visigoths,  the  Franks,  the  Vandals, 
the  Suevi,  the.Burgundians,  the  ITeruli,  the  Anglo-Saxons,  and 
the  Lombards.  These  divisions  have  ever  since  been  spoken 
of  as  the  ten  kingdoms  of  the  Roman  empire;  a.  d.  351  -  483. 
See  on  chapter  2:41,  42;  also  Appendix  III. 

Verse  8.  I  considered  the  horns,  and,  behold,  there  came  up 
among  them  another  little  horn,  before  whom  there  were  three  of  the 
first  horns  plucked  up  by  the  roots;  and,  behold,  in  this  horn  were 
eyes  like  the  eyes  of  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking  great  things. 

Daniel  considered  the  horns.  Indications  of  a  strange 
movement  ap]>eared  among  thein.  A  little  horn  (at  first  lit- 
tle, but  afterward  more  sto\it  than  its  fellows)  thrust  itself 
up  among  them.  It  was  not  content  quietly  to  find  a  place 
of  itg  own,  and  fill  it;  it  must  thrust  aside  some  of  the  others, 
:ind  usur])  their  ])laces.  Three  kingdoms  were  plucked  up 
before  it.      This  little  horn,  as  we  shall  have  occasion  to  notice 


THE      LITTLE     HORN    --    SYMBOL     OF     THE      PAPACY 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  8  - 10  153 

more  fully  hereafter,  was  the  papacy.  The  three  horns  plucked 
up  before  it  were  the  Ileruli,  the  Ostrogoths,  and  the  Vandals. 
And  the  reason  why  they  were  plucked  up  was  because  they 
were  opposed  to  the  arrogant  claims  of  the  papal  hierarchy, 
and  hence  to  the  supremacy  in  the  church  of  the  bishop  of 
Rome. 

And  "  in  this  horn  were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  man,  and  a 
mouth  speaking  great  things,"  —  the  eyes,  a*^  fit  emblem  of  the 
shre^vdness,  penetration,  cunning,  and  foresight  of  the  papal 
hierarchy;  and  the  mouth  speaking  great  things,  a  fit  symbol 
of  the  arrogant  claims  of  the  bishops  of  Eonie. 

Verse  9.  I  belield  till  the  thrones  were  cast  down,  and  the  Ancient 
of  days  did  sit,  whose  garment  was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his 
head  like  the  pure  wool;  his  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his 
wheels  as  burning  fire.  10.  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth 
from  before  him;  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him;  the  judgment  was 
set,  and  the  books  were  opened. 

A  sublimer  description  of  a  sublimer  scene  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  English  language.  But  not  only  on  account  of 
the  grand  and  lofty  inuigcry  introduced  should  it  arrest  our 
attention;  the  nature  of  the  scene  itself  is  such  as  to  demand 
most  serious  consideration.  The  Judgment  is  brought  to  view ; 
and  whenever  the  Judgment  is  mentioned,  it  ought  to  take  an 
irresistible  hold  upon  every  mind;  for  all  have  an  interest  in 
its  eternal  issues. 

By  an  unfortunate  translation  in  verse  9,  a  wrong  idea  is 
almost  sure  to  be  conveyed.  The  words  cast  down  are  from  a 
word  which  in  the  original  signifies  just  the  opposite,  namely, 
to  set  up.  The  Avord  n^"1  \r'mah^  Gesenius  defines  as  follows: 
"Chald.  1.  To  cast,  to  throw,  Dan.  3:20,  21,  24;  6:1G.  2. 
To  set,  to  place,  c.  c/.,  thrones,  Dan.  7:  9.  Comp.  Rev.  4:  2, 
Opovo<i  tKUTo  and  JTV  Xo.  2."  The  Analytical  Hebrew  and 
Chaldee  Lexicon,  by  Davidson,  also  gives  to  this  word  the 
definition  "  to  set,  to  place,"  and  refers  to  Dan.  7:9  as  an 
example  of  its  use  in  this  sense.  Why  this  word  was  used  to 
express  the  idea  here  intended  may  perhaps  be  learned  from 
the  following  note  found  in  the  Cottage  Bible:   "  Ver.  9.      Tlie 


104  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

thrones  were  cast  down.  AVintle,  '  Were  placed.'  So  Bootli- 
royd.  J  hit  both  come  to  the  same  meaning.  The  Asiatics 
have  neither  chairs  nor  stools,  but,  to  receive  persons  of  rank, 
'  cast  down,'  or  '  place,'  cushions  round  the  room  for  seats, 
which  seems  to  be  here  alluded  to.  See  Matt.  19 :  28 ;  Rev. 
20:4."  Dr.  Clarke  says  that  the  M^ord  "might  be  translated 
erected;  so  the  Vulgate,  positi  sunt  [were  placed],  and  so  all 
the  versions."  The  Septuagint  husiTcOrja-av (etethesan) ,  which 
is  defined  to  mean  "to  set,  put,  place;  to  set  up;  to  erect." 
The  thrones  are  not  the  thrones  of  earthly  kingdoms,  which 
are  to  be  thrown  down  at  the  last  day,  but  thrones  of  judgment, 
which  are  to  be  "  placed,"  or  set  up,  in  the  court  of  God  on 
high  just  before  the  end. 

The  "Ancient  of  days,"  God  the  Father,  takes  the  throne 
of  judgment.  Mark  the  description  of  his  person.  Those 
who  believe  in  the  impersonality  of  God  are  obliged  to  admit 
that  he  is  here  described  as  a  personal  being;  but  they  console 
themselves  by  saying  that  it  is  the  only  description  of  the  kind 
in  the  Bible.  We  do  not  admit  this  latter  assertion ;  but 
granting  that  it  were  true,  is  not  one  description  of  this  kind 
as  fatal  to  their  theory  as  though  it  were  repeated  a  score  of 
times  ?  The  thousand  thousands  Avho  minister  unto  him,  and 
the  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  who  stand  before  him,  are 
not  sinners  arraigned  before  the  judgment-seat,  luit  heavenly 
beings  who  Avait  before  him,  attendant  on  his  Avill.  An  under- 
standing of  these  verses  involves  an  understanding  of  the  sub- 
ject of  the  sanctuary;  and  to  tlie  works  on  this  question  we  refer 
the  reader.  The  closing  up  of  the  ministration  of  Christ,  our 
great  High  Priest,  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  is  the  work  of 
judgment  here  introduced.  It  is  an  investigative  judgment. 
Tlie  books  are  opened,  and  the  cases  of  all  come  up  for  exami- 
nation before  tliat  great  tribunal,  that  it  may  be  determined 
beforehand  who  are  to  receive  eternal  life  when  the  Lord  shall 
come  to  conf(^r  it  upon  his  people.  John,  as  recorded  in  Reve- 
lation 5,  had  a  view  of  this  same  place,  and  saw  the  same 
mniibcr  of  heavenly  attendants  engaged  with  Christ  in  the  work 
(>{  investigative  judgment.  Looking  into  the  sanctuary  (as  we 
learn  from  Revelation  4  that  he  was  doing),  in  chapter  .^  :  11 


CHAPTER  7.  VERSES  9-12  155 

he  says,  "And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  tlie  voice  of  many  angels 
round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beasts,  and  the  elders;  and 
the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand, 
and  thousands  of  thousands." 

It  will  appear  from  the  testimony  of  chapter  S :  14,  that 
this  solenm  work  is  even  now  transpiring  in  the  sanctuary 
above. 

Verse  11.  I  beheld  then  because  of  the  voice  of  the  great  words 
which  the  horn  spake;  I  beheld  even  till  the  beast  was  slain,  and  his 
body  destroyed,  and  given  to  the  burning  flame.  12.  As  concerning 
the  rest  of  the  beasts,  they  had  their  dominion  taken  away;  yet  their 
lives  were  prolonged  for  a  season  and  time. 

There  are  persons  who  believe  in  a  thousand  years'  triumph 
of  the  gospel  and  reign  of  righteousness  over  all  the  world  be- 
fore the  Lord  comes ;  and  there  are  others  who  believe  in  pro- 
bation after  the  Lord  comes,  and  a  mixed  millennium,  the 
immortal  righteous  still  proclaiming  the  gospel  to  mortal  sin- 
ners, and  turning  them  into  the  way  of  salvation.  But  both 
of  these  systems  of  error  are  completely  demolished  by  the 
verses  before  us. 

1.  The  fourth  terrible  beast  continues  without  change  of 
character,  and  the  little  horn  continues  to  utter  its  blasphemies, 
and  hold  its  millions  of  votaries  in  the  bonds  of  a  blind  super- 
stition, till  the  beast  is  given  to  the  burning  flame;  and  this  is 
not  its  conversion,  but  its  destruction.       (See  2  Thess.   2:8.) 

2.  The  life  of  the  fourth  beast  is  not  prolonged  after  its 
dominion  is  gone,  as  were  the  lives  of  the  preceding  beasts. 
Their  dominion  was  taken  away,  but  their  lives  were  prolonged 
for  a  season.  The  territory  and  subjects  of  the  Babylonian 
kingdom  still  existed,  though  made  subject-  to  the  Persians. 
So  of  the  Persian  kingdom  in  respect  to  Grecia,  and  of  Grecia 
in  respect  to  Pome.  But  what  succeeds  the  fourth  kingdom  ? 
■ —  Xo  government  or  state  in  which  mortals  have  any  part. 
Its  career  ends  in  the  lake  of  fire,  and  it  has  no  existence  be- 
yond. The  lion  was  merged  into  the  bear;  the  hear  into  the 
leopard;  the  leopard  into  the  fourth  beast;  and  the  fourth  beast 
into  what?  —  Xot  into  another  beast;  but  it  is  cast  into  the 
lake  of   fire,   under   which   destruction   it  rests   till   men   shall 


156  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

suifer  the  second  death.       Then  let  no  one  talk  of  probation 
or  a  mixed  millennium   after  the   Lord  comes. 

The  adverb  then,  in  the  sentence,  "  I  beheld  then  because 
of  the  voice  of  the  great  words  which  the  horn  spake,"  etc., 
seems  to  refer  to  some  particular  time.  The  work  of  the  in- 
vestigative judgment  is  introduced  in  the  previous  verses;  and 
this  verse  would  seem  to  imply  that  while  this  work  is  going  for- 
ward, and  just  before  this  power  is  destroyed  and  given  to  the 
burning  flame,  the  little  horn  utters  its  great  words  against  the 
Most  High.  Have  we  not  heard  them,  and  that,  too,  within  a 
few  years  ?  Look  at  the  decrees  of  the  Vatican  Council  of 
1870.  AMiat  can  be  more  blasphemous  than  to  attribute  in- 
fallibility to  a  mortal  man  ?  Yet  in  that  year  the  world  beheld 
the  spectacle  of  an  Ecumenical  Council  assembled  for  the  pur- 
pose of  deliberately  decreeing  that  the  occupant  of  the  papal 
throne,  the  man  of  sin,  possesses  this  prerogative  of  God,  and 
can  not  err.  Can  anything  be  more  presumptuous  and  blas- 
phemous ?  Is  not  this  the  voice  of  the  great  words  which  the 
horn  spake  ?  and  is  not  this  power  ripe  for  the  burning  flame, 
and  near  its  end  I 

Verse  13.  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and,  behold,  one  like  the  Son 
of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of 
days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him.  14.  And  there  was 
given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  na- 
tions, and  languages  shoidd  serve  him :  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting 
dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which 
shall  not  be  destroyed. 

The  scene  here  described  is  not  the  second  advent  of  Christ 
to  this  earth,  unless  the  Ancient  of  days  is  on  this  earth ;  for 
it  is  a  coming  to  the  Ancient  of  days.  There,  in  the  presence 
of  the  Ancient  of  days,  a  kingdom,  dominion,  and  glory  are 
given  him.  The  Son  of  man  receives  his  kingdom  before  his 
return  to  this  earth.  (See  Luke  19:10-12  and  onward.) 
This  is  a  scene,  therefore,  which  transpires  in  the  heavenly 
temple,  and  is  closely  connected  with  that  brought  to  view  in 
verses  9  and  10.  Lie  receives  the  kingdom  at  the  close  of  his 
priestly  work  in  the  sanctuary.  The  people,  nations,  and  lan- 
guages, that  shall  serve  him,  are  the  nations  of  the  saved  (Rev. 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  IS  -  20  157 

21:24),  not  the  wicked  nations  of  the  earth;  for  these  are 
clashed  in  pieces  at  the  second  advent.  Some  out  of  all  the 
nations,  tribes,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  will  find  themselves 
at  last  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  to  serve  him  there  with  joy  and 
gladness  forever  and  ever. 

Verse  15.  I  Daniel  was  grieved  in  my  spirit  in  the  midst  of  my 
body,  and  the  visions  of  my  head  troubled  me.  10.  I  came  near  unto 
one  of  them  that  stood  by,  and  asked  him  the  truth  of  all  this.  So 
he  told  me,  and  made  me  know  the  interpretation  of  the  things.  IT. 
These  great  beasts,  which  are  four,  are  four  kings  which  shall  arise 
out  of  the  earth.  IS.  But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the 
kingdom,  and  possess  the  kingdom  forever,  even  forever  and  ever. 

Xo  less  anxious  should  we  he  than  was  Daniel  to  under- 
stand the  truth  of  all  this.  And  whenever  we  inquire  with 
equal  sincerity  of  heart,  we  shall  find  the  Lord  no  less  ready 
now  than  in  the  days  of  the  prophet  to  lead  to  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  these  important  truths.  The  beasts,  and  the  kingdoms 
wliich  they  represent,  have  already  been  explained.  We  have 
followed  the  prophet  down  through  the  course  of  events,  even 
to  the  complete  destruction  of  the  fourth  and  last  beast,  the  final 
subversion  of  all  earthly  governments.  What  next  ?  Verse 
18  tells  us:  "  The  saints  shall  take  the  kingdom."  The  saints! 
those  of  all  others  held  in  low  esteem  in  this  world,  despised, 
reproached,  persecuted,  cast  out ;  those  who  were  considered 
the  least  likely  of  all  men  ever  to  realize  their  hopes ;  these 
shall  take  the  kingdom,  and  possess  it  forever.  The  usurpation 
and  misrule  of  the  wicked  shall  come  to  an  end.  The  forfeited 
inheritance  shall  be  redeemed.  Peace  shall  be  restored  to  its 
distracted  borders,  and  righteousness  shall  reign  over  all  the 
fair  expanse  of  the  renovated  earth. 

Verse  19.  Then  I  would  know  the  truth  of  the  fourth  beast,  which 
was  diverse  from  all  the  others,  exceeding  dreadful,  whose  teeth  were 
of  iron,  and  his  nails  of  brass;  which  devoured,  brake  in  pieces,  and 
stamped  the  residue  with  his  feet ;  20.  And  of  the  ten  horns  that  were 
in  his  head,  and  of  the  other  which  came  up,  and  before  whom  three 
fell;  even  of  that  horn  that  had  eyes,  and  a  mouth  that  spake  very 
great  things,  whose  look  was  more  stout  than  his  fellows. 

Of  the  first  three  beasts  of  this  series,  Daniel  had  so  clear 
an  understanding  that  he  had  no  trouble  in  reference  to  them. 


158  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

But  he  was  astonished  at  this  fourth  hoast,  so  unnatural  and 
dreadful ;  for  the  further  we  eonie  down  the  stream  of  time, 
the  further  it  is  necessary  to  depart  from  nature  in  fornung 
symbols  to  represent  accurately  the  degenerating  governments 
of  this  earth.  The  lion  is  a  production  of  nature ;  but  it  must 
liave  the  unnatural  addition  of  two  wings  to  represent  the 
kingdom  of  Ijabvlon.  The  bear  we  also  find  in  nature;  but 
as  a  symbol  of  ]\Iedo-Persia  an  unnatural  ferocity  must  be 
denoted  by  the  insertion  of  three  ribs  into  its  mouth.  So  the 
leopard  is  a  beast  of  nature ;  but  fitly  to  represent  Grecia  there 
is  a  departure  from  nature  in  respect  to  wings,  and  the  number 
of  heads.  But  nature  furnishes  no  symbol  which  can  fitly 
illustrate  the  fourth  kingdom.  A  beast  the  likeness  of  which 
never  was  seen,  is  taken ;  a  beast  dreadful  and  terrible,  with 
nails  of  brass,  and  teeth  of  iron,  so  cruel,  rapacious,  and  fierce 
that  from  mere  love  of  oppression  it  devoured,  and  brake  in 
pieces,  and  trampled  its  victims  beneath  its  feet. 

Wonderful  Avas  all  this  to  the  prophet ;  but  something  still 
more  wonderful  appeared.  A  little  horn  came  up,  and,  true  to 
the  nature  of  the  beast  from  which  it  sprang,  thrust  aside 
three  of  its  fellows ;  and  lo !  the  horn  had  eyes,  not  the  uncul- 
tivated eyes  of  a  brute,  but  the  keen,  shrewd,  intelligent  eyes 
of  a  man ;  and,  stranger  yet,  it  had  a  mouth,  and  with  that 
mouth  it  uttered  proud  sayings,  and  put  forth  preposterous 
and  arrogant  claims.  ^lS^o  wonder  the  prophet  made  special  in- 
quiry respecting  tliis  monster,  so  unearthly  in  its  instincts,  and 
so  fiendish  in  its  works  and  ways.  In  the  following  verses 
some  specifications  are  given  respecting  the  little  horn,  which 
enable  the  student  of  prophecy  to  make  an  application  of  this 
SAnnbol  without   danger  of  mistake. 

Verse  21.  I  beheld,  and  the  same  horn  made  war  with  the  saints, 
and  prevailed  against  them ;  22.  Until  the  Ancient  of  days  came,  and 
judfimont  was  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High;  and  the  time 
came  that  the  saints  possessed  the  kingdom. 

The  wonderful  wrath  of  this  little  liorn  against  the  saints 
])articularly  attracted  the  attention  of  Daniel.  The  rise  of  the 
ten  horns,  or  the  division  of  Rome  into  ten  kingdoms,  between 
the  years  a.  d.  851  and  483,  has  already  been  noticed.       (See 


C?I AFTER  7,  VERSES  21,  22  loi 

on  chaiDtcr  2  :  41. )  As  these  horns  denote  kingdoms,  the  little 
horn  must  denote  a  kingdom  also,  but  not  of  the  same  nature, 
because  it  ^vas  diverse  from  the  others.  They  were  political 
kingdoms.  And  now  we  have  but  to  inquire  if  any  kingdom 
has  arisen  among  the  ten  kingdoms  of  the  Roman  empire  since 
A.  D,  483,  and  yet  diverse  from  them  all;  and  if  so,  what  one. 
The  answer  is.  Yes;  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  the  papacy. 
This  answers  to  the  symbol  in  every  particular,  as  is  easilv 
proved;  and  nothing  else  Avill  do  it.  See  the  specifications 
more  particularly  mentioned  in  verse  23. 

Daniel  beheld  this  horn  making  war  upon  the  saints.  lias 
such  a  war  been  waged  by  the  papacy?  Fifty  million  mar- 
tyrs, with  a  voice  like  the  sound  of  many  waters,  answer.  Yes. 
Witness  the  cruel  persecutions  of  the  Waldenses,  the  Albigen- 
ses,  and  Protestants  in  general,  by  the  papal  power.  It  is 
stated  on  good  authority  that  the  persecutions,  massacres,  and 
religious  wars  excited  by  the  church  and  bishop  of  Rome,  have 
occasioned  the  shedding  of  far  more  blood  of  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High  than  all  the  enmity,  hostility,  and  persecutions  of 
professed  heathens  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

In  verse  22  three  consecutive  events  seem  to  be  brought  to 
view.  Daniel,  looking  onward  from  the  time  when  the  little 
horn  was  in  the  height  of  its  poAver,  to  the  full  end  of  the  long- 
contest  between  the  saints  and  Satan  with  all  his  agents,  notes 
three  prominent  events  that  stand  as  mile-posts  along  the  way. 
(1)  The  coming  of  the  Ancient  of  days;  that  is,  the  position 
which  Jehovah  takes  in  the  opening  of  the  judgment  scene  de- 
scribed in  verses  9,  10.  (2)  The  judgment  that  is  given  to 
the  saints;  that  is,  the  time  when  the  saints  sit  with  Christ  in 
judgment  a  thousand  years,  following  the  first  resurrection 
(Rev.  20:1-4),  apportioning  to  the  wicked  the  ]")unishment 
due  to  their  sins.  Then  the  martyrs  will  sit  in  judgment 
upon  the  great  antichristian,  persecuting  power,  which,  in 
the  days  of  their  trial,  hunted  them  like  the  beasts  of  the  des- 
ert, and  poured  out  their  blood  like  water.  (3)  The  time  that 
the  saints  possess  the  kingdom;  that  is,  the  time  of  their  en- 
trance upon  the  possession  of  the  new  earth.  Then  the  last 
vestige  of  the  curse,  of  sin,  and  of  sinners,  root  and  branch, 


I(j2  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

will  have  been  wiped  away,  and  the  territory  so  long  mis- 
ruled by  the  wicked  powers  of  earth,  the  enemies  of  God's 
people,  will  be  taken  by  the  righteous,  to  be  held  by  them 
forever  and  ever.       1   Cor.   0 :  iJ,  3;   ]\Iatt.   25:34. 

Verse  23.  Thus  he  said,  The  fourth  beast  shall  be  the  fourth 
kiiigxlom  upon  earth,  which  shall  be  diverse  from  all  kingdoms,  and 
shall  devour  the  whole  eartb,  and  shall  tread  it  down,  and  break  it  in 
pieces.  24.  And  the  ten  horns  out  of  this  kingdom  are  ten  kings 
that  shall  arise;  and  another  shall  rise  after  them;  and  he  shall  be 
diverse  from  the  first,  and  he  shall  subdue  three  kings.  25.  And  he 
shall  speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  think  to  change  times  and  laws : 
and  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hand  luitil  a  time  and  times  and  the 
dividing  of  time.  26.  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they  shall 
take  away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it  unto  the  end. 

We  have  here  further  particulars  respecting  the  fourth 
beast  and  the  little  horn. 

Perhaps  enough  has  already  been  said  respecting  the  fourth 
beast  (Rome)  and  the  ten  horns,  or  ten  kingdoms,  Avhich  arose 
therefrom.  The  little  horn  now  more  particularly  demands 
attention.  As  stated  on  verse  8,  we  find  the  fulfilment  of  the 
prophec}'  concerning  this  horn  in  the  rise  and  work  of  the 
papacy.  It  is  a  matter  of  both  interest  and  importance,  there- 
fore, to  inquire  into  the  causes  which  resulted  in  the  develop- 
ment of  this  antichristian  power. 

The  first  pastors  or  bishops  of  Rome  enjoyed  a  respect  pro- 
portionate to  the  rank  of  the  city  in  which  they  resided ;  and 
for  the  first  few  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  Rome  was  the 
largest,  richest,  and  most  powerful  city  in  the  world.  It  was 
the  seat  of  empire,  the  capital  of  the  nations.  ''All  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  earth  belong  to  her,"  said  Julian ;  and  Claudian 
declared  her  to  be  "  the  fountain  of  laws."  "  If  Rome  is  the 
queen  of  cities,  why  should  not  her  pastor  be  the  king  of 
bishops  ?  "  was  the  reasoning  these  Roman  pastors  adopted. 
"  Why  should  not  the  Roman  Church  be  the  mother  of  Chris- 
tendom ?  Why  should  not  all  nations  be  her  children,  and  her 
authority  thoir  sovereign  law?  It  was  easy,"  says  D'Aubigne, 
from  whom  we  quote  these  words  f  History  of  the  Reforma- 
tion," Vol.  I,  chap.  1),  "for  the  ambili(nis  heart  of  man  to 
reason  thus.       Ambitious  Rome  did  so." 


Bn^  oo^  evvinc  M\  tbcvc  w..'r.\    ?armti.  H  nni  5c^o^ab  thv  ijot*^.  who  t'roiidl>I  tncc  out 
ot  iliL-  Ian?  of  eoppi.  out  of  tlx  houec  of  fonMijc. 
I. 

Choii  shall  I5avc  no  otncr  r.ofs  Dcforc  mc. 

II. 

Choii  fhalt  not  nmnc  unto  tbtc  a  oiavcn  imaoc.  nor  anp  licences  of  anpthino  that  t& 
til  K-av.'ii  alvvc,  or  ihat  \~  m  the  earth  hciKaih,  or  that  i?  in  Ihc  water  unfcr  the  earth- 
thou  -halt  not  Ivw  Knvn  thc^elf  unto  them,  not  serve  them;  [or  11  JehoMh  ih?  coP  am  a 
lealou?  Gof.  vi?itnifl  the  inuiiiin'  of  the  father?  upon  the  cbilfren.  upon  the  thirO  ano  upon 
the  lourth  r.eneranon  of  them  that  hate  me.  anP  showing  lovinokinPnees  unto  thoueanPs  of 
them  that  love  me  anO  heep  mv  commanfmente 


Ihou  Shalt  not  tafie  the  name  o(  Tehovah  thp  6o!>  In  vain;  tot  3ehovah  will  no'  holO 
mm  ouiltle59  that  taneth  hi?  name  m  vam. 

IV. 

■Rememher  Ihc  saht-aih  Pap.  to  |-,eep  it  holv.  Six  Paps  shall  thou  latvr.  anP  Po  all 
thp  won:;  tnii  the  seventh  Pap  is  a  Sahhaih  unio  3ehovah  Ihp  C-op  in  It  thou  shall  not  Po 
anp  worh.  thou,  nor  thp  son.  nor  thp  Paiuihtei.  thp  man.serv.mt.  nor  Ihp  maip-servanl.  nor 
thp  cattle,  nor  thp  strancier  that  is  withni  thp  (laies;  foi  in  si\  Paps  Jehovah  mape  heaven 
nnP  earth,  the  sea.  anP  all  that  in  them  is.  anP  lesleP  the  seventh  pap:  wh.ielote  3chovah 
I'lesscP  Ihc  Sahhath  Pap,  anP  haUoweP  il. 

Honor  tbv  father  anP  ihp  mother,  that  thp  Paps  map  he  lonii  In  the  lanP  wbuh  Jcbo- 
tab  thp  (5oP  oivctb  thee. 

Chon  Shan  not  hill. 

Chou  Shalt  not  commit  apuiterp. 

VIII. 

Cbou  shall  not  steal. 

i.v. 
Cbou  shall  not  bear  t.ilse  witness  aoainst  Ibp  iielflbbot. 


Chou  Shalt  not  covet  Ibp  nclobbor-s  bouse,  thou  Shalt  noi  (ovct  thp  nciobbore  »Hc. 
nor  his  man-servant,  nor  1)19  maip-servant.  nor  bis  o.v,  nor  bis  ass,  nor  anptbina  that  16 
thp  neiflbbor's. 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  23  -26  165 

The  bishops  in  the  different  parts  of  the  Konian  empire  felt 
a  pleasure  in  yielding  to  the  bishop  of  Eome  some  portion  of 
that  honor  which  Rome,  as  the  queen  city,  received  from  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  There  was  originally  no  dependence  im- 
plied in  the  honor  thus  paid.  "  But,"  continues  U'Aubigne, 
"  usurped  power  increases  like  an  avalanche.  Admonitions,  at 
first  simply  fraternal,  soon  became  absolute  commands  in  the 
mouth  of  the  pontiff.  Tlie  Western  bishops  favored  this  en- 
croachment of  the  Roman  pastors,  either  from  jealousy -of  the 
Eastern  bishops,  or  because  they  preferred  submitting  to  the 
supremacy  of  a  pope  rather  than  to  the  dominion  of  a  temporal 
power." 

Such  were  the  influences  clustering  around  the  bishop  of 
Rome,  and  thus  was  everything  tending  toward  his  speedy  ele- 
vation to  the  supreme  spiritual  throne  of  Christendom.  But 
the  fourth  century  was  destined  to  witness  an  obstacle  thrown 
across  the  path  of  this  ambitious  dream.  Arius,  parish  priest 
of  the  ancient  and  influential  church  of  Alexandria,  sprung 
his  doctrine  upon  the  world,  occasioning  so  fierce  a  controversy 
in  the  Christian  church  that  a  general  council  was  called  at 
Nica?a,  by  the  emperor  Constantino,  a.  d.  325,  to  consider  and 
adjust  it.  Arius  maintained  ''  that  the  Son  was  totally  and 
essentially  distinct  from  the  Father;  that  he  was  the  first 
and  noblest  of  those  beings  whom  the  Father  had  created  out 
of  nothing,  the  instrument  by  whose  subordinate  operation  the 
Almighty  Father  formed  the  universe,  and  therefore  inferior 
to  the  Father  both  in  nature  and  dignity."  This  opinion  was 
condemned  by  the  council,  which  decreed  that  Christ  was  of 
one  and  the  same  substance  with  the  Father.  Hereupon  Arius 
was  banished  to  Illyria,  and  his  followers  were  compelled  to 
give  their  assent  to  the  creed  composed  on  that  occasion. 
(Mosheim,  cent.  4,  part  2,  chap.  4;  Stanley,  History  of  the 
Eastern    Church,    p.    239.) 

The  controversy  itself,  however,  was  not  to  be  disposed  of 
in  this  summary  manner,  but  continued  for  ages  to  agitate  the 
Christian  world,  the  Arians  everywhere  l")ecoming  the  bitter 
enemies  of  the  pope  and  of  the  Roman  (^Uliolic  Church. 
From  these  facts  it  is  evident  that  the  spread  of  Arianism 
11 


l(;(l  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

would  check  the  influence  of  the  Catholics;  and  the  possession 
of  Rome  and  Italy  by  a  people  of  the  Arian  persuasion,  would 
be  fatal  to  the  supremacy  of  a  Catholic  bishop.  But  the 
prophecy  had  declared  that  this  horn  would  rise  to  supreme 
power,  and  that  in  reaching  this  position  it  would  subdue  three 
kings. 

Some  difference  of  opinion  has  existed  in  regard  to  the  par- 
ticular powers  Avhieh  were  overthrown  in  the  interest  of  the 
papacy,  in  reference  to  which  the  following  remark  by  Albert 
Barnes  seems  very  pertinent :  "  In  the  confusion  that  existed 
on  the  breaking  up  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  the  imperfect 
accounts  of  the  transactions  which  occurred  in  the  rise  of  the 
papal  power,  it  would  not  be  wonderful  if  it  should  be  difficult 
to  find  events  distinctly  recorded  that  would  be  in  all  respects 
an  accurate  and  absolute  fulfilment  of  the  vision.  Yet  it  is 
possible  to  make  out  the  fulfilment  of  this  with  a  good  degree 
of  certainty  in  the  history  of  the  papacy."  —  Notes  on  Daniel  7. 

Mr.  Mede  supposes  the  three  kingdoms  plucked  up  to  have 
been  the  Greeks,  the  Lombards,  and  the  Franks ;  and  Sir  Isaac 
N'ewton  supposes  they  were  the  Exarchate  of  Ravenna,  the 
Lombards,  and  the  Senate  and  Dukedom  of  Rome.  Bishop 
J^ewton  (Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies,  pp.  217,  218)  states 
some  serious  objections  to  both  these  schemes.  The  Franks 
could  not  have  been  one  of  these  kingdoms;  for  they  were 
never  plucked  up  before  the  papacy.  The  Lombards  could 
not  have  been  one;  for  they  were  never  made  subject  to  the 
popes.  Says  Barnes,  "  I  do  not  find,  indeed,  that  the  king- 
dom of  the  Lombards  was,  as  is  commonly  stated,  among  the 
number  of  the  temporal  sovereignties  that  became  subject  to 
the  authority  of  the  popes."  And  the  Senate  and  Dukedom 
of  Rome  could  not  have  been  one ;  for  they,  as  such,  never 
constituted  one  of  the  ten  kingdoms,  three  of  which  were  to 
be  plucked  up  before  the  little  horn. 

But  we  apprehend  that  the  chief  difficulty  in  the  applica- 
tion made  by  these  eminent  commentators,  lay  in  the  fact  that 
they  supposed  that  the  prophecy  respecting  the  exaltation  of 
the  papacy  had  not  been  fulfilled,  and  could  not  have  been, 
till  the  pope  became  a  temporal  prince;  and  hence  they  sought 


M^ikLJm 


2  cxm  tire  L,ard  tlrg  Ciatl:  than  slralt 
not  IrauB  strange  gods  htfarz  mr. 


Tlrait  strait  not  takt  tire  name  of 
l^ard  tht)  (Sari  in  uain. 
III. 

lilEmembEr  that  tlraix  kctp    l)oIr 
Sabbattr  da». 

IV. 

Hanauf  tiro  fatlTcr  and  tbr?  motlrc 


TtTOu  Shalt  not  kill. 

VI. 

TlTOu  slralt  not  commit  adulterr. 

VII. 

Tlrau  slTalt  not  steal. 

VIII. 

Thon   Strait   not    bear    false    luitnrss 
against  ttrg  neigtrbar. 

IX. 

TtTOtt  strait  itot  rouet  tlip  neigtibor's 
mife. 

TlTOu  slralt  not  rouet  ttir  neiglibor's 
goods. 


CIIAPTEli  :.  VERSES  23-26  169 

to  find  an  accomplishment  of  the  prophecy  in  the  events  which 
led  to  the  pope's  temporal  sovereignty.  Whereas,  evidently, 
the  prophecy  of  verses  24,  25  refers,  not  to  his  civil  power, 
but  to  his  power  to  domineer  over  the  minds  and  consciences 
of  men;  and  the  pope  reached  this  position,  as  will  hereafter 
appear,  in  a.  d.  538;  and  the  phicking-  up  of  the  three  horns 
took  i^lace  before  this,  and  to  make  way  for  this  very  exalta- 
tion to  spiritual  dominion.  The  insuperable  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  all  attempts  to  apply  the  prophecy  to  the  Lombards 
and  the  other  powers  named  above  is  that  they  come  al- 
together too  late  in  point  of  time ;  for  the  ]irophecy  deals  with 
the  arrogant  efforts  of  the  Roman  pontiff  to  gain  power,  not 
with  his  endeavors  to  oppress  and  humble  the  nations  after  he 
had  secured  the  supremacy. 

The  position  is  here  confidently  taken  that  the  three  powers, 
or  horns,  plucked  up  before  the  papacy,  were  the  Tleruli,  the 
Vandals,  and  the  Ostrogoths ;  and  this  position  rests  upon  the 
following  statements  of  historians. 

Odoacer,  the  leader  of  the  Heruli,  was  the  first  of  the  bar- 
barians ^^'ho  reigned  over  the  Romans.  He  took  the  throne  of 
Italy,  according  to  Gibbon  (Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  510,  515),  in  470.  .  Of  his  religious 
belief  Gibbon  (p.  516)  says:  "  Like  the  rest  of  the  barbarians, 
he  had  been  instructed  in  the  Arian  heresy ;  but  he  revered  the 
monastic  and  episcopal  characters,  and  the  silence  of  the  Cath- 
olics attests  the  toleration  which  they  enjoyed." 

Again  he  says  (p.  547)  :  "  The  Ostrogoths,  the  Burgundians, 
the  Suevi,  and  the  Vandals,  who  had  listened  to  the  elo(]uence 
of  the  Latin  clergy,  preferred  the  more  intplligil)le  lessons  of 
their  domestic  teachers;  and  Arianism  was  adopted  as  the  na- 
tional faith  of  the  warlike  converts  Avho  were  seated  on  the 
ruins  of  the  Western  empire.  This  irreconcilable  diflference  of 
religion  was  a  perpetual  source  of  jealousy  and  hatred;  and 
the  reproach  of  barbarian  was  embittered  by  the  more  odious 
epithet  of  heretic.  The  heroes  of  the  Xorth,  who  had  sub- 
mitted, with  some  reluctance,  to  believe  that  all  their  ances- 
tors were  in  hell,  were  astonished   and   exasperated  to  learn 


170  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

that  tliej  thenisclvcs  li;i<I  only  clianii'cd  tlic  luoJe  of  their  eter- 
nal condemnation." 

The  reader  is  requested  to  consider  carefully  a  few  more 
historical  statements  -which  throw  some  light  on  the  situation 
at  this  time.  Stanley  (History  of  the  Eastern  Church,  p.  151) 
says:  '*  I'he  whole  of  the  vast  Gothic  population  which  de- 
scended on  the  Roman  empire,  so  far  as  it  was  Christian  at 
all,  held  to  the  faith  of  the  Alexandrian  heretic.  Our  first 
Teutonic  version  of  the  Scriptvires  was  by  an  Arian  missionary, 
Ulfilas.  The  first  conqueror  of  Rome,  Alaric,  and  the  first 
conqueror  of  Africa,  Genseric,  were  Arians.  Theodoric,  the 
great  king  of  Italy,  and  hero  of  the  '  Xibelungen  Lied,'  was 
an  Arian.  The  vacant  place  in  his  massive  tomb  at  Ravenna 
is  a  witness  of  the  vengeance  which  the  Orthodox  took  on  his 
memory,  when,  in  their  triumph,  they  tore  down  the  pijrphyry 
vase  in  which  his  Arian  subjects  had  enshrined  his  ashes." 

Ranke,  in  his  History  of  the  Popes  (London,  edition  of 
1871),  Vol.  I,  p.  9,  says:  "But  she  [the  church]  fell,  as  was 
inevitable,  into  many  embarrassments,  and  found  herself  in  an 
entirely  altered  condition.  A  pagan  people  took  possession  of 
Britain ;  Arian  kings  seized  the  greater  part  of  the  remaining 
West ;  while  the  Lombards,  long  attached  to  Arianism,  and  as 
neighbors  most  dangerous  and  hostile,  established  a  powerful 
sovereignty  before  the  very  gates  of  Rome.  The  Roman  bish- 
o|)s,  meanwhile,  beset  on  all  sides,  exerted  themselves  Avith  all 
the  prudence  and  pertinacity  which  have  remained  their  j^ecul- 
iar  attrilnites,  to  regain  the  mastery,  at  least  in  the  patriarchal 
diocese." 

]\rachiavelli,  in  his  History  of  Florence,  p.  14,  says: 
"  Xearly  all  the  wars  which  the  northern  barbarians  carried 
on  in  Italy,  it  may  be  here  remarked,  were  occasioned  ])y  the 
])ontiffs;  and  the  hordes  with  which  the  country  was  inun- 
dated, were  generally  called  in  by  them." 

These  extracts  give  us  a  general  view  of  the  stat(^  of  atfairs 
at  this  time,  and  show  us  that  though  the  hands  of  the  Roman 
])ontiffs  might  not  be  visibly  manifest  in  the  movements  upon 
tlie  political  ])oard,  they  constituted  the  power  working  assidu- 
ously behind   llic   scenes  to  secure  their  own  purposes.       The 


C/fAPTER  7.  VERSES  2S-2G  m 

relation  \\'liicli  these  Arian  kings  sustained  to  the  pope,  from 
which  we  can  see  the  necessity  of  their  being  overthrown  to 
make  way  for  papal  supremacy,  is  shown  in  the  following  tes- 
timony from  ^losheim,  given  in  his  History  of  the  Church, 
cent.  G,  part  2,  chap.  2,  sec.  2 : — 

''  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  certain,  from  a  variety  of  the 
most  authentic  records,  that  both  the  emperors  and  the  nations 
in  general  were  far  from  being  disposed  to  bear  with  patience 
the  yoke  of  servitude  which  the  popes  were  imposing  upon  the 
Christian  church.  The  Gothic  princes  set  bounds  to  the  power 
of  these  arrogant  prelates  in  Italy,  permitted  none  to  be  raised 
to  the  pontificate  without  their  approbation,  and  reserved  to 
themselves  the  right  <»f  judging  of  the  legality  of  every  new 
election." 

An  instance  in  proof  of  this  statement  occurs  in  the  history 
of  Odoacer,  the  first  Arian  king  above  mentioned,  as  related  by 
Bower  in  his  History  of  the  Popes,  Vol.  I,  p.  271.  When, 
on  the  death  of  Pope  Simplicins,  a.  d.  483,  the  clergy  and  peo- 
ple had  assembled  for  the  election  of  a  new  pope,  suddenly 
Basilius,  prsefectus  prsetorio  and  lieutenant  of  King  Odoacer, 
appeared  in  the  assembly,  expressed  his  surprise  that  any  such 
work  as  appointing  a  successor  to  the  deceased  pope  should  be 
undertaken  without  him,  in  the  name  of  the  king  declared  all 
that  had  been  done  null  and  void,  and  ordered  the  election  to 
be  begun  anew.  Certainly  the  horn  which  exercised  such  a 
restrictive  power  over  the  papal  pontiff  must  be  taken  away 
before  the  pope  could  reach  the  predicted  supremacy. 

]\reanwhile,  Zeno,  the  emperor  of  the  East,  and  friend  of 
the  pope,  was  anxious  to  drive  Odoacer  out  of  Italy  (Maehia- 
velli,  p.  6),  a  movement  which  he  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  accomplished  without  trouble  to  himself,  in  the  following 
manner.  Theodoric  had  come  to  the  throne  of  the  Ostrogothic 
kingdom  in  Mcesia  and  Pannonia.  Being  on  friendly  terms 
with  Zeno,  he  wrote  him,  stating  that  it  was  impossible  for 
him  to  restrain  his  Goths  within  the  impoverished  province 
of  Pannonia,  and  asking  his  permission  to  lead  them  to  some 
more  favorable  region,  which  they  might  conquer  and  possess. 
Zeno  gave  him  permission  to  march  against  Odoacer,  and  take 


172  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

possession  of  Italy.  Accordingly,  after  a  three  years'  war, 
the  Herulian  kingdom  in  Italy  was  overthrown,  Odoacer  was 
treacherously  slain,  and  Theodoric  established  his  Ostrogoths 
in  the  Italian  peninsula.  As  already  stated,  he  was  an  Arian, 
and  the  law  of  Odoacer  subjecting  the  election  of  the  pope  to 
the  approval  of  the  king,  was  still  retained. 

The  following  incident  will  show  how  completely  the  pa- 
pacy was  in  subjection  to  his  power.  The  Catholics  in  the 
East,  having  commenced  a  persecution  against  the  Arians  in 
523,  Theodoric  summoned  Pope  John  into  his  presence,  and 
thus  addressed  him:  "If  the  emperor  [Justin,  the  predecessor 
of  Justinian]  does  not  think  fit  to  revoke  the  edict  which  he 
has  lately  issued  against  those  of  my  persuasion  [that  is,  the 
Arians],  it  is  my  firm  resolution  to  issue  the  like  edict  against 
those  of  his  [that  is,  the  Catholics]  ;  and  to  see  it  everywhere 
executed  with  the  same  rigor.  Those  who  do  not  profess  the 
faith  of  Nicaea  are  heretics  to  him,  and  those  who  do  are  here- 
tics to  me.  ^Miatever  can  excuse  or  justify  his  severity  to  the 
former,  will  excuse  and  justify  mine  to  the  latter.  But  the 
emperor,"  continued  the  king,  "  has  none  about  him  who  dare 
freely  and  openly  speak  what  they  think,  or  to  whom  he  would 
hearken  if  they  did.  But  the  great  veneration  which  he  pro- 
fesses for  your  See,  leaves  no  room  to  doubt  but  he  would 
hearken  to  you.  I  will  therefore  have  you  to  repair  forthwith 
to  Constantinople,  and  there  to  remonstrate,  both  in  my  name 
and  your  o\\ti,  against  the  violent  measures  in  which  that  court 
has  so  rashly  engaged.  It  is  in  your  power  to  divert  the 
emperor  from  them ;  and  till  you  have,  nay,  till  the  Cath- 
olics [this  name  Theodoric  applies  to  the  Arians]  are  restored 
to  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion,  and  to  all  the  churches 
from  which  they  have  been  driven,  you  must  not  think  of  return- 
ing to  Italy."  —  Bower's  History  of  the  Popes,  Vol.  I,  p.  325. 

The  pope  who  was  thus  peremptorily  ordered  not  to  set  his 
foot  again  upon  Italian  soil  until  he  had  carried  out  the  will 
of  the  king,  certainly  could  not  hope  for  much  advancement 
toward  any  kind  of  supremacy  till  that  power  was  taken  out 
of  the  way.  Baronius,  according  to  Bower,  will  have  it  tliat 
the  pope  sacrificed  himself  on  this  occasion,   and   advised    the 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  23  -  2G  173 

emperor  not  Ly  any  means  to  comply  with  the  demand  the 
king  had  sent  him.  But  Mr.  Bower  thinks  this  inconsistent, 
since  he  could  not,  he  says,  ''  sacrifice  himself  without  sacri- 
ficing, at  the  same  time,  the  far  greater  part  of  the  innocent 
(,'atholics  in  the  West,  u-lio  were  eitlier  subject  to  King  Tlicod- 
oric,  or  to  other  Arian  princes  in  alliance  with  him."  It  is 
certain  that  the  pope  and  the  other  ambassadors  were  treated 
with  severity  on  their  return,  which  Bower  explains  on  this 
wise :  "  Others  arraigti  them  all  of  high  treason ;  and  truly 
the  chief  men  of  Kome  were  suspected  at  this  very  time  of 
carrying  on  a  treasonable  correspondence  tvith  tlie  court  of 
Constantinople,  and  machinating  the  ruin  of  the  Gothic  em- 
pire in  Italy/'  —  Id.,  p.  32G. 

The  feelings  of  the  papal  party  toward  Theodoric  may  be 
accurately  estimated,  according  to  a  quotation  already  given, 
by  the  vengeance  Avhich  they  took  on  his  memory,  when  they 
tore  from  his  massive  tomb  in  Ravenna  the  porphyry  vase  in 
which  his  Arian  subjects  had  enshrined  his  ashes.  But  these 
feelings  are  put  into  language  by  Baronius,  who  inveighs 
"  against  Theodoric  as  a  cruel  barbarian,  as  a  barbarous  ty- 
rant, as  an  impious  Arian."  But  "having  exaggerated  with 
all  his  eloquence,  and  bewailed  the  deplorable  condition  of  the 
Roman  Church  reduced  by  that  heretic  to  a  state  of  slavery, 
he  comforts  himself  in  the  end,  and  dries  up  his  tears,  with 
the  pious  thought  that  the  author  of  such  a  calamity  died 
soon  after,  and  was  eternally  damned!  "  —  Baronius  s  Annals, 
A.  D.  526,  p.  116;  Bower,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  328. 

While  the  Catholics  were  thus  feeling  the  restraining  power 
of  an  Arian  king  in  Italy,  they  were  suffering  a  violent  perse- 
cution from  the  Arian  Vandals  in  Africa.  (Gibbon,  chap.  37, 
sec.  2.)  Elliott,  in  his  Horse  Apocalypticse,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  152. 
note  3,  says :  "  The  Vandal  kings  were  not  only  Arians,  but 
persecutors  of  the  Catholics;  in  Sardinia  and  Corsica,  under 
the  Roman  Episcopate,  we  may  presume,  as  well  as  in  Africa." 

Such  was  the  position  of  affairs,  when,  in  533,  Justinian 
entered  upon  his  Vandal  and  Gothic  wars.  Wishing  to  se- 
cure the  influence  of  the  pope  and  the  Catholic  party,  he  issued 
that  memorable  decree  which  was  to  constitute  the  pope  the 


174  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

head  of  all  the  elmrehes,  and  from  the  carrying  out  of  which, 
in  538,  the  period  of  papal  .supremacy  is  to  be  dated.  And 
whoever  will  read  the  history  of  the  African  campaign,  533  - 
534,  and  the  Italian  campaign,  534-538,  will  notice  that  the 
Catholics  everywhere  hailed  as  deliverers  the  army  of  Beli- 
sarius,  the  general  of  Justinian. 

The  testimony  of  D'Aubigne  (Reformation,  book  1,  chap. 
1),  also  throws  light  upon  the  undercurrents  which  gave  shape 
to  outward  movements  in  these  eventful  times.  He  says: 
"  Princes  whom  these  stormy  times  often  shook  upon  their 
thrones,  offered  their  protection  if  Rome  would  in  its  turn 
support  them.  They  conceded  to  her  the  spiritual  authority, 
])rovided  she  would  make  a  return  in  secular  power.  They 
were  lavish  of  the  souls  of  men,  in  the  hope  that  she  would 
aid  them  against  their  enemies.  The  power  of  the  hierarchy, 
which  was  ascending,  and  the  imperial  jiower,  which  was  de- 
clining, leaned  thus  one  upon  the  other,  and  by  this  alliance 
accelerated  their  twofold  destiny.  Rome  could  not  lose  by  it. 
An  edict  of  Theodosius  II  and  of  Valerian  III  proclaimed 
the  Roman  bishop  '  rector  of  the  whole  church.'  Justinian 
published  a  similar  decree." 

But  no  decree  of  this  nature  could  be  carried  into  effect 
until  the  Arian  horns  which  stood  in  its  way  were  plucked 
up.  The  Vandals  fell  before  the  victorious  arms  of  I)elisarius 
in  534;  and  the  Goths,  retiring,  left  him  in  undisputed  posses- 
sion of  Rome  in  538.      (Gibbon's  Rome,  chap.  41.) 

Procopius  relates  that  the  African  war  was  undertaken  by 
Justinian  for  the  relief  of  the  Christians  (Catholics)  in  that 
quarter;  and  that  when  he  expressed  his  intention  in  this  re- 
spect, the  prefect  of  the  palace  came  very  near  dissuading  him 
from  liis  jnirpose;  but  a  dream  appeared  to  him  in  which  he 
was  l)i(lden  ''not  to  shrink  from  the  execution  of  his  design; 
tor  l)y  assisting  the  Christians  he  would  overthrow  the  power 
of  the  Vandals."  —  Eraf/rtiis's  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  Jf, 
chap.  16. 

Listen  again  to  Alosheim:  "  It  is  true  that  the  Greeks  M'ho 
had  received  the  decrees  of  the  Council  of  Nicaea  [that  is,  the 
Catholics],  persecuted  and  o]>pressed  the  Arians  wherever  their 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  23-26  177 

influence  and  authority  could  reach ;  but  the  Nicenians,  in 
their  turn,  were  not  less  rigorously  treated  by  their  adversa- 
ries [the  Arians],  particularly  in  Africa  and  Italy,  where  they 
felt,  in  a  very  severe  manner,  the  weight  of  the  Arian  power, 
and  the  bitterness,  of  hostile  resentment.  The  triumphs  of 
Arianism  Avere,  however,  transitory,  and  its  prosperous  days 
were  entirely  eclipsed  when  the  Vandals  were  driven  out  of 
Africa,  and  the  Goths  out  of  Italy,  by  the  arms  of  Justinian." 
—  Moslieim's  Church  History,  cent.  6,  part  2,  chap.  5,  sec.  .3. 

Elliott,  in  his  Horse  Apocalypticse,  makes  two  enumerations 
of  the  ten  kingdoms  which  rose  out  of  the  Roman  empire,  vary- 
ing the  second  list  from  the  first  according  to  the  changes 
which  had  taken  jilace  at  the  later  period  to  which  the  second 
list  applies.  His  first  list  differs  from  that  mentioned  in  re- 
marks on  chap.  2  :  42,  only  in  that  he  put  the  Alemanni  in  place 
of  the  Iluns,  and  the  Bavarians  in  place  of  the  Lombards,  a 
variation  which  can  be  easily  accounted  for.  But  out  of  this 
list  he  names  the  three  that  were  plucked  up  before  the  papacy, 
in  these  words :  "  I  might  cite  three  that  were  eradicated  from 
before  the  pope  out  of  the  list  first  given;  namely,  the  Heriill 
under  Odoacer,  the  Vandals,  and  the  Ostrogoths."  —  Vol.  Ill, 
p.  152,  note  1. 

Although  he  prefers  the  second  list,  in  which  he  puts  the 
Lombards  instead  of  the  Heruli,  the  foregoing  is  good  testi- 
mony that  if  we  make  the  enumeration  of  the  ten  kingdoms 
while  the  Heruli  were  a  ruling  power,  they  were  one  of  the 
horns  which  were  j)l^^icked  up. 

From  the  historical  testimony  above  cited,  we  think  it 
clearly  established  that  the  three  horns  plucked  up  were  the 
powers  named  ;  viz.,  the  Heruli  in  a.  d.  493,  the  Vandals  in 
534,  and  the  Ostrogoths  in  538. 

1.  "  He  shall  speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High." 
Has  the  papacy  done  this  ?  Look  at  a  few  of  the  pope's  self- 
assumed  titles:  "Vicegerent  of  the  Son  of  God,"  "Our  Lord 
God,  the  Pope,"  "  Another  God  upon  earth,"  "  King  of  the 
Avorld,"  "  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords."  Said  Pope  TsTich- 
olas  to  Emperor  ]\Iichael,  ^''  The  pope,  who  is  called  God  by 
Constantine,  can  never  be  bound  or  released  l)y  man;  for  God 


178  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

can  ]iot  he  judged  by  man.''  Is  there  need  of  bolder  blas- 
phemy than  this  i  Listen  also  to  the  adulation  the  popes  have 
received  from  their  followers  Avithont  rebuke.  A  Venetian 
prelate,  in  the  fourth  session  of  the  Lateran,  addressed  the 
pope  as  follows:  "Thou  art  our  Shepherd,  our  Physician, 
in  short,  a  second  God  upon  earth."  Another  bishop  called 
him  ''  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  promised  Saviour." 
Lord  Anthony  Pucci,  in  the  fifth  Lateran,  said  to  the  pope, 
''  The  sight  of  thy  divine  majesty  does  not  a  little  terrify 
me;  for  I  am  not  ignorant  that  all  power  both  in  heaven  and 
in  earth  is  given  unto  you;  that  the  prophetic  saying  is  ful- 
filled in  you,  '  All  the  kings  of  the  earth  shall  worship  him, 
and  nations  shall  serve  him.'"  (See  Oswald's  Kingdom 
Which  Shall  Xot  Be  Destroyed,  pp.  97-00.)  Again,  Dr. 
Clarke,  on  verse  25,  says:  "'Lie  shall  speak  as  if  he  were 
God.'  So  St.  Jerome  quotes  from  Symmachus.  To  none 
can  this  apply  so  well  or  so  fully  as  to  the  popes  of  Kome. 
They  have  assumed  infallibility,  which  belongs  only  to  God. 
They  profess  to  forgive  sins,  which  belongs  only  to  God.  They 
profess  to  open  and  shut  heaven,  which  belongs  only  to  God. 
They  profess  to  be  higher  than  all  the  kings  of  the  earth,  which 
belongs  only  to  God.  And  they  go  beyond  God  in  pretending 
to  loose  Avhole  nations  from  their  oath  of  allegiance  to  their 
kings,  when  such  kings  do  not  please  them.  And  they  go 
against  God  when  they  give  indulgences  for  sin.  This  is  the 
worst  of  all  blasphemies." 

2.  "And  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High." 
Has  the  papacy  done  this?  For  the  mere  information  of  any 
student  of  church  history,  no  answer  need  here  be  given.  All 
know  that  for  long  years  the  papal  church  has  ]uirsued  its  re- 
lentless work  against  the  true  followers  of  God.  Chapter 
after  chapter  might  be  given,  would  our  limited  space  permit. 
Wars,  crusades,  massacres,  inquisitions,  and  persecutions  of 
all  kinds, —  these  were  their  weapons  of  extinction. 

Scott's  Church  History  says:  "No  computation  can  reach 
the  numbers  who  have  been  put  to  death,  in  different  w^ays, 
on  account  of  their  maintaining  the  profession  of  the  gospel, 
and  opposing  the  corruptions  of  the  Church  of  "Rome.      A  mil- 


PROMINENT      MARTYRS 
"v1»./  he  Khnll    „■,'„,■  ,,„!    I,;,-  s„i:ils   „/  Ihr   .l/,,s7    llijity     IXin.  7;  ^J. 
Kor  blogr.ii  lilcal  sketr'ic:;,  s.-c  ApimmkIIn. 


CHAPTER  7.  VERSES  28-26  181 

lion  of  poor  Waldenses  perished  in  Franco ;  nine  hundred  thou- 
sand orthodox  Christians  were  slain  in  less  than  thirty  years 
after  the  institution  of  the  order  of  the  Jesuits.  The  Duke 
of  Alva  boasted  of  having  put  to  death  in  the  Netherlands 
thirty-six  thousand  by  the  hand  of  the  common  executioner 
during  the  space  of  a  few  years.  The  Inquisition  destroyed, 
by  various  tortures,  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  within 
thirty  years.  These  are  a  few  specimens,  and  but  a  few,  of 
those  which  history  has  recorded.  But  the  total  amount  will 
never  be  known  till  the  earth  shall  disclose  her  blood,  and 
no  more  co\'er  her  slain." 

Commenting  on  the  prophecy  that  the  little  horn  should 
"  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,"  Barnes,  in  his  Xotes 
on  Dan.  7:  25,  says:  "  Can  any  one  doubt  that  this  is  true  of 
the  papacy  ?  The  Inquisition,  the  persecutions  of  the  Wal- 
denses, the  ra\-ages  of  the  Duke  of  Alva,  the  fires  of  Smith- 
field,  the  tortures  of  Goa, —  indeed,  the  whole  history  of  the 
papacy,  may  be  appealed  to  in  proof  that  this  is  applicable  to 
that  power.  If  anything  could  have  worn  out  the  saints  of 
the  Most  High, —  could  have  cut  them  off  from  the  earth  so 
that  evangelical  religion  would  have  become  extinct, —  it  would 
have  been  the  persecutions  of  the  papal  power.  In  the  year 
1208  a  crusade  was  proclaimed  by  Pope  Innocent  III  against 
the  Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  in  which  a  million  men  per- 
ished. From  the  beginning  of  the  order  of  Jesuits  in  the 
year  1540  to  1580,  nine  hundred  thousand  were  destroyed. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  perished  by  the  Inquisition  in 
thirty  years.  In  the  Low  Countries  fifty  thousand  persons  were 
hanged,  beheaded,  burned,  or  buried  alive,  for  the  crime  of 
heresy,  within  the  space  of  thirty-eight  years  from  the  edict  of 
Charles  V  against  the  Protestants  to  the  peace  of  Chateau 
Cambresis  in  1550.  Eighteen  thousand  suffered  by  the  hand 
of  the  executioner  in  the  space  of  five  years  and  a  half,  during 
the  administration  of  the  Duke  of  Alva.  Indeed,  the  slight- 
est acquaintance  with  the  history  of  the  papacy  will  convince 
any  one  that  what  is  here  said  of  '  making  war  with  the  saints  ' 
(verse  21),  and  'wearing  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High' 
(verse  25),  is  strictly  applicable  to  that  power,  and  will  accu- 
12 


Ig2  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

rately  describe  its  history."  (See  Buck's  Theological  Diction- 
ary, art.,  Persecutions;  Oswald's  Kingdom,  etc.,  pp.  107  - 133; 
Bowling's  History  of  Romanism;  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs; 
Charlotte  Elizabeth's  Martyrology;  The  ^Yars  of  the  Hugue- 
nots; The  Great  Red  Dragon,  by  Anthony  Gavin,  formerly 
one  of  the  Roman  Catholic  priests  of  Saragossa,  Spain;  His- 
tories of  the  Reformation,  etc.) 

To  parry  the  force  of  this  damaging  testimony  from  all  his- 
tory, papists  deny  that  the  church  has  ever  persecuted  any  one ; 
it  has  been  the  secular  power;  the  church  has  only  passed 
decision  upon  the  question  of  heresy,  and  then  turned  the 
offenders  over  to  the  civil  power,  to  be  dealt  with  according  to 
the  pleasure  of  the  secular  court.  The  impious  hypocrisy  of 
this  claim  is  transparent  enough  to  make  it  an  absolute  insult 
to  common  sense.  In  those  days  of  persecution,  what  was 
the  secular  power  ?  —  Simply  a  tool  in  the  hand  of  the  church, 
and  under  its  control,  to  do  its  bloody  bidding.  And  when 
the  church  delivered  its  prisoners  to  the  executioners  to  be  de- 
stroyed, with  fiendish  mockery  it  made  use  of  the  following 
formula :  '"And  we  do  leave  thee  to  the  secular  arm,  and  to 
the  power  of  the  secular  court;  but  at  the  same  time  do  most 
earnestly  beseech  that  court  so  to  moderate  its  sentence  as  not 
to  touch  thy  blood,  nor  to  put  thy  life  in  any  sort  of  danger." 
And  then,  as  intended,  the  unfortunate  victims  of  popish  hate 
were  immediately  executed.  (Geddes's  Tracts  on  Popery; 
View  of  the  Court  of  Inquisition  in  Portugal,  p.  446 ;  Lim- 
borch.  Vol.  II,  p.  289.) 

But  the  false  claims  of  papists  in  this  respect  have  been 
flatly  denied  and  disproved  by  one  of  their  own  standard  writ- 
ers, Cardinal  Bellarmine,  who  Avas  born  in  Tuscany  in  1542, 
and  who,  after  his  death  in  1(121,  came  very  near  being  placed 
in  the  calendar  of  saints  on  account  of  his  great  services  in 
behalf  of  popery.  This  man,  on  one  occasion,  under  the  sjour 
of  controversy,  betrayed  himself  into  an  admission  of  the  real 
facts  in  the  case.  Luther  having  said  that  the  church  (mean- 
ing the  true  church)  never  burned  heretics,  Bellarmine,  un- 
derstanding it  of  the  Romish  Church,  made  answer:  "This 
argument  proves  not  the  sentiment,  l>ut  the  ignorance  or  im- 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  23-26  183 

pudence  of  Luther;  for  as  almost  an  infinite  numher  were 
either  burned  or  otherwise  put  to  death,  Luther  either  did  not 
know  itj  and  was  therefore  ignorant ;  or  if  he  knew  it,  he  was 
convicted  of  impudence  and  falsehood ;  for  that  heretics  were 
often  burned  by  the  church,  may  be  proved  by  adducing  a  few 
from  many  examples." 

To  show  the  relation  of  the  secular  power  to  the  church,  as 
held  by  Komanists,  we  quote  the  answer  of  the  same  writer  to 
the  argument  that  the  only  weapon  committed  to  the  church 
is  "  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Avord  of  God."  To 
this  he  replied :  "As  the  church  has  ecclesiastical  and  secular 
princes,  who  are  her  two  arms,  so  she  has  two  swords,  the 
spiritual  and  material;  and  therefore  when  her  right  hand  is 
unable  to  convert  a  heretic  Avith  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  she 
invokes  the  aid  of  the  left  hand,  and  coerces  heretics  with  the 
material  sword."  In  answer  to  the  argument  that  the  apostles 
never  invoked  the  secular  arm  against  heretics,  he  says,  "  The 
apostles  did  it  not,  because  there  was  no  Christian  prince  whom 
tliy  could  call  on  for  aid.  But  afterward,  in  Constantine's 
time,  .  .  ^  the  church  called  in  the  aid  of  the  secular  arm." 
—  Dowling's  History  of  Bomanism,  pp.  5^7,  5J^8. 

In  corroboration  of  these  facts,  fifty  million  martyrs  • — 
this  is  the  lowest  computation  made  by  any  historian  —  Avill 
rise  up  in  the  judgment  as  witnesses  against  her  bloody 
work. 

Pagan  Rome  persecuted  relentlessly  the  Christian  church, 
and  it  is  estimated  that  three  million  Christians  perished  in 
the  first  three  centuries,  yet  it  is  said  that  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians prayed  for  the  continuance  of  imperial  Rome;  for  they 
knew  that  when  this  form  of  government  should  cease,  another 
far  Avorse  persecuting  power  Avould  arise,  Avhich  would  literally, 
as  this  prophecy  declares,  "  Avear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High."  Pagan  Pome  could  slay  the  infants,  but  spare  the 
mothers;  but  papal  Pome  sIcav  both  mothers  and  infants  to- 
gether. ISTo  age,  no  sexj  no  condition  in  life,  Avas  exem]^t  from 
her  relentless  rage.  "  AMien  Herod  died,"  says  a  forcible 
Avriter,  "he  Avent  doAvn  to  the  graA^e  AA'ith  infamy;  and  earth 
had  one  murderer,   one  persecutor,   less,    and  boll   one  victim 


1S4  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

more.      O  Kome!  what  will  not  be  tliv  hell,  and  that  of  thy 
votaries,  when  thy  judgment  shall  have  come !  '" 

3.  ^Vnd  shall  "  think  to  change  times  and  laws."  Y/hat 
laws  and  whose  ?  Xot  the  laws  of  other  earthly  governments ; 
for  it  was  nothing  marvelous  or  strange  for  one  power  to  change 
the  laws  of  another,  Avhenever  it  could  bring  such  power  under 
its  dominion.  Xot  human  laws  of  any  kind ;  for  the  little  horn 
had  power  to  change  these  so  far  as  its  jurisdiction  extended; 
but  the  times  and  laws  in  question  were  such  as  this  power 
should  only  think  to  change,  but  not  be  able  to  change.  They 
are  the  laws  of  the  same  Being  to  whom  the  saints  belong  who 
are  worn  out  by  this  power ;  namely,  the  laws  of  the  Most  High. 
And  has  the  papacy  attempted  this  I  —  Yes,  even  this.  It 
has,  in  its  catechisms,  expunged  the  second  commandment  of 
the  decalogue  to  make  way  for  its  adoration  of  images.  It 
has  divided  the  tenth  commandment  to  make  up  the  number 
ten.  And,  more  audacious  than  all!  it  has  taken  hold  of  the 
fourth  commandment,  torn  from  its  place  the  Sabbath  of  Je- 
hovah, the  only  memorial  of  the  great  God  ever  given  to  man, 
and  erected  in  its  place  a  rival  institution  to  serve  another 
purpose.  ^ 

4.  "And  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hand  until  a  time  and 
times  and  the  dividing  of  time."  The  pronoun  tlicy  embraces 
the  saints,  the  times,  and  the  laws  just  mentioned.  How  long 
a  time  were  they  to  be  given  into  the  hands  of  this  power  ?  A 
time,  as  Ave  haA^e  seen  from  chapter  4:23,  is  one  year;  tAvo 
times,  the  least  that  could  be  denoted  by  the  plural,  two  years, 
and  the  dividing  of  time,  or  half  a  time  (Sept.,  ■^fua-v,)  half  a 
year.  Gesenius  also  gives  "  3  >'2,  Chald.,  a  half.  Dan.  7  :  25." 
^Ye  thus  have  three  years  and  a  half  for  the  continuance  of  this 
poAver.  The  HebreAV,  or  rather  the  Chaldaic,  Avord  for  time 
in  the  text  before  us,  is  l"!^,  iddan,  Avhicli  Gesenius  defines 
thus:  "Time.  Spec,  in  prophetic  language  for  a  T/crtr.  Dan. 
Y:25,  ]1^.  :^5T  p^^l  p;;""!^  for  a  year,  also  two  years 
and  liaJf  a  year;  i.  e.,  for  three  years  and  a  half;  comp.  Jos. 
B.  J.   1.   1.   1."      AYe  must  now  consider  that  Ave  are  in  the 


"See   Catholic   catechisms,   atifi    tht    work   entitleil.    "  Wlin   Changed    tlie    Sahbath?  " 
and   works   on   the    Sabbath   and    Law   published   by    the    i)ublislicrs   of   this   book. 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  23-26  185 

midst  of  symbolic  prophecy ;  hence  in  this  measurement  the 
time  is  not  literal,  but  symbolic  also.  The  inquiry  then  arises, 
How  long  a  period  is  denoted  by  the  three  years  and  a  half  of 
prophetic  time  ^  The  rule  given  us  in  the  Bible  is,  that  when 
a  day  is  used  as  a  symbol,  it  stands  for  a  year.  Eze.  4:0; 
Num.  14:34.  Under  the  Hebrew  word  for  day,  ^]*>  (yom), 
Gesenius  has  this  remark:  '^  3.  Sometimes  D''?5^  [Ya)ni})i^ 
marks  a  definite  space  of  time;  viz.,  a  year;  as  also  Syr.  and 
Chald.  I^)/  [_idddn]  denotes  both  time  and  year;  and  as  in 
English  several  words  signifying  time,  weight,  measure,  are 
likewise  used  to  denote  certain  specified  times,  weights,  and 
measures.''  The  ordinary  Jewish  year,  which  must  be  used 
as  the  basis  of  reckoning,  contained  three  hundred  and  sixty 
days.  Three  years  and  a  half  contained  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  days.  As  each  day  stands  for  a  year,  Ave  have  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  years  for  the  continuation  of  the  supremacy 
of  this  horn.  Did  the  papacy  possess  dominion  that  length  of 
time  ?  The  answer  again  is,  Yes.  The  edict  of  the  emperor 
Justinian,  dated  a.  d.  533,  made  the  bishop  of  Rome  the  head 
of  all  the  churches.  But  this  edict  could  not  go  into  effect 
until  the  Arian  Ostrogoths,  the  last  of  the  throe  horns  that 
were  plucked  up  to  make  room  for  the  papacy,  were  driven 
from  Rome ;  and  this  was  not  accomplished,  as  already  shown, 
till  A.  D.  538.  The  edict  Avould  have  been  of  no  effect  had 
this  latter  event  not  been  accomplished ;  hence  from  this  latter 
year  we  are  to  reckon,  as  this  was  the  earliest  point  where  the 
saints  were  in  reality  in  the  hand  of  this  power.  From  this 
point  did  the  papacy  hold  supremacy  for  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  years  ?  — Exactly.  For  538  +  1200  =  1798;  and  in 
the  year  1798,  Berthier,  with  a  French  army,  entered  Rome, 
proclaimed  a  republic,  took  the  pope  prisoner,  and  for  a  time 
abolished  the  papacy.  It  has  never  since  enjoyed  the  jirivi- 
leges  and  immunities  which  it  possessed  before.  Thus  again 
this  power  fulfils  to  the  very  letter  the  specifications  of  the 
prophecy,  Avhich  proves  beyond  question  that  the  application  is 
correct. 

After  describing  the  terrible  career  of  the  little  horn,  and 
stating  that  the  saints  should  be  given  into  his  hand  for  1200 


186  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

years,  bringing  us  down  to  1708,  verse  '2()  declares:  "  But  the 
judgment  shall  sit,  and  thej  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to 
consume  and  to  destroy  it  unto  the  end."  In  verse  10  of  the 
same  chapter  we  have  substantially  the  same  expression  relative 
to  the  judgment:  "  The  judgment  was  set."  It  would  seem 
consistent  to  suppose  that  the  same  judgment  is  referred  to  in 
both  instances.  But  the  sublime  scene  described  in  verse  10 
is  the  opening  of  the  investigative  Judgment  in  the  sanctuary 
in  heaven,  as  will  ap})ear  in  remarks  on  Dan.  8:14  and  9:25- 
27.  The  opening  of  this  judgment  scene  is  located  by  the 
prophecy  at  'the  close  of  the  great  prophetic  period  of  2300 
years,  which  terminated  in  184-4.  (See  under  chapter  9: 
25  -27.)  Four  years  after  this,  in  1818,  the  great  revolution 
which  shook  so  many  thrones  in  Europe,  dro\-e  the  ])ope  also 
from  his  dominions.  His  restoration  shortly  after  was  through 
the  force  of  foreign  bayonets,  by  which  alone  he  was  upheld  till 
his  final  loss  of  temporal  power  in  1870.  The  overthrow  of  the 
papacy  in  1798  marked  the  conclusion  of  the  prophetic  period 
of  1260  years,  and  constituted  the  "  deadly  wound  "  prophesied 
in  Eev.  13:  3,  to  come  upon  this  power;  but  this  deadly  wound 
was  to  be  "healed."  In  1800  another  pope  was  elected;  his 
palace  and  temporal  dominion  Ave  re  restored,  and  every  pre- 
rogative except,  as  Mr.  Croly  says,  that  of  a  systematic  perse- 
cutor, was  again  under  his  control ;  and  thus  the  wound  was 
healed.  But  since  1870,  he  has  enjoyed  no  prestige  as  a 
temporal  prince,    among   the   nations   of  the   earth. 

Verse  27.  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of 
the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  king- 
dom, and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him.  28.  Hitherto  is 
the  end  of  the  matter.  As  for  me  Daniel,  my  cogitations  much 
troubled  me,  and  my  countenance  changed  in  me:  but  I  kept  the 
matter  in  my  heart. 

After  beholding  the  dark  and  desolate  picture  of  papal 
oppression  n])on  the  church,  the  ])rophet  is  ])evmitted  once 
more  to  turn  his  eyes  upon  the  glorious  period  of  the  saints' 
rest,  when  they  shall  have  the  kingdom,  free  from  all  oppres- 
sive powers,  in  everlasting  possession.  ITow  could  the  children 
of  God  keep  heart  in  this  present  evil  world,  amid  tlie  misrule 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  21,  28  18Y 

and  oppression  of  the  governiuents  of  earth,  and  the  abomina- 
tions that  are  done  in  the  land,  if  they  could  not  look  forward 
to  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  return  of  their  Lord,  with  full 
assurance  that  the  promises  concerning  them  both  shall  cer- 
tainly be  fulfilled,  and  that  speedily  \ 

Note. —  Some  startling  events  relative  to  the  papacy,  filling  up 
the  prophecies  uttered  in  this  chapter  concerning  that  power,  have 
taken  place  within  a  few  years  of  the  present  time.  Commencing  in 
1798,  where  the  first  great  blow  fell  upon  the  papacy,  what  have  been 
the  chief  characteristics  of  its  history?  Answer:  The  rapid  defec- 
tion of  its  natural  svipporters,  and  greater  assumptions  on  its  own 
part.  In  1844,  the  judgment  of  verse  10  began  to  sit;  namely,  the 
investigative  judgment,  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  preparatory  to  the 
coming  of  Christ.  Dec.  8,  1854,  the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception was  decreed  by  the  pope.  July  21,  1870,  in  the  great  Ecumen- 
ical Council  assembled  at  Rome,  it  was  deliberately  decreed,  by  a  vote 
of  538  against  2,  that  the  pope  was  infallible.  In  the  same  year, 
France,  by  whose  bayonets  the  pope  was  kept  upon  his  throne,  was 
crushed  by  Prussia,  and  the  last  prop  was  taken  from  under  the  pa- 
pacy. Then  Victor  Emmanuel,  seeing  his  opportunity  to  carry  out 
the  long-cherished  dream  of  a  united  Italy,  seized  Rome  to  make  it 
the  capital  of  his  kingdom.  To  his  troops,  under  General  Cadorna, 
Rome  surrendered,  Sept.  20,  1870.  The  pope's  temporal  power  was 
thus  wholly  taken  away,  nevermore,  said  Victor  Emmanuel,  to  be  re- 
stored; and  since  that  time,  the  popes,  shutting  themselves  up  in  the 
Vatican,  have  styled  themselves  "  prisoners."  Because  of  the  great 
words  which  the  horn  uttered,  Daniel  saw  the  beast  destroyed,  and 
given  to  the  burning  flame.  This  destruction  is  to  take  place  at  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  a«id  by  means  of  that  event ;  for  the  man  of 
sin  is  to  be  consumed  by  tlie  spirit  of  Christ's  mouth,  and  destroyed 
by  the  brightness  of  his  coming.  2  Thess.  2 :  8,  What  words  could 
be  more  arrogant,  presumptuous,  blasphemous,  or  insulting  to  high 
Heaven,  than  the  deliberate  adoption  of  the  dogma  of  infallibility, 
thus  clothing  a  mortal  man  with  a  prerogative  of  the  Deity?  And 
this  was  accomplished  by  papal  intrigue  and  influence,  July  21,  1870. 
Following  in  swift  succession,  the  last  vestige  of  temporal  power  was 
wrenched  from  his  grasp.  It  was  because  of  these  words,  and  as  if 
in  almost  immediate  connection  with  them,  that  the  propbet  saw  this 
power  given  to  the  burning  flame.  His  dominion  was  to  be  consumed 
unto  the  end,  implying  that  when  his  power  as  a  civil  ruler  should  be 
wholly  destroyed,  the  end  would  not  be  far  off.  And  the  prophet 
immediately  adds:  "And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the 
people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High."  All  in  this  line  of  prophecy 
has  now  been  fully  accomplished  except  the  closing  scene.  Next 
comes  the  last,  cro^niing  act  in  the  drama,  when  the  beast  will  be 
given  to  the  burning  flame,  and  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  will  take 
the  kingdom.  We  must  be,  now,  upon  the  very  threshold  of  this 
glorio^is  event. 


ME  (MMT^  nfflrmn  w 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

WE  now  come  once  more,"  says  Dr.  Clarke,  "to  the 
Hebrew,  the  Chaldee  part  of  the  book  being  finished. 
As  the  Chaldeans  had  a  particular  interest  both  in 
the  Jilstory  and  the  prophecies  from  chapter  2 :  4  to  the  end 
of  chapter  7,  the  whole  is  written  in  Chaldee :  but  as  the  proph- 
ecies which  remain  concern  times  posterior  to  the  Chaldean 
monarchy,  and  principally  relate  to  the  church  and  people  of 
God  generally,  they  are  written  in  the  Plebrew  language,  this 
being  the  tongue  in  which  God  chose  to  reveal  all  his  counsels 
given  under  the  Old  Testament  relative  to  the  Neio." 

Verse  1.  In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  king  Belshazzar  a  vision 
appeared  unto  nie,  even  unto  me  Daniel,  after  that  which  appeared 
unto  me  at  the  first. 

One  prominent  characteristic  of  the  sacred  writings,  and 
one  which  should  forever  shield  them  from  the  charge  of  being 
works  of  fiction,  is  the  frankness  and  freedom  with  which  the 
writers  state  all  the  circumstances  connected  with  that  which 
they  record.  This  verse  states  the  time  when  the  vision  re- 
corded in  this  chapter  was  given  to  Daniel.  The  first  year 
of  Belshazzar  was  b.  c.  540.  His  third  year,  in  which  this 
vision  was  given,  would  consequently  be  538.  If  Daniel,  as 
is  supposed,  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  was  car- 
(188) 


CHAPTER  S.  VERSES  1  -  J,  191 

ried  to  IJabyloii  in  the  lirst  year  of  Xebuchadnezzar,  b.  c. 
GOG,  he  was  at  this  time  about  eighty-eight  years  of  age.  The 
vision  he  speaks  of  as  the  one  "  Avhich  appeared  unto  him  at  the 
first/-  is  doubtless  the  vision  of  the  seventh  chapter,  which 
he  had  in  the  first  year  of  Belshazzar, 

Verse  2.  And  I  saw  in  a  vision ;  and  it  came  to  pass,  when  I  saw, 
that  I  was  at  Shushan  in  the  palace  which  is  in  the  province  of 
Elam;  and  I  saw  in  a  vision,  and  I  was  by  the  river  of  Ulai. 

As  verse  1  states  the  time  when,  this  verse  gives  the  place 
where,  the  vision  was  given.  Shushan,  as  we  learn  from 
Prideaux,  was  the  metropolis  of  the  province  of  Elam.  This 
Avas  then  in  the  hands  of  the  Babylonians,  and  there  the  king 
of  Babylon  had  a  royal  palace.  Daniel,  as  minister  of  state, 
and  employed  about  the  king's  business,  was  accordingly  in 
that  place.  Abradates,  viceroy  or  prince  of  Shushan,  revolted 
to  Cyrus,  and  the  province  was  joined  to  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians; so  that,  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  (21:2), 
Elam  went  up  with  the  ]\[edes  to  besiege  Babylon.  Under 
the  Medes  and  Persians  it  regained  its  liberties,  of  which  it 
had  been  de]n'ived  by  the  Babylonians,  according  to  the  projdi- 
ecy  of  Jeremiah,  chapter  4-9  :  39. 

Verse  3.  Then  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  saw,  and,  behold,  there 
stood  before  the  river  a  ram  which  had  two  horns ;  and  the  two  horns 
were  high;  but  one  was  higher  than  the  other,  and  the  higher  came 
up  last.  4.  I  saw  the  ram  pushing  westward,  and  northward,  and 
southward;  so  that  no  beasts  might  stand  before  him,  neither  was 
there  any  that  could  deliver  out  of  his  hand;  but  he  did  according 
to  his  will,  and  became  great. 

In  verse  20  an  interpretation  of  this  symbol  is  given  us  in 
plain  language :  "  The  ram  which  thou  sawest  having  two 
horns  are  the  kings  of  ]\[edia  and  Persia."  We  have  only, 
therefore,  to  consider  how  well  the  symbol  answers  to  the 
power  in  question.  The  two  horns  represented  the  two  na- 
tionalities of  \\'hich  the  empire  consisted.  The  higher  came 
up  last.  This  represented  the  Persian  element,  which,  from 
being  at  first  simply  an  ally  of  the  Medes,  came  to  be  the 
leading  division  of  the  empire.  The  different  directions  in 
which  the  ram  was  seen  pushing,  denote  the  directions  in  which 


192  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  Medes  and  Persians  carried  their  conquests.  Xo  earthly 
powers  could  stand  before  them  while  they  were  marching  up 
to  the  exalted  position  to  which  the  providence  of  God  had 
summoned  them.  And  so  successfully  were  their  conquests 
prosecuted  that  in  the  days  of  Ahasuerus  (Esther  1:1),  the 
Medo-Persian  kingdom  extended  from  India  to  Ethiopia,  the 
extremities  of  the  then  known  world,  over  a  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  provinces.  The  prophecy  almost  seems  to  fall 
short  of  the  facts  as  stated  in  history,  when  it  simply  says  that 
this  power  "  did  according  to  his  will,  and  became  great." 

Verse  5.  And  as  I  was  considering,  behold,  an  he-goat  came  from 
the  west  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  touched  not  the  ground : 
and  the  goat  had  a  notable  horn  between  his  eyes.  6.  And  he  came 
to  the  ram  that  had  two  horns,  which  I  had  seen  standing  before  the 
river,  and  ran  unto  him  in  the  fury  of  his  power.  7.  And  I  saw  him 
come  close  unto  the  ram,  and  he  was  moved  with  choler  against  him, 
and  smote  the  ram,  and  brake  his  two  horns ;  and  there  was  no  power 
in  the  ram  to  stand  before  him,  but  he  cast  him  down  to  the  ground, 
and  stamped  upon  him:  and  there  was  none  that  could  deliver  the 
ram  out  of  his  hand. 

"As  I  was  considering,"  says  the  prophet;  and  in  this  he 
sets  an  example  for  every  lover  of  the  truth,  and  all  who  have 
any  regard  for  things  higher  than  the  objects  of  time  and  sense. 
Wlien  Moses  saAV  the  burning  bush,  he  said,  "  I  will  now  turn 
aside,  and  see  this  great  sight."  But  hoAv  few  are  willing  at 
the  present  time  to  turn  aside  from  their  pursuit  of  business 
or  pleasure  to  consider  the  important  themes  to  which  both 
the  mercy  and  the  providence  of  God  are  striving  to  call  their 
attention. 

The  svmbol  here  introduced  is  also  explained  bv  the  an^el 
to  Daniel.  Verse  21  :  "And  the  rough  goat  is  the  king  [or 
kingdom]  of  Grecia."  Concerning  the  fitness  of  this  symbol 
to  the  Grecian  or  JMacedonian  people,  Bishop  Wewton  observes 
that  the  Macedonians,  "  about  two  hundred  years  before  the 
time  of  Daniel,  were  called  .Egeada^,  the  goats'  people;"  the 
origin  of  which  name  he  explains,  according  to  heathen  authors, 
as  follows :  "  Oaranus,  their  first  king,  going  with  a  great  mul- 
titude of  Greeks  to  seek  new  habitations  in  Macedonia,  was 
advised  by  an  oracle  to  take  the  goats  for  his  guides  to  empire; 


CHAPTER  8.  VERSES  5-7  195 

and  aftorward,  seeing  a  herd  of  goats  flying  from  a  violent 
storm,  lie  followed  tlienn  to  Edessa,  and  there  tixed  the  seat  of 
his  empire,  and  made  the  goats  his  ensigns,  or  standards,  and 
called  the  city  -Ega',  or  the  goats'  town,  and  the  people  ^-Egea- 
dse,  or  the  goats'  people."  "  The  city  of  ^Egese,  or  ^Ega?,  was 
the  usual  burying-place  of  the  Macedonian  kings.  It  is  also 
very  remarkable  that  Alexander's  son  by  Roxana  Avas  named 
Alexander  ^gus,  or  the  son  of  the  goat;  and  some  of  Alex- 
ander's successors  are  represented  in  their  coins  with  goats' 
liorns."  —  Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies,  p.  238. 

The  goat  came  from  the  west.      Grecia  lay  west  of  Persia. 

"  On  the  face  of  the  whole  earth."  He  covered  all  the 
ground  as  he  passed;  that  is,  swept  everything  before  him; 
he  left  nothing  behind. 

He  "  touched  not  the  ground."  Such  w^as  the  marvelous 
celerity  of  his  movements  that  he  did  not  seem  to  touch  the 
ground,  but  to  fly  from  point  to  point  with  the  swiftness  of 
the  wind;  the  same  feature  is  brought  to  view  by  the  four 
wings  of  the  leopard  in  the  vision  of  chapter  7. 

The  notable  horn  betw^een  his  eyes.  This  is  explained  in 
verse  21  to  be  the  first  king  of  the  Macedonian  empire.  This 
king  w^as  Alexander  the  Great. 

Verses  6  and  7  give  a  concise  account  of  tlie  overthrow  of 
the  Persian  empire  by  Alexander.  The  contests  between  the 
Greeks  and  Persians  are  said  to  have  been  exceedingly  furious; 
and  some  of  the  scenes  as  recorded  in  history  are  vividly 
brought  to  mind  by  the  figure  used  in  the  prophecy, —  a  ram 
standing  before  the  river,  and  the  goat  running  unto  him  in 
the  fury  of  his  power.  Alexander  first  vanquished  the  generals 
of  Darius  at  the  River  Granicus  in  Phrygia ;  he  next  attacked 
and  totally  routed  Darius  at  the  passes  of  Issus  in  Cilicia,  and 
afterward  on  the  plains  of  Arbela  in  Syria.  This  last  battle 
occurred  b.  c.  331,  and  marked  the  conclusion  of  the  Persian 
empire,  for  by  this  event  Alexander  became  complete  master 
of  the  whole  country.  Bishop  ISTewton  quotes  verse  6 :  "And 
he  [the  goat"]  came  to  the  ram  which  T  had  seen  standing  be- 
fore the  river,  and  ran  unto  him  in  the  fury  of  his  power;  " 
and  adds :    "  One  can  hardly  read  these  words  without  having 


196  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

some  image  of  Darius's  armj  standing  and  guarding  the  River 
Granicus,  and  of  Alexander  on  the  other  side,  with  his  forces 
plunging  in,  swimming  across  the  stream,  and  rusliing  on  the 
enemy  with  all  the  fire  and  fury  that  can  be  imagined."  —  Id., 
p.   239. 

Ptolemy  begins  the  reign  of  Alexander  b.  c.  332 ;  but  it 
was  not  till  the  battle  of  Arbela,  the  year  following,  that  he 
became,  according  to  Prideaux  (Vol.  1,  p.  378),  "  absolute 
lord  of  that  emj^ire  to  the  utmost  extent  in  Avhich  it  was  ever 
possessed  by  the  Persian  kings."  On  the  eve  of  this  engage- 
ment, Darius  sent  ten  of  his  chief  relatives  to  sue  for  peace ; 
and  upon  their  presenting  their  conditions  to  Alexander,  he  re- 
plied, "  Tell  your  sovereign  .  .  .  that  the  world  will  not  permit 
two  suns  nor  two  sovereigns !  " 

The  language  of  verse  7  sets  forth  the  completeness  of  the 
subjection  of  ]\Iedo-Persia  to  Alexander.  The  two  horns  were 
broken,  and  the  ram  was  cast  to  the  ground  and  stamped  upon. 
Persia  was  subdued,  the  country  ravaged,  its  armies  cut  to 
pieces  and  scattered,  its  cities  plundered,  and  the  royal  city  of 
Persepolis,  tlie  capital  of  the  Persian  empire,  and  even  in  its 
ruins  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world  to  the  present  day,  wa^ 
sacked  and  burned.  Thus  the  ram  had  no  power  to  stand 
before  the  goat,  and  there  was  none  that  could  deliver  him  out 
of  his  hand. 

Verse  8.  Therefore  tlie  he-goat  waxed  very  great :  and  when  he 
was  strong',  the  great  horn  was  broken;  and  for  it  came  up  four 
notable  ones  toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven. 

The  conqueror  is  greater  than  the  conquered.  The  ram, 
Medo-Persia,  became  great;  the  goat,  Grecia,  became  very 
great.  And  when  he  was  strong,  the  great  horn  Avas  broken. 
Human  foresight  and  speculation  would  have  said.  When  he 
becomes  weak,  his  kingdom  racked  by  rebellion,  or  paralyzed 
by  luxury,  then  the  horn  will  be  broken,  and  the  kingdom  shat- 
tered. But  Daniel  saw  it  broken  in  the  very  prime  of  its 
strength  and  the  height  of  its  power,  ^vhen  e\'ery  beholder 
would  have  exclaimed,  Surely,  tlie  kingdom  is  established,  and 
nothino:  can  overthrow  it.      Thus  it  is  often  with  the  wicked. 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  8  - 11  197 

The  liorn   of  their  strength   is   broken   when   they  think  they 
stand  most  firm. 

Alexander  fell  in  the  prime  of  life.  (See  notes  on  verse 
39  of  chapter  2.)  After  his  death  there  arose  much  confusion 
among  his  followers  respecting  the  succession.  It  was  finally 
agreed,  after  a  seven  days'  contest,  that  his  natural  brother, 
Philip  Aridgeus,  should  be  declared  king.  By  him,  and  Alex- 
ander's infant  sons,  Alexander  xEgus  and  Hercules,  the  name 
and  show  of  the  Macedonian  empire  were  for  a  time  sustained; 
but  all  these  persons  were  soon  murdered;  and  the  family  of 
Alexander  being  then  extinct,  the  chief  commanders  of  the 
army,  who  had  gone  into  different  parts  of  the  empire  as  gov- 
ernors of  the  provinces,  assumed  the  title  of  kings.  They 
thereupon  fell  to  leaguing  and  w^arring  wdth  one  another  to 
such  a  degree  that  within  the  short  space  of  fifteen  years  from 
Alexander's  death,  the  number  was  reduced  to  —  how  many  ? 
Five  ?  —  Xo.  Three  ?  —  ^o.  Two  ?  —  N"o.  But  four  —  just 
the  number  specified  in  the  prophecy ;  for  four  notable  horns 
were  to  come  up  toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven  in  place  of 
the  great  horn  that  was  broken.  These  were  (1)  Cassander, 
who  had  Greece  and  the  neighboring  countries;  (3)  Lysima- 
chus,  who  had  Asia  Minor;  (3)  Seleucus,  who  had  Syria  and 
Babylon,  and  from  whom  came  the  line  of  kings  known  as  the 
"  Seleucidse,"  so  famous  in  history;  and  (4)  Ptolemy,  son  of 
Lagus,  who  had  Egypt,  and  from  whom  sprang  the  "  Lagidse." 
These  held  dominion  toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven.  Cas- 
sander had  the  western  parts ;  Lysimachus  had  the  northern 
regions ;  Seleucus  possessed  the  eastern  countries ;  and  Ptolemy 
had  the  southern  portion  of  the  empire.  These  four  horns  may 
therefore  be  named  Macedonia,  Thrace  (which  then  included 
Asia  Minor,  and  those  parts  lying  on  the  Hellespont  and  Bos- 
phorus),  Syria,  and  Egypt. 

Verse  9.  And  out  of  one  of  them  came  forth  a  little  horn,  which 
waxed  exceeding  great,  toward  the  south,  and  toward  the  east,  and 
toward  the  pleasant  land.  10.  And  it  waxed  great,  even  to  the  host 
of  heaven;  and  it  cast  down  some  of  the  host  and  of  the  stars  to  the 
ground,  and  stamped  upon  them.  11.  Yea,  he  magnified  himself  even 
to  the  prince  of  the  host,  and  by  him  the  daily  sacrifice  was  taken 
awav,  and  the  place  of  his  sanctuary  was  cast  down.     12.  And  an  host 

'13  •  • 


198  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

was  given  him  against  the  daily  sacrifice  by  reason  of  transgression, 
and  it  cast  down  the  truth  to  the  ground;  and  it  practiced  and 
prospered. 

A  third  power  is  here  introduced  into  the  prophecy.  In 
the  explanation  which  the  angel  gave  to  Daniel  of  these  sym- 
bols, this  one  is  not  described  in  language  so  definite  as  that 
concerning  Medo-Persia  and  Grecia.  Hence  a  flood  of  wild 
conjecture  is  at  once  let  loose.  Had  not  the  angel,  in  language 
wdiich  cannot  be  misunderstood,  stated  that  Medo-Persia  and 
Grecia  were  denoted  by  the  ram  and  the  he-goat,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  tell  what  applications  men  would  have  given  its  of  those 
symbols.  Probably  they  would  have  applied  them  to  anything 
and  everything  but  the  right  objects.  Leave  men  a  moment 
to  their  own  judgment  in  the  interpretation  of  prophecy,  and 
we  immediately  have  the  most  sublime  exhibitions  of  human 
fancy. 

There  are  two  leading  applications  of  the  symbol  now  under 
consideration,  which  are  all  that  need  be  noticed  in  these  brief 
thoughts.  The  first  is  that  the  "  little  horn  "  here  introduced 
denotes  the  Syrian  king,  Antiochus  Epiphanes ;  the  second,  that 
it  denotes  the  Poman  power.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  test  the 
claims  of  these  two  positions. 

I.  Does  it  mean  Antiochus  ?  If  so,  this  king  must  fulfil 
the  specifications  of  the  prophecy  ?  If  he  does  not  fulfil  them, 
the  application  cannot  be  made  to  him.  The  little  horn  came 
out  of  one  of  the  four  horns  of  the  goat.  It  was  then  a  sepa- 
rate power,  existing  independently  of,  and  distinct  from,  anv 
of  the  horns  of  the  goat.      Was  Antiochus  such  a  power  ? 

1.  AMio  was  Antiochus?  From  the  time  that  Seleucus 
made  himself  king  over  the  Syrian  portion  of  Alexander's 
eiiipire,  thus  constituting  the  Syrian  horn  of  the  goat,  imtil  that 
country  was  conquered  by  the  Romans,  twenty-six  kings  rnled 
in  succession  over  that  territory.  The  eighth  of  these,  in  order, 
was  Antiochus  Epiphanes.  Antiochus,  then,  was  simply  one 
of  the  twenty-six  kings  who  constituted  the  Syrian  horn  of  the 
goat.  He  was,  for  the  time  being,  that  horn.  Hence  he 
could  not  be  at  the  same  time  a  separate  and  independent 
power,  or  another  and  remarkable  horn,  as  the  little  horn  was. 


-^- 


MACEDONIA     CONQUERED 
68 


EGYPT    B.C.  30. 


THE     LITTLE     HORN     OF     DANIEL    VI" 


CHAPTER  8.  VERSES  9  - 12  201 

2.  If  it  were  proj)er  to  apply  the  little  horn  to  any  one  of 
these  twenty-six  Syrian  kings,  it  should  certainly  be  applied  to 
the  most  powerful  and  illustrious  of  them  all ;  but  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  did  not  by  any  means  sustain  this  character.  Al- 
though he  took  the  name  Epiphanes,  that  is,  The  Illustrious, 
he  was  illustrious  only  in  name;  for  nothing,  says  Prideaux, 
on  the  authority  of  Polybius,  Livy,  and  Diodorus  Siculus,  could 
be  more  alien  to  his  true  character ;  for,  on  account  of  his  vile 
and  extravagant  folly,  some  thinking  him  a  fool  and  others  a 
madman,  they  changed  his  name  of  Epiphanes,  "  The  Illus- 
trious," into  Epimanes,  "  The  Madman." 

3.  Antiochus  the  Great,  the  father  of  Epiphanes,  being 
terribly  defeated  in  a  war  with  the  Romans,  was  enabled  to 
procure  peace  only  by  the  payment  of  a  prodigious  sum  of 
money,  and  the  surrender  of  a  portion  of  his  territory;  and, 
as  a  pledge  that  he  would  faithfully  adhere  to  the  terms  of 
the  treaty,  he  was  obliged  to  give  hostages,  among  whom  Avas 
this  very  Epiphanes,  his  son,  who  was  carried  to  Rome.  The 
Romans  ever  after  maintained  this  ascendency. 

4.  The  little  horn  waxed  exceeding  great ;  but  this  Antio- 
chus did  not  wax  exceeding  great ;  on  the  contrary,  he  did  not 
enlarge  his  dominion,  except  by  some  temporary  conquests  in 
Egypt,  which  he  immediately  relinquished  when  the  Romans 
took  the  part  of  Ptolemy,  and  commanded  him  to  desist  from 
his  designs  in  that  quarter.  The  rage  of  his  disappointed 
ambition  he  vented  upon  the  unoffending  Jews. 

5.  The  little  horn,  in  comparison  with  the  powers  that  pre- 
ceded it,  Avas  exceeding  great.  Persia  is  simply  called  great, 
though  it  reigned  over  a  hundred  and  tAventy-seven  proA'inces. 
Esther  1 :  1.  Grecia,  being  more  extensiA^e  still,  is  called  A^ery 
great.  N'oav  the  little  horn,  Avhicli  Avaxed  exceeding  great, 
must  surpass  them  both.  Hoav  absurd,  then,  to  apply  this  to 
.Vntiochus,  Avho  Avas  obliged  to  abandon  Egypt  at  the  dictation 
of  the  Romans,  to  Avhom  he  paid  enormous  sums  of  money  as 
tribute.  The  Religious  Encyclopedia  giA^es  us  this  item  of  his 
history:  '^  Finding  his  resources  exhausted,  he  resoh'ed  to  go 
into  Persia  to  Ica'v  tribute,  and  collect  large  sums  AA'hich  he  had 
agreed  to   pay  the   Romans."       It   cannot   take   long   for    any 


202  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

one  to  decide  the  question  wliicli  was  the  greater  jDOwer,  —  the 
one  which  evacuated  Egyj^t,  or  the  one  whicli  couinianded  that 
evacuation ;  tlie  one  which  exacted  trihute,  or  the  one  which 
was  compelled  to  pay  it. 

G.  The  little  horn  was  to  stand  up  against  the  Prince  of 
princes.  The  Prince  of  princes  here  means,  beyond  contro- 
versy, Jesus  Christ.  Dan.  9:25;  iVcts  3  ;  15  ;  Rev.  1 :  5.  But 
Antiochus  died  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  years  before  our 
Lord  was  born.  The  prophecy  cannot,  therefore,  apply  to  him  ; 
for  he  does  not  fulfil  the  specifications  in  one  single  particular. 
The  question  may  then  be  asked  how  any  one  has  ever  come 'to 
apply  it  to  him.  AVe  answer,  Romanists  talcp  that  view  to 
avoid  the  application  of  the  prophecy  to  themselves;  and  many 
Protestants  follow  them,  in  order  to  oppose  the  doctrine  that 
the  seconci  advent  of  Christ  is  now  at  hand. 

II.  It  has  been  an  easy  matter  to  show  that  the  little  horn 
does  not  denote  Antiochus.  It  will  be  just  as  easy  to  show 
that  it  does  denote  Rome. 

1.  The  field  of  vision  here  is  substantially  the  same  as  that 
covered  by  Xebuchadnezzar's  image  of  chapter  2,  and  Daniel's 
vision  of  chapter  7.  And  in  both  these  prophetic  delineations 
we  have  found  that  the  po^ver  which  succeeded  Grecia  as  the 
fourth  great  power,  was  Rome.  The  only  natural  inference 
would  be  that  the  little  horn,  the  power  which  in  this  vision 
succeeds  Grecia  as  an  "  exceeding  great  "  power,  is  also  Rome. 

2.  The  little  horn  comes  forth  from  one  of  the  horns  of  the 
goat.  How,  it  may  be  asked,  can  this  be  true  of  Rome  ?  It 
is  unnecessary  to  remind  the  reader  that  earthly  governments 
are  not  introduced  into  prophecy  till  they  become  in  some  way 
connected  with  the  ]ieople  of  God.  Rome  became  connected 
with  the  Jews,  the  ])eople  of  God  at  that  time,  by  the  fnmous 
Jewish  League,  v..  c.  IHL  1  Maccabees  8;  Josephus's  Antiq- 
uities, book  12,  chap.  10,  sec.  6;  Prideaux,  Vol.  II,  p.  IHG. 
But  seven  years  before  tliis,  that  is,  in  b.  o.  168,  Rome  had 
conquered  Macedonia,  and  made  that  country  a  part  of  its  em- 
pire. Rome  is  therefore  introduced  into  projJiecy  just  as, 
from  the  conquered  Macedonian  horn  of  the  goat,  it  is  going 
forth  to  new  conquests  in  other  directions.       It  therefore  ap 


CIIAPTEJi  i'.   \EBSES  U-U  20:j 

peareJ  to  tlic  propUcl,  or  iiiaj  be  properly  spoken  of  in  this 
prophecy,  as  coming  forth  from  one  of  the  horns  of  the  goat. 

3.  The  little  horn  waxed  great  toward  the  south.  This 
was  trne  of  Rome.  T^gypt  was  made  a  province  of  the  Roman 
empire  b.  c.  30,  and  continued  such  for  some  centuries. 

4.  The  little  horn  waxed  groat  toward  the  east.  This  also 
was  true  *)f  Rome.  Rome  conciuered  Syria  b.  c.  05,  and  made 
it  a  province. 

5.  The  little  horn  waxed  great  toward  the  pleasant  land. 
So  did  Rome.  Judea  is  called  the  pleasant  land  in  many 
scriptures.  The  Romans  made  it  a  province  of  their  empire, 
B.  c.  63,  and  eventually  destroyed  the  city  and  the  temple,  and 
scattered  the  Jews  o\'er  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

6.  The  little  horn  waxed  great  even  to  the  host  of  heaven. 
Rome  did  this  also.  The  host  of  heaven,  when  used  in  a 
symbolic  sense  in  reference  to  events  transpiring  upon  the 
earth,  must  denote  persons  of  illustrious  character  or  exalted 
position.  The  great  red  dragon  (Rev.  12:4)  is  said  to  have 
cast  down  a  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven  to  the  ground. 
The  dragon  is  ihere  interpreted  to  symbolize  pagan  Rome,  and 
the  stars  it  cast  to  the  ground  were  Jewish  rulers.  Evidently 
it  is  the  same  ])0wer  and  the  same  work  that  is  here  brought 
to  view,  which  again  nuikes  it  necessary  to  apply  this  growing 
horn  to  Rome. 

7.  The  little  horn  magnified  himself  even  to  the  Prince  of 
the  liost.  Rome  alone  did  this.  In  the  interpretation  (verse 
25)  this  is  called  standing  up  against  the  Prince  of  princes. 
How  clear  an  allusion  to  the  crucifixion  of  our  Lord  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Romans. 

8.  By  the  little  horn  the  daily  sacrifice  was  taken  away. 
This  little  horn  must  be  understood  to  symbolize  Rome  in  its 
entire  history,  including  its  two  phases,  pagan  and  papal. 
These  two  phases  are  elsewhere  spoken  of  as  the  "  daily " 
(sacrifce  is  a  supplied  word)  and  the  "  transgression  of  deso- 
lation;  "  the  daily  (desolation)  signifying  the  pagan  form, 
and  the  transgression  of  desolation,  the  papal.  (See  on  verse 
13.)  In  the  actions  ascribed  to  this  power,  sometimes  one 
form   is   spoken    of,    sometimes   the    othor.       "  Ry   him  "    (the 


204  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

papal  form)  "  the  daily  "  (the  pagan  form)  "  was  taken  away." 
Pagan  Kome  was  remodeled  into  papal  Home.  And  the  place 
of  his  sanctuary,  or  worship,  the  city  of  Rome,  was  cast  down. 
The  seat  of  government  was  removed  by  Constantine  in  a.  d. 
330  to  Constantinople.  This  same  transaction  is  brought  to 
view  in  Eev.  13 :  2,  where  it  is  said  that  the  dragon,  pagan 
Rome,  gave  to  the  beast,  papal  Rome,  his  seat,  the  city  of  Rome. 

y.  A  host  was  given  him  (the  little  horn)  against  the  daily. 
The  barbarians  that  subverted  the  Roman  empire  in  the 
changes,  attritions,  and  transformations  of  those  times,  be- 
came converts  to  the  Catholic  faith,  and  the  instruments  of 
the  dethronement  of  their  former  religion.  Though  conquer- 
ing Rome  politically,  they  were  themselves  vanquished  relig- 
iously by  the  theology  of  Rome,  and  became  the  perpetuators 
of  the  same  empire  in  another  phase.  And  this  was  brought 
about  by  reason  of  "  transgression ;  "  that  is,  by  the  working  of 
the  mystery  of  iniquity.  The  papacy  is  the  most  cunningly 
contrived,  false  ecclesiastical  system  ever  devised;  and  it  may 
be  called  a  system  of  iniquity  because  it  has  committed  its 
abominations  and.  practiced  its  orgies  of  superstition  in  the 
garb,  and  under  the  pretense,  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion. 

10.  The  little  horn  cast  the  truth  to  the  ground,  and  prac- 
ticed and  prospered.  This  describes,  in  few  words,  the  work 
and  career  of  the  papacy.  The  truth  is  by  it  hideously  carica- 
tured ;  it  is  loaded  with  traditions ;  it  is  turned  into  mummery 
and  superstition ;  it  is  cast  down  and  obscured. 

And  this  antichristian  power  has  ''practiced," — practiced 
its  deceptions  upon  the  people,  practiced  its  schemes  of  cunning 
to  carry  out  its  own  ends  and  aggrandize  its  own  power. 

And  it  has  "  prospered."  It  has  made  war  with  the  saints, 
and  prevailed  against  them.  It  has  run  its  allotted  career,  and 
is  soon  to  be  broken  without  hand,  to  be  given  to  the  burning 
flame,  and  to  perish  in  the  consuming  glories  of  the  second 
appearing  of  our  Lord. 

Rome  meets  all  the  specifications  of  the  prophecy.  No 
other  power  does  meet  them.  Hence  Rome,  and  no  other,  is 
the  power  in  question.  And  while  the  descriptions  given  in 
the  word  of  God  of  the  character  of  this  monstrous  svstem  are 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  9  -  U  205 

fully  met,  the  prophecies  of  its  baleful  history  have  been  most 
strikingly  and  accurately  fulfilled. 

Verse  13.  Then  I  heard  one  saint  speaking,  and  another  saint 
said  unto  that  certain  saint  whicli  spalie,  How  long  shall  be  the 
vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  the  transgression  of  desola- 
tion, to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host  to  be  trodden  under 
foot?  1-i.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hun- 
dred days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed. 

The  time.  These  two  verses  close  the  vision  proper  of 
chapter  8 ;  and  they  introduce  the  one  remaining  point  which 
of  all  others  would  naturally  be  of  the  most  absorbing  interest 
to  the  prophet  and  to  all  the  church ;  namely,  the  time  the 
desolating  powers  previously  brought  to  view  were  to  continue. 
How  long  shall  they  continue  their  course  of  oppression  against 
God's  people,  and  of  blasphemy  against  high  Heaven  ?  Daniel, 
if  time  had  been  given,  might  j^erhaps  have  asked  this  question 
himself,  but  God  is  ever  ready  to  anticipate  our  wants,  and 
sometimes  to  answer  even  before  we  ask.  Hence  two  celestial 
]>eings  a2:)pear  upon  the  scene,  holding  a  conversation,  in  the 
hearing  of  the  prophet,  upon  this  question  which  it  is  so  im- 
portant that  the  church  should  understand.  Daniel  heard  one 
saint  speaking.  AMiat  this  saint  spoke  at  this  time  we  are  not 
informed;  but  there  must  have  been  something  either  in  the 
matter  or  the  manner  of  this  speaking  which  made  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  the  mind  of  Daniel,  inasmuch  as  he  uses  it  in 
the  very  next  sentence  as  a  designating  title,  calling  the  angel 
''  that  certain  saint  which  spalie/'  He  may  have  spoken  some- 
thing of  the  same  nature  as  that  which  the  seven  thunders  of 
the  Apocalypse  uttered  (Eev.  10:  3),  and  which,  for  some  good 
reason,  John  was  restrained  from  writing.  But  another  saint 
asked  this  one  that  spake  an  important  question:  How  long 
the  vision  ?  and  both  the  question  and  the  answer  are  placed 
upon  record,  which  is  prima-facie  evidence  that  this  is  a  mat- 
ter which  it  was  designed  that  the  church  should  understand. 
And  this  view  is  further  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  the  angel 
did  not  ask  this  question  for  his  o-\\ti  information,  inasmuch 
as  the  answer  was  addressed  to  Daniel,  as  the  one  whom  it 
chiefly   concerned,    and   for   whose    information    it    Avas   given. 


20n  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

"And  lie  said  unto  me,"  said  Daniel,  recording:'  the  answer 
lo  the  angel's  question,  '*  Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hun- 
dred days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed." 

Tlie  daily  sacrifice.  AVe  have  proof  in  verse  13  that  sacri- 
fice is  the  wrong-  word  to  be  supplied  in  connection  with  the 
Avord  da  ill/.  If  the  dailv  sacrifice  of  the  Jewish  service  is  here 
meant,  or,  in  other  words,  the  taking  away  of  that  sacrifice,  as 
some  suppose,  which  sacrifice  was  at  a  certain  point  of  time 
taken  away,  there  would  be  no  propriety  in  the  question,  How 
long  the  vision  concerning  it  ?  This  question  evidently  implies 
that  those  agents  or  events  to  which  the  vision  relates,  occupy 
a  long  series  of  years.  Continuance  of  time  is  the  central  idea. 
And  the  whole  time  of  the  vision  is  filled  by  what  is  here  called 
the  daily  and  the  transgression  of  desolation.  Hence  the  daily 
cannot  be  the  daily  sacrifice  of  the  Jews,  the  taking  away  of 
which,  when  the  time  came  for  it,  occu]uod  comparatively  but 
an  instant  of  time.  It  must  denote  something  v.-hich  occupies 
a  series  of  years. 

The  word  here  rendered  dailt/  occurs  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, according  to  the  Hebrew  Concordance,  one  hundred  and 
two  times,  and  is  in  the  great  majority  of  instances,  rendered 
continued  or  confinualhj.  The  idea  of  sacrifice  does  not  attach 
to  the  word  at  all.  Xor  is  there  any  Avord  in  the  text  which  sig- 
nifies sacrifice ;  that  is  whc.lly  a  supplied  word,  the  translators 
putting  in  that  w(^rd  Avhich  their  understanding  of  the  text 
seemed  to  demand.  liut.they  evidently  entertained  an  erron;^- 
ous  view,  the  sacrifices  of  the  Jews  not  being  referred  to  at  all. 
It  appears,  therefore,  more  in  accordance  with  both  the  construc- 
tion and  the  context,  to  suppose  that  the  word  dailij  refers 
to  a  desolating  power,  like  the  ''  transgression  of  desolation," 
with  wliich  it  is  connected.  Then  we  have  two  desolating 
])owers,  wliich  for  a  long  period  o])])ress,  or  desolate  the  church. 
The  IIel)rcw,D^i^';;^^'Sni  Tann  justities  this  const niction ; 
the  last  word,  Dt?u',  desolation,  having  a  common  relation  to 
the  two  preceding  nouns,  the  j^erpetual  and  lhe  transgression, 
which  are  connected  by  the  conjunction  and.  laterally,  it  may 
be  rendered,  "  How  long  the  vision  [concerning]  the  continu- 
ance and  the  transu'ression  of  desolation  ?  "  the  word  desolation 


CHAPTER  S.   VEBSES  13.  1',  I'oT 

being  related  to  both  eijiitiiiuance  and  irausgression,  us  though 
it  were  expressed  in  full  thus :  "  The  continuance  of  desolation 
and  the  transgression  of  desolation."  Ijv  tlie  *'  continuance  of 
desolation,"  or  the  perpetual  desolation,  we  must  understand 
that  paganism,  through  all  its  long  history,  is  meant;  and  by 
"  the  transgression  of  desolation  "  is  meant  the  papacy.  The 
phrase  describing  this  latter  |)ower  is  stronger  than  that  used  to 
describe  paganism.  It  is  the  transgression  (or  rebellion,  as  the 
word  also  means)  of  desolation;  as  though  under  this  period  of 
the  history  of  the  church  the  desolating  power  had  roboll('(l 
against  all  restraint  previonsly  imposed  upon  it. 

From  a  religious  point  of  view,  the  world  has  i)resented 
only  these  two  phases  of  opposition  against  the  Lord's  work  in 
the  earth.  Hence  although  three  earthly  governments  are  in- 
troduced in  the  prophecy  as  oppressors  of  the  church,  they 
are  here  rauged  under  two  heads;  "  the  daily  "  and  the  "  trans- 
gression of  desolation."  —  Medo-Persia  was  pagan ;  Grecia  was 
pagan ;  Rome  in  its  first  phase  was  pagan ;  these  all  were  em- 
braced in  the  "  daily."  Then  comes  the  papal  form, —  the 
"'  transgression  of  desolation  " —  a  marvel  of  craft  and  cun- 
ning, an  incarnation  of  fiendish  blood-thirstiness  and  cruelty. 
Xo  wonder  the  cry  has  gone  up  from  suffering  martyrs,  from 
age  to  age.  How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long?  And  no  wonder 
the  Lord,  in  order  that  hope  might  not  wholly  die  out  of  the 
hearts  of  his  down-trodden,  waiting  people,  has  lifted  before 
them  the  vail  of  futurity,  showing  them  the  consecutive  events 
of  the  world's  history,  till  all  these  persecuting  powers  shall 
meet  an  utter  and  everlasting  destruction,  and  giving  them 
glimpses  beyond  of  tlie  nnfading  glories  of  their  eternal  in- 
heritance. 

The  Lord's  eye  is  upon  his  people.  The  furnace  will  be 
heated  no  hotter  than  is  necessary  to  consume  the  dross.  It  is 
thi'ough  much  tribulation  we  are  to  enter  the  kingdom ;  and  the 
word  trihulatlon  is  from  tnhuhn)],  a  tlireshing  sledge.  Blow 
after  blow  must  be  laid  upon  us,  till  all  the  wheat  is  beaten 
free  from  the  chaff,  and  we  are  made  fit  for  the  heavenly  gar- 
ner. But  not  a  kernel  of  -wheat  will  be  lost.  Says  the  Lord 
to  his  people.  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  Avorld,  the  salt   of  the 


208  PROFHECY  OF  DANIEL 

earth.  In  liis  eyes  there  is  nothing  else  on  the  earth  of  con- 
sequence or  importance.  Hence  the  peculiar  question  here 
asked,  How  long  the  vision  respecting  the  daily  and  the  trans- 
gression of  desolation  i  Concerning  A\-liat  I  —  the  glory  of 
earthly  kingdoms '(  the  skill  of  renowned  warriors  ?  the  fame 
of  mighty  con(|uerors  ?  the  greatness  of  human  empire?  —  'So; 
but  concerning  the  sanctuary  and  the  host,  the  people  and 
worship  of  the  Most  High.  How  long  shall  they  be  trodden 
under  foot  ?  Here  is  where  all  Heaven's  interest  and  sympathy 
are  enlisted.  He  who  touches  the  people  of  God,  touches  not 
mere  mortals,  weak  and  helj)less,  but  Omnipotence ;  he  opens 
an  account  which  must  be  settled  at  the  bar  of  Heaven.  And 
soon  all  these  accounts  will  be  adjusted,  the  iron  heel  of  oppres- 
sion will  itself  be  crushed,  and  a  jDcople  will  be  brought  out  of" 
the  furnace  prepared  to  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever.  To 
be  one  who  is  an  object  of  interest  to  heavenly  beings,  one  whom 
the  providence  of  God  is  engaged  to  preserve  while  here,  and 
crown  with  immortality  hereafter  —  what  an  exalted  position  I 
How  much  higher  than  that  of  any  king,  president,  or  potentate 
of  earth  ?      Reader,  are  you  one  of  the  number  ? 

Kespecting  the  2300  days,  introduced  for  the  first  time  in 
A'crse  14,  there  are  no  data  in  this  chapter  from  which  to  de- 
termine their  commencement  and  close,  or  tell  what  portion  of 
the  world's  history  they  cover.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  for 
the  present,  to  pass  them  by.  Let  the  reader  be  assured,  how- 
ever, that  we  are  not  left  in  any  uncertainty  concerning  those 
days.  The  declaration  respecting  them  is  a  part  of  a  revela- 
tion which  is  given  for  the  instruction  of  the  people  of  God, 
and  is  consequently  to  be  understood.  They  are  spoken  of 
in  the  midst  of  a  prophecy  which  the  angel  Gabriel  was  com- 
manded to  make  Daniel  understand ;  and  it  may  be  safely 
assumed  that  Gabriel  somewhere  carried  out  this  instruction. 
Tt  will  accordingly  be  found  that  the  mystery  which  hangs 
over  these  days  in  this  chapter,  is  dispelled  in  the  next. 

Tlie  sanciuary.  Connected  with  the  2300  days  is  another 
subject  of  equal  importance,  which  now  presents  itself  for 
consideration;  namely,  the  sanctuary;  and  with  this  is  also 
connected   the   subject  of  its   elean.sing.       An   examination   of 


CHAPTER  8.  VERSES  IS,  U  209 

these  subjects  will  iv\-eal  the  iiaportanee  of  having  an  under 
standing  of  the  commencement  and  termination  of  the  2300 
days,  that  we  may  know  when  the  great  event  called  "'  the 
cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  "  is  to  transpire ;  for  all  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  earth,  as  will  in  due  time  appear,  have  a  personal 
interest  in  that  solemn  work. 

Several  objects  have  been  claimed  by  different  ones  as  the 
sanctuary  here  mentioned:  (1)  The  earth;  (2)  The  land  of 
Canaan;  (3)  The  church;  (4)  The  sanctuary,  the  "true  tab- 
ernacle, which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man,"  which  is  "  in 
the  heavens,"  and  of  which  the  Jewish  tabernacle  was  a  type, 
pattern,  or  figure.  Heb.  8:1,  2 ;  9:23,  24.  These  con 
flicting  claims  must  be  decided  by  the  Scriptures ;  and  for- 
tunately the  testimony  is  neither  meager  nor  ambiguous. 

1.  75  the  earth  the  sanctuary?  The  Avord  sanctuary  occurs 
in  the  Old  and  J^Tew  Testaments  one  hundred  and  forty-four 
times,  and  from  the  definitions  of  lexicographers,  and  its  use 
in  the  Bible,  we  learn  that  it  is  used  to  signify  a  holy  or 
sacred  place,  a  dwelling-place  for  the  Most  High.  If,  there- 
fore, the  earth  is  the  sanctuary,  it  must  answer  to  this  defini- 
tion ;  but  what  single  characteristic  pertaining  to  this  earth  is 
found  which  will  satisfy  the  definition?  It  is  neither  a  holy 
nor  a  sacred  place,  nor  is  it-  a  dwelling-place  for  the  Most 
High.  It  has  no  mark  of  distinction,  except  as  being  a  re- 
volted planet,  marred  by  sin,  scarred  and  withered  by  the 
curse.  Moreover,  it  is  nowhere  in  all  the  Scriptures  called 
the  sanctuary.  Only  one  text  can  be  produced  in  favor  of  this 
view,  and  that  only  by  an  uncritical  application.  Isa.  60:  13 
says :  "  The  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  come  unto  thee,  the  fir  tree, 
the  pine  tree,  and  the  box  together,  to  beautify  the  place  of  my 
sanctuary;  and  I  will  make  the  place  of  my  feet  glorious." 
This  language  undoubtedly  refers  to  the  new  earth ;  but  even 
that  is  not  called  the  sanctuary,  but  only  the  "  place  "  of  the 
sanctuary,  just  as  it  is  called  "  the  place  "  of  the  Lord's  feet ; 
an  expression  which  probably  denotes  the  continual  presence 
of  God  with  his  people,  as  it  was  revealed  to  John  when  it 
was  said,  "  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God 


^]y  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God/'  Rev.  21 :  3. 
All  that  can  be  said  of  the  earth,  therefore,  is,  that  when  re- 
newed, it  will  be  the  place  where  the  sanctnary  of  God  will  bo 
located.  It  can  present  not  a  shadow  of  a  claim  to  being  the 
sanctnary  at  the  present  time,  or  the  sanctuary  of  the  prophecy. 

2.  Is  the  land  of  Canaan  the  sanctuary?  So  far  as  we 
may  be  governed  by  the  definition  of  the  word,  it  can  present 
no  better  claim  than  the  earth  to  that  distinction.  If  wq  in- 
quire where  in  the  Bible  it  is  called  the  sanctuary,  a  few  texts 
are  brought  forward  which  seem  to  be  supposed  by  some  to 
furnish  the  requisite  testimony.  The  first  of  these  is  Ex. 
15:17.  Moses,  in  his  song  of  triumph  and  praise  to  God 
after  the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea,  exclaimed :  ''  Thou  shalt 
bring  them  in,  and  plant  them  in  the  mountain  of  thine  in- 
heritance, in  the  ]daee,  O  Lord,  which  thou  hast  made  for 
thee  to  dwell  in,  in  the  Sanctuary,  O  Lord,  which  thy  hands 
have  established."  A  writer  who  urges  this  text,  says,  "  I 
ask  the  reader  to  pause,  and  examine  and  settle  the  question 
most  distinctly,  before  he  goes  further.  What  is  the  sanctu- 
ary here  spoken  of  ?  "  But  it  would  be  far  safer  for  the 
reader  not  to  attempt  to  settle  the  question  definitely  from  this 
one  isolated  text  before  comparing  it  with  other  scriptures. 
Moses  here  speaks  in  anticipation.  His  language  is  a  predic- 
tion of  what  God  would  do  for  his  people.  Let  us  see  hoAV  it 
was  accomplished.  If  we  find,  in  the  fulfilment,  that  the  land 
in  which  they  were  planted  is  called  the  sanctuary,  it  will 
greatly  strengthen  the  claim  that  is  based  upon  this  text.  If. 
on  the  other  hand,  we  find  a  plain  distinction  drawn  between 
the  land  and  the  sanctuary,  then  Ex.  15:17  must  be  inter- 
preted   accordingly. 

We  turn  to  David,  who  records  as  a  matter  of  history  what 
Moses  uttered  as  a  matter  of  prophecy.  Ps.  7*^:  5.S.  54.  Tlie 
subject  of  the  psalmist  here,  is  the  deliverance  of  Israel  from 
Egyptian  servitude,  and  their  establishment  in  the  promised 
land;  and  he  says:  "And  he  [Godl  led  them  on  safely,  .so 
that  they  feared  not:  but  the  sea  overwlielmed  their  enemies. 
And  he  brought  them  to  the  border  of  his  sanctuary,  even 
to  this  mountain,  Avhieh  hi^  riglit  liand  had  purchased."      The 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  13,  U  211 

■*  mountain ''  here  mentioned  by  David  is  the  same  as  the 
''  mountain  of  thine  inheritance  "  spoken  of  by  Moses,  in  which 
the  i)Cople  were  to  be  planted ;  and  tliis  mountain  David  calls, 
not  the  sanctuary,  but  only  the  border  of  the  sanctuary.  What, 
then,  was  the  sanctuary  (  Verse  GO  of  the  same  psalm  informs 
us:  "And  he  built  his  sanctuary  like  high  palaces,  like  the 
earth  which  he  hath  established  forever."  The  same  distinc- 
tion between  the  sanctuary  and  the  land  is  pointed  out  in  the 
prayer  of  good  king  Jehoshaphat.  2  Chron.  20:7,  8:  '^Art 
not  thou  our  God,  who  didst  drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  this 
land  before  thy  people  Israel,  and  gavest  it  to  the  seed  of 
Abraham  thy  friend  forever?  And  they  dwelt  therein,  and 
have  built  thee  a  sanctuary  therein  for  thy  name."  Taken 
alone,  some  try  to  draw  an  inference  from  Ex.  15 :  17  that 
the  mountain  was  the  sanctuary ;  but  when  we  take  in  con- 
nection with  it  the  language  of  David,  which  is  a  record  of  the 
fulfilment  of  ]\[oses's  prediction,  and  an  inspired  commentary 
upon  his  language,  such  an  idea  cannot  be  entertained ;  for 
David  plainly  says  that  the  mountain  was  simply  the  "  border  " 
of  the  sanctuary:  and  that  in  that  border,  or  land,  the  sanctuary 
was  "  built  "  like  high  palaces,  reference  being  made  to  the 
beautiful  temple  of  the  Jews,  the  center  and  syndiol  of  all  their 
worshij).  But  whoever  will  read  carefully  Ex.  15:17  will 
see  that  not  even  an  inference  is  necessary  that  Moses  by  the 
word  sanctuary  means  the  mountain  of  inheritance,  much  less 
the  whole  land  of  Palestine.  In  the  freedom  of  poetic  license, 
he  employs  elliptical  expressions,  and  passes  rapidly  from  one 
idea  or  object  to  another.  First,  the  inheritance  engages  his 
attention,  and  he  speaks  of  it;  then  the  fact  that  the  Lord  was 
to  dwell  there:  then  the  place  he  was  to  provide  for  his  dwell- 
ing there ;  namely,  the  sanctuary  which  he  would  cause  to  be 
built.  David  thus  associates  Blount  Zion  and  Judah  together 
in  Ps.   78 :  68,  because  Zion  was  located  in  Judah. 

The  three  texts,  Ex.  15:17:  Ps.  78:5-1,  60,  are  the  ones 
chiefly  relied  on  to  prove  that  the  land  of  Canaan  is  the 
sanctuary:  but,  singularly  enough,  the  two  latter,  in  plain 
language,  clear  away  the  ambiguity  of  the  first,  and  thereby 
disprove  the  claim  that  is  based  thereon. 


212  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Having  disposed  of  the  main  proof  on  this  point,  it  would 
hardly  seem  worth  while  to  spend  time  with  those  texts  from 
which  only  inferences  can  be  drawn.  As  there  is,  however, 
only  one  even  of  this  class,  we  will  refer  to  it,  that  no  point 
may  be  left  unnoticed.  Isa.  63:  18:  "  The  people  of  thy  holi- 
ness have  possessed  it  but  a  little  while :  our  adversaries  have 
trodden  down  thy  sanctuary."  This  language  is  as  applicable 
to  the  temple  as  to  the  land !  for  when  the  land  was  overrun 
with  the  enemies  of  Israel,  their  temple  was  laid  in  ruins. 
This  is  plainly  stated  in  verse  11  of  the  next  chapter:  ''  Our 
holy  and  our  beautiful  house,  where  our  fathers  praised  thee, 
is  burned  up  with  fire."  The  text  therefore  proves  nothing 
for  this  view. 

Kespecting  the  earth  or  the  land  of  Canaan  as  the  sanctuary, 
we  offer  one  thought  more.  If  either  constitutes  the  sanctuary, 
it  should  not  only  be  somewhere  described  as  such,  but  the 
same  idea  should  be  carried  through  to  the  end,  and  the  puri- 
fication of  the  earth  or  of  Palestine  should  be  called  the  cleans- 
ing of  the  sanctuary.  The  earth  is  indeed  defiled,  and  it  is 
to  be  i^urified  by  fire ;  but  fire,  as  we  shall  see,  is  not  the  agent 
which  is  used  in  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary;  and  this  puri- 
fication of  the  earth,  or  any  part  of  it,  is  nowhere  in  the  Bible 
called  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary. 

3.  75  the  church  the  sanctuary?  The  evident  mistrust  with 
which  this  idea  is  suggested,  is  a  virtual  surrender  of  the  argu- 
ment before  it  is  presented.  The  one  solitary  text  adduced  in 
its  support  is  Ps.  114:  1,  2 :  "  AMien  Israel  went  out  of  Egypt, 
the  house  of  Jacob  from  a  people  of  strange  language;  Judah 
was  his  sanctuary,  and  Israel  his  dominion."  Should  we  take 
this  text  in  its  most  literal  sense,  what  would  it  prove  respect- 
ing the  sanctuary  ?  It  would  prove  that  the  sanctuary  was 
confined  to  one  of  the  twelve  tribes ;  and  hence  that  a  portion 
of  the  church  only,  not  the  whole  of  it,  constitutes  the  sanc- 
tuary. But  this,  proving  too  little  for  the  theory  under  consid- 
eration, proves  nothing.  Whj  Judah  is  called  the  sanctuary 
in  the  text  quoted,  need  not  be  a  matter  of  perplexity,  when  we 
remember  that  God  chose  Jerusalem,  which  was  in  Judah,  as 
the  place  of  his  sanctuary.       ''But  chose,"  says  David,   "the 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  13,  U  213 

tribe  of  Judali,  the  Mount  Zion  which  he  loved.  And  he  built 
his  sanctuary  like  high  palaces,  like  the  earth  which  he  hath 
established  forever."  This  clearly  shows  the  connection  which 
existed  between  Judah  and  the  sanctuary.  That  tribe  itself 
was  not  the  sanctuary ;  but  it  is  once  spoken  of  as  such  when 
Israel  came  forth  from  Egypt,  because  God  purposed  that  in 
the  midst  of  the  territory  of  that  tribe  his  sanctuary  should 
be  located.  But  even  if  it  could  be  shown  that  the  church  is 
anywhere  called  the  sanctuary,  it  would  be  of  no  consequence 
to  our  present  purpose,  which  is  to  determine  what  constitutes 
the  sanctuary  of  Dan.  8  :  13,  14;  for  the  church  is  there  spoken 
of  as  another  object:  ''To  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the 
host  to  bo  trodden  under  foot."  That  by  the  term  host  the 
church  is  here  meant,  none  will  dispute ;  the  sanctuary  is  there- 
fore another  and  a  different  object. 

4.  Is  the  temple  in  heaven  the  sanctuary?  There  now  re- 
mains but  this  one  claim  to  be  examined;  namely,  that  the 
sanctuary  mentioned  in  the  text  is  what  Paul  calls  in  Hebrews 
the  ''  true  tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man," 
to  which  he  expressly  gives  the  name  of  "■  the  sanctuary,"  and 
which  he  locates  in  "  the  heavens ;  "  of  which  sanctuary,  there 
existed,  under  the  former  dispensation,  first  in  the  tabernacle 
built  by  Moses,  and  afterward  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  a 
pattern,  type,  or  figure.  And  let  it  be  particularly  noticed, 
that  on  the  view  here  suggested  rests  our  only  hope  of  ever 
understanding  this  question;  for  we  have  seen  that  all  other 
positions  are  untenable.  l^o  other  object  which  has  ever  been 
supposed  by  any  one  to  be  the  sanctuary  - — ■  the  earth,  the  land 
of  Canaan,  or  the  church  —  can  for  a  moment  support  such  a 
claim.  If,  therefore,  we  do  not  find  it  in  the  object  before  us, 
we  may  abandon  the  search  in  utter  despair ;  we  may  discard  so 
much  of  revelation  as  is  still  unrevealed,  and  may  cut  out  from 
the  sacred  page,  as  so  much  useless  reading,  the  numerous  pas- 
sages which  speak  on  this  subject.  All  those,  therefore,  who, 
rather  than  that  so  important  a  subject  should  go  by  default. 
are  willing  to  lay  aside  all  preconceived  opinions  and  cherished 
views,  will  approach  the  position  before  us  with  intense  anx- 
iety and  unbounded  interest.  They  will  lay  hold  of  any  evi- 
14 


21-i  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

dence  that  may  here  be  given  us,  as  a  man  bewildered  in  a 
labyrinth  of  darkness  would  lay  hold  of  the  thread  which  was 
his  only  guide  to  lead  him  forth  again  to  light. 

It  ^^■ill  be  safe  for  us  to  put  ourselves  in  imagination  in  the 
place  of  Danielj  and  view  the  subject  from  his  standpoint. 
What  would  he  understand  by  the  term  sanctuarij  as  addressed 
to  him  i  If  we  can  ascertain  this,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to 
arrive  at  correct  conclusions  on  this  subject.  His  mind  would 
inevitably  turn,  on  the  mention  of  that  word,  to  the  sanctuary 
of  that  dispensation;  and  certainly  he  well  knew  where  that 
was.  His  mind  did  turn  to  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  his  fathers, 
which  was  then  in  ruins,  and  to  their  "  beautiful  house,"  which, 
as  Isaiah  laments,  was  burned  with  fire.  And  so,  as  was  his 
Avont,  with  his  face  turned  toward  the  place  of  their  once  ven- 
erated temple,  he  prayed  God  to  cause  his  face  to  shine  upon 
his  sanctuary,  which  was  desolate.  By  the  word  sanctuarij 
Daniel  evidently  understood  their  temple  at  Jerusalem. 

But  Paul  bears  testimony  which  is  most  explicit  on  this 
point.  Ileb.  9:1:  "  Then  verily  the  first  covenant  had  also 
ordinances  of  divine  service,  and  a  worldly  sanctuary."  This 
is  the  very  point  which  at  present  we  are  concerned  to  deter- 
mine: What  was  the  sanctuary  of  the  first  covenant^  Paul 
proceeds  to  tell  us.  Hear  him.  Verses  2  -  5  :  "  For  there  was 
a  tabernacle  made;  the  first  [or  first  apartment],  wherein  was 
the  candlestick,  and  the  table,  and  the  showbrcad ;  which  is 
called  the  sanctuary  [margin,  the  holy].  And  after  the  second 
veil,  the  tabernacle  which  is  called  the  Holiest  of  all;  which 
had  the  golden  censer,  and  the  ark  of  the  covenant  overlaid 
round  about  with  gold,  wherein  was  the  golden  pot  that  had 
manna,  and  Aaron's  rod  that  budded,  and  the  tables  of  the 
covenant;  and  over  it  the  cherubims  of  glory  shadowing  the 
mercy-seat :  of  Avhich  wo  cannot  now  speak  particularly." 

There  is  no  mistaking  the  object  to  which  Paul  here  has 
reference.  It  is  the  tabernacle  erected  by  Closes  according  to 
the  direction  of  the  Lord  (which  was  afterward  merged  into 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem),  with  a  holy  and  a  most  holy  place, 
and  various  ^•csscls  of  service,  as  here  set  forth.  A  full  de- 
scription  (^f   this   building,    with   its   various  vessels   and   their 


CHAPTER  8,  VER8E8  13,  n  217 

uses,  will  be  found  in  Exodus,  chapter  25  and  onward.  If 
the  reader  is  not  familiar  with  this  subject,  he  is  requested 
to  turn  and  closely  examine  the  description  of  this  building. 
This,  Paul  plainly  says,  was  the  sanctuary  of  the  first  cove- 
nant. And  we  wish  the  reader  carefully  to  mark  the  logical 
value  of  this  declaration.  By  telling  us  what  did  positively 
for  a  time  constitute  the  sanctuary,  Paul  sets  us  on  the  right 
track  of  inquiry.  He  gives  us  a  basis  on  which  to  work.  For 
a  time,  the  field  is  cleared  of  all  doubt  and  all  obstacles.  Dur- 
ing the  time  covered  by  the  first  covenant,  wdiich  reached  from 
Sinai  to  Christ,  we  have  before  us  a  distinct  and  plainly  de- 
fined object,  minutely  described  by  Moses,  and  declared  by 
Paul  to  be  the  sanctuary  during  that  time. 

P)Ut  Paul's  language  has  greater  significance  even  than  this. 
It  forever  annihilates  the  cljiims  which  are  put  forth  in  behalf 
of  the  earth,  the  land  of  Canaan,  or  the  church,  as  the  sanc- 
tuary; for  the  arguments  which  would  prove  them  to  be  the 
sanctuary  at  any  time,  would  prove  them  to  be  such  under  the 
old  dispensation.  If  Canaan  was  at  any  time  the  sanctuary, 
it  was  such  when  Israel  was  planted  in  it.  If  the  church  was 
ever  the  sanctuary,  it  was  such  when  Israel  was  led  forth  from 
Egypt.  If  the  earth  was  ever  the  sanctuary,  it  was  such  during 
the  period  of  which  we  speak.  To  this  period  the  arguments 
urged  in  their  favor  apply  as  fully  as  to  any  other  period ;  and 
if  they  were  not  the  sanctuary  during  this  time,  then  all  the 
arguments  are  destroyed  which  would  show  that  they  ever  were, 
or  ever  could  be,  the  sanctuary.  But  w^ere  they  the  sanctuary 
during  that  time?  This  is  a  final  question  for  these  theories; 
and  Paul  decides  it  in  the  negative,  by  describing  to  us  the 
tabernacle  of  Moses,  and  telling  us  that  that  — -  not  the  earth, 
nor  Canaan,  nor  the  church  —  Avas  the  sanctuary  of  that  dis- 
pensation. 

And  this  building  answers  in  Qxery  respect  to  the  definition 
of  the  term,  and  the  use  for  which  the  sanctuary  was  designed. 

1.  It  was  the  earthly  dwelling-place  of  God.  ''  Let  them 
make  me  a  sanctuary,"  said  he  to  Moses,  "  that  I  may  dwell 
among  them."  Ex.  25 :  8.  In  this  tabernacle,  which  they 
erected  accordins;  to  his  instructions,  he  manifested  his  pres- 


218  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

ence.  2.  It  was  a  lioly,  or  sacred  place, —  "  the  holy  sanctu- 
ary.'^ Lev.  10:o3.  o.  in  the  word  of  God  it  is  over  and 
over  again  called  the  sanctuary.  Of  the  one  hundred  and  forty 
instances  in  which  the  word  is  used  in  the  Old  Testament,  it 
refers  in  almost  every  case  to  this  building. 

The  tabernacle  was  at  iirst  constructed  in  such  a  numner  as 
to  bo  adapted  to  the  condition  of  the  children  of  Israel  at  that 
time.  They  were  just  entering  upon  their  forty  years'  wander- 
ing in  the  wilderness,  when  this  building  was  set  up  in  their 
midst  as  the  habitation  of  God  and  the  center  of  their  religious 
worship.  Journeying  was  a  necessity,  and  removals  were  fre- 
quent. It  would  be  necessary  that  the  tabernacle  should  often 
be  moved  from  place  to  place.  It  was  therefore  so  fashioned 
of  movable  parts,  the  sides  being  composed  of  upright  boards, 
and  the  covering  consisting  of  curtains  of  linen  and  dyed  skins, 
tliat  it  could  be  readily  taken  down,  conveniently  transported, 
and  easily  erected  at  each  successive  stage  of  their  journey. 
After  entering  the  promised  land,  this  temporary  structure  in 
time  gave  place  to  the  magnificent  temple  of  Solomon.  In  this 
more  permanent  form  it  existed,  saving  only  the  time  it  lay  in 
ruins  in  Daniel's  day,  till  its  final  destruction  by  the  Ronnins 
in  A.  D.   To. 

I'his  is  the  only  sanctuary  connected  with  the  earth  con- 
cerning which  the  I5ible  gives  us  luiy  instruction  or  history 
any  record.  But  is  there  nowhere  any  other  (!  This  was  the 
sanctuary  of  the  first  covenant ;  with  that  covenant  it  came  to 
an  end ;  is  there  no  sanctuary  which  pertains  to  the  second, 
or  new  covenant?  There  must  be;  otherwise  the  analogy  is 
lacking  between  these  covenants;  and  in  this  case  the  first 
covenant  had  a  system  of  worship,  which,  though  minutely  de- 
scribed, is  unintelligible,  and  the  second  covenant  has  a  system 
of  worship  which  is  indefinite  and  obscure.  And  Paul  virtu- 
ally asserts  that  the  new  covenant,  in  force  since  the  dcntli  of 
Christ,  the  testator,  has  a  sanctuary;  for  wlien,  in  contrnsting 
the  two  covenants,  as  he  does  in  the  book  of  Hebrews,  he  says 
in  chapter  9:  1  that  the  first  covenant  "had  also  ordinances  of 
divine  service,  and  a  worldly  sanctuary,"  it  is  the  same  as  say- 
ing that  the  new  covenant  has  likewise  its  services  and  its  sane 


CI  I  APT  Ell  S,   VERSES  IS,  U  2  It) 

tuary.  Furthermore,  in  verse  8  of  this  chapter  he  speaks  of 
the  worklly  sanctuary  as  the  Jirst  tabernacle.  If  that  was  the 
tirst,  there  must  be  a  second ;  arid  as  the  first  tabernacle  existed 
so  long  as  the  first  covenant  was  in  force,  when  that  covenant 
came  to  an  end,  the  second  tabernacle  must  have  taken  the 
place  of  the  first,  and  must  be  the  sanctuary  of  the  new  cov- 
enant.     There  can  be  no  evading  this  conclusion. 

Where,  then,  shall  we  look  for  the  sanctuary  of  the  new 
covenant  i  Paul,  by  the  rise  of  the  word  also  in  Pleb.  9 :  1, 
intimates  that  he  had  before  spoken  of  this  sanctuary.  We 
turn  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  previous  chapter,  and  find 
him  sunnuing  up  his  foregoing  arguments  as  follows:  "  Xow 
of  the  things  which  we  have  spoken  this  is  the  sum:  We  have 
such  an  high  priest,  who  is  set  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne 
of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens ;  a  minister  of  the  sanctuary, 
and  of  the  true  tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not 
man."  Can  there  be  any  doubt  that  ^\e  have  in  this  text  the 
sanctuary  of  the  new  covenant  ?  A  plain  allusion  is  here  made 
to  the  sanctuary  of  the  first  covenant.  That  wrs  pitched  by 
man,  erected  by  Moses ;  this  was  pitched  by  the  Lord,  not  by 
man.  That  was  the  place  where  the  earthly  priests  performed 
their  ministry;  this  is  the  place  where  Christ,  the  High  Priest 
of  the  new  covenant,  performs  his  ministry.  That  was  on 
earth  ;  this  is  in  heaven.  That  was  therefore  very  properly 
called  by  Paul  a  "worldly  sanctuary;''  this  is  a  "heavenly 
one." 

Tliis  view  is  further  sustained  by  the  fact  that  the  sanctuary 
built  by  Moses  was  not  an  original  structure,  l)ut  was  built 
after  a  pattern.  The  great  original  existed  somewhere  else; 
what  ]\[oses  constructed  was  but  a  type,  or  model.  Listen  to 
the  directions  the  Lord  gave  him  on  this  point:  '^Vccording  to 
all  that  I  show  thee,  after  the  pattern  of  the  tabernacle,  and 
the  pattern  of  all  the  instruments  thereof,  even  so  shall  ye 
make  it."  Ex.  25  :  9.  ''And  look  that  thou  make  them  after 
their  pattern,  which  was  showed  thee  in  the  mount."  Verse 
40.       (To  the  same  end  see  Ex.   26:30;  27:8;  Acts  7 :  U.) 

Now  of  what  was  the  earthly  sanctuary  a  type,  or  figure? 
Answer:     Of   the   sanctuarv  of  the  new   covenant,    the   *' true 


220  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched  and  not  man,"  The  rela- 
tion which  the  first  covenant  sustains  to  the  second  throughout, 
is  that  of  type  to  antitype.  Its  sacrifices  were  types  of  the 
greater  sacrifice  of  this  dispensation ;  its  j^riests  were  types  of 
our  Lord,  in  his  more  perfect  priesthood;  their  ministry  was 
performed  unto  the  shadow  and  example  of  the  ministry  of  our 
.High  Priest  above;  and  the  sanctuary  where  they  ministered, 
was  a  type,  or  figure,  of  the  true  sanctuary  in  heaven,  where 
our  Lord  performs  his  ministry. 

All  these  facts  are  plainly  stated  by  Paul  in  a  few  verses 
to  the  Hebrews.  Chapter  8  :  4,  5  :  '*  For  if  he  [Christ]  were 
on  earth,  he  should  not  be  a  jDriest,  seeing  that  there  are 
priests  that  offer  gifts  according  to  the  law:  who  serve  unto 
the  example  and  shadow  of  heavenly  things,  as  Moses  was  ad- 
monished of  God  when  he  was  about  to  make  the  tabernacle ; 
for.  See,  saith  he,  that  thou  make  all  things  according  to  the 
pattern  showed  to  thee  in  the  mount."  This  testimony  shows 
that  the  ministry  of  the  earthly  priests  was  a  shadow  of  Christ's 
priesthood;  and  the  evidence  Paul  brings  forward  to  prove  it, 
is  the  direction  which  God  gave  to  Moses  to  make  the  taber- 
nacle according  to  the  pattern  showed  him  in  the  mount. 
This  clearly  identifies  the  pattern  showed  to  Moses  in  the 
mount  with  the  sanctuary,  or  true  tabernacle,  in  heaven,  where 
our  Lord  ministers,  mentioned  three  verses  before. 

In  chapter  9 :  8,  9,  Paul  further  says :  "  The  Holy  Ghost 
this  signifying,  that  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  [Greek, 
holy  places,  plural]  Avas  not  yet  made  manifest,  while  as  the 
first  tabernacle  was  yet  standing;  which  was  a  figure  for  the 
time  then  present,"  etc.  While  the  first  tabernacle  stood,  and 
the  first  covenant  was  in  force,  the  ministration  of  the  more 
perfect  tabernacle  and  the  work  of  the  new  covenant  was  not, 
of  course,  carried  forward.  But  when  Christ  came,  a  high 
priest  of  good  things  to  come,  when  the  first  tabernacle  had 
served  its  purpose,  and  the  first  covenant  had  ceased,  then 
Christ,  raised  to  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens,  as  a 
minister  of  the  true  sanctuary  entered  by  his  own  blood  (verse 
12)  "  into  the  holy  place  [where  also  the  Greek  has  the  ]-)liiral, 
the  holy  places],  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us." 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  13,  U  221 

Of  these  heavenly  holy  places,  therefore,  the  first  tabernacle 
was  a  figure  for  the  time  then  present.  If  any  further  testi- 
mony is  needed,  he  speaks,  in  verse  23,  of  the  earthly  taber- 
nacle, with  its  apartments  and  instruments,  as  patterns  of 
things  in  the  heavens;  and  in  verse  24,  he  calls  the  holy 
places  made  with  hands,  that  is,  the  earthly  tabernacle  erected 
by  ]\Ioses,  figures  of  the  true;  that  is,  the  tabernacle  in  heaven. 

This  view  is  still  further  corroborated  by  the  testimony  of 
John.  Among  the  things  which  he  was  permitted  to  behold  in 
heaven,  he  saw  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne 
(Rev.  4:5);  he  saw  an  altar  of  incense,  and  a  golden  censer 
(chapter  8:3);  he  saw  the  ark  of  God's  testament  (chapter 
11 :  19)  ;  and  all  this  in  connection  with  a  "  temple  "  in  heaven. 
Rev.  11 :  19 ;  15  :  8.  These  objects  every  Bible  reader  must 
at  once  recognize  as  implements  of  the  sanctuary.  They  owed 
their  existence  to  the  sanctuary,  and  were  confined  to  it,  to  be 
employed  in  the  ministration  connected  therewith.  As  without 
the  sanctuary  they  had  not  existed,  so  wherever  we  find  these, 
we  may  know  that  there  is  the  sanctuary;  and  hence  the  fact 
that  John  saw  these  things  in  heaven  in  this  dispensation,  is 
proof  that  there  is  a  sanctuary  there,  and  that  he  was  per- 
mitted to  behold  it. 

However  reluctant  a  person  may  have  been  to  acknowledge 
•that  there  is  a  sanctuary  in  heaven,  the  testimony  that  has  been 
presented  is  certainly  sufficient  to  prove  this  fact.  Paul  says 
that  the  tabernacle  of  Moses  was  the  sanctuary  of  the  first 
covenant.  Moses  says  that  God  showed  him  in  the  mount  a 
pattern,  according  to  which  he  was  to  make  this  tabernacle. 
Paul  testifies  again  that  Moses  did  make  it  according  to  the 
pattern,  and  that  the  pattern  was  the  true  tabernacle  in  heaven, 
which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man ;  and  that  of  this  heavenly 
sanctuary  the  tabernacle  erected  with  hands  was  a  true  figure, 
or  representation.  And  finally,  John,  to  corroborate  the  state- 
ment of  Paul  that  this  sanctuary  is  in  heaven,  bears  testimony, 
as  an  eye-witness,  that  he  beheld  it  there.  AMiat  further 
testimony  could  be  required?  jSTay,  more,  Avhat  further  is 
conceivable  ? 

So  far  as  the  question  as  to  Avhat  constitutes  the  sanctuary 


222  PBOPIIECY  OF  DANIEL 

is  concerned,  we  now  have  the  subject  hefore  us  in  one  har- 
monious whole.  The  sanctuary  of  the  Jiible  —  mark  it  all, 
dispute  it  who  can  - —  consists,  first,  of  the  typical  tabernacle 
established  with  the  Hebrews  at  the  exode  from  Egypt,  which 
was  the  sanctuary  of  the  first  covenant ;  and,  secondly,  of  the 
true  tabernacle  in  heaven,  of  which  the  former  was  a  type,  or 
figure,  which  is  the  sanctuary  of  the  new  covenant.  These  are 
inseparably  connected  together  as  type  and  antitype.  From 
the  antitype  we  go  back  to  the  type,  and  from  the  type  we  are 
carried  forward  naturally  and  inevitably  to  the  antitype. 

We  have  said  that  Daniel  would  at  once  understand  by  the 
word  sanctuary  the  sanctuary  of  his  people  at  Jerusalem ;  so 
would  any  one  under  that  dispensation.  But  does  the  declara- 
tion of  Dan.  8 :  li  have  reference  to  that  sanctuary  ?  That 
depends  upon  the  time  to  which  it  applies.  All  the  declarations 
respecting  the  sanctuary  which  apply  under  the  old  dispensa- 
tion, have  respect,  of  course,  to  the  sanctuary  of  that  dispensa- 
tion ;  and  all  those  declarations  which  apply  in  this  dispensation, 
must  have  reference  to  the  sanctuary  in  this  dispensation.  If 
the  2300  days,  at  the  termination  of  which  the  sanctuary  is  to 
be  cleansed,  ended  in  the  former  dispensation,  the  sanctuary 
to  be  cleansed  was  the  sanctuary  of  that  time.  If  they  reach 
over  into  this  dispensation,  the  sanctuary  to  which  reference  is 
made  is  the  sanctuary  of  this  dispensation, — ■  the  new-covenant 
sanctuary  in  heaven.  This  is  a  point  which  can  be  determined 
only  by  a  further  argument  on  the  2300  days;  and  this  will 
be  found  in  remarks  on  Dan.  9  :  24,  where  the  subject  of  time 
is  resumed  and  explained. 

What  we  have  thus  far  said  respecting  the  sanctuary  has 
been  only  incidental  to  the  main  question  in  the  prophecy. 
That  question  has  respect  to  its  cleansing.  Fnto  2300  days, 
then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed.  But  it  was  necessary 
first  to  determine  what  constituted  the  sanctuary,  before  we 
could  understandingly  examine  the  question  of  its  cleansing. 
For  this  we  are  now  prepared. 

Having  learned  what  constitutes  the  sanctuary,  the  (|uestion 
of  its  clcniising  and  how  it  is  accouqdished,  is  soon  decided. 
It  has  been  noticed  that  Avhatever  constitutes  the  sanctuarv  of 


CHAPTER  S.  VERSES  14.  1 1,  223 

the  Biblo,  must  have  some  service  connected  with  it  which  is 
called  its  cleansing.  There  is  no  account  in  the  Bible  of  any 
work  so  named  as  pertaining  to  this  earth,  the  land  of  Canaan, 
or  the  church ;  which  is  good  evidence  that  none  of  these  ob- 
jects constitutes  the  sanctuary;  there  is  such  a  service  connected 
\\'ith  the  object  which  we  have  shown  to  be  the  sanctuary,  and 
whicli,  in  reference  to  both  the  earthly  building  and  the  heav- 
enly  temple,    is    called    its    cleansing. 

Does  the  reader  object  to  the  idea  of  there  being  anything 
in  heaven  which  is  to  be  cleansed  ?  Is  this  a  barrier  in  the 
way  of  his  receiving  the  view  here  presented  ?  Then  his  con- 
troversy is  not  with  this  work,  but  with  Paul,  who  positively 
affirms  this  fact.  But  before  he  decides  against  the  apostle, 
we  ask  the  objector  to  examine  carefully  in  reference  to  the 
nature  of  this  cleansing,  as  he  is  here  undoubtedly  laboring 
under  an  utter  misapprehension.  The  following  are  the  plain 
terms  in  which  Paul  affirms  the  cleansing  of  both  the  earthly 
and  the  heavenly  sanctuary:  "And  almost  all  things  are  by  the 
law  purged  with  blood ;  and  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  re- 
mission. It  was  therefore  necessary  that  the  patterns  of  things 
in  the  heavens  should  be  purified  with  these;  but  the  heavenly 
l]iiu(is  themselves  with  better  sacrifices  than  these."  Heb.  0: 
■2-2,  2o.  In  the  light  of  foregoing  arguments,  this  may  be  para- 
])hrased  thus:  "  It  was  therefore  necessary  that  the  tabernacle 
as  erected  by  Moses,  with  its  sacred  vessels,  which  were  patterns 
of  the  true  sanctuary  in  heaven,  should  be  purified,  or  cleansed, 
with  the  blood  of  calves  and  goats ;  but  the  heavenly  things 
themselves,  the  sanctuary  of  this  dispensation,  the  true  tal)or- 
imcle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man,  must  be  cleansed 
with  better  sacrifices,  even  with  the  blood  of  Christ." 

We  now  inquire,  "^Miat  is  the  nature  of  this  cleansiuir,  and 
how  is  it  to  be  accomplished  ?  According  to  the  language  of 
Paul,  just  quoted,  it  is  performed  by  means  of  blood.  The 
cleansing  is  not,  therefore,  a  cleansing  from  physical  uncleau- 
ness  or  impurity;  for  blood  is  not  the.  agent  used  in  such  a 
M'ork.  And  this  consideration  should  satisfy  the  ol)jector's 
mind  in  regard  to  the  cleansing  of  the  heavenly  things.  The 
fact  that  Paul  speaks  of  heavenly  things  to  be  cleansed,  does 


224  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

not  prove  that  there  is  any  physical  impurity  in  heaven;  for 
that  is  not  the  kind  of  cleansing  to  which  he  refers.  The 
reason  Paul  assigns  why  this  cleansing  is  performed  with 
blood,  is  because  without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no 
reinission. 

Remission,  then ;  that  is,  the  putting  away  of  sin,  is  the 
work  to  be  done.  The  cleansing,  therefore,  is  not  physical 
cleansing,  but  a  cleansing  from  sin.  But  how  came  sins  con- 
nected with  the  sanctuary,  either  the  earthly  or  the  heavenly, 
that  it  should  need  to  be  cleansed  from  them  ?  This  question 
is  answered  by  the  ministration  connected  with  the  type,  to 
which  we  now  turn. 

The  closing  chapters  of  Exodus  give  us  an  account  of  the 
construction  of  the  earthly  sanctuary,  and  the  arrangement  of 
the  service  connected  therewith.  Leviticus  opens  with  an  ac- 
count of  the  ministration  Avhich  was  there  to  be  performed.  All 
that  it  is  our  purpose  to  notice  here,  is  one  particular  branch 
of  the  service,  which  was  performed  as  follows:  The  person 
who  had  committed  sin  brought  his  victim  to  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle.  Upon  the  head  of  this  victim  he  placed  his  hand 
for  a  moment,  and,  as  we  may  reasonably  infer,  confessed  over 
him  his  sin.  By  this  expressive  act  he  signified  that  he  had 
sinned,  and  was  worthy  of  death,  but  that  in  his  stead  he  conse- 
crated his  victim,  and  transferred  his  guilt  to  it.  With  his 
own  hand  (and  what  must  have  been  his  emotions?)  he  then 
took  the  life  of  his  victim  on  account  of  that  guilt.  The  law 
demanded  the  life  of  the  transgressor  for  his  disobedience;  the 
life  is  in  the  blood  (Lev.  17:  11,  14)  :  hence  without  the  shed- 
ding of  blood,  there  is  no  remission;  with  the  shedding  of 
1)lood,  remission  is  possible;  for  the  demand  of  life  by  the  law 
is  thus  satisfied.  The  blood  of  the  victim,  representative  of  a 
forfeited  life,  and  the  vehicle  of  its  guilt,  was  then  taken  l>y 
tlie  priest  and  ministered  before  the  Lord. 

The  sin  of  the  individual  was  thus,  by  his  confession,  by  the 
slaying  of  the  victim,  and  by  the  ministry  of  the  priest,  trans- 
ferred from  himself  to  the  sanctuary.  Victim  after  victim  was 
thus  offer(Hl  by  the  people.  Day  by  day  the  work  went  for- 
ward; and  thus  the  sanctuary  continually  became  the  receptacle 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  13,  U  22 


220 


of  tlie  sins  of  the  congregation.  Bnt  this  was  not  the  final 
disposition  of  these  sins.  The  accnnmlated  guilt  was  removed 
by  a  special  service,  which  was  called  the  cleansing  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. This  service,  in  the  type,  occupied  one  day  in  the  year ; 
and  the  tenth  day  of  the  seventh  month,  on  which  it  was  per- 
formed, was  called  the  day  of  atonement.  On  this  day,  while 
all  Israel  refrained  from  work  and  afflicted  their  souls,  the 
priest  brought  two  goats,  and  presented  them  before  the  Lord 
at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation.  On  these 
goats  he  cast  lots ;  one  lot  for  the  Lord,  and  the  other  lot  for 
the  scape-goat.  The  one  upon  which  the  Lord's  lot  fell,  was 
then  slain,  and  his  blood  was  carried  by  the  priest  into  the  most 
holy  place  of  the  sanctuary,  and  sprinkled  upon  the  mercy-seat. 
And  this  was  the  only  day  on  which  he  was  permitted  to  enter 
into  that  apartment.  Coming  forth,  he  was  then  to  lay  both 
his  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  scape-goat,  confess  over  him 
all  tlie  iniquities  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  all  their  trans- 
gressions in  all  their  sins,  and,  thus  putting  them  upon  his 
head  (Lev.  16:  21),  he  was  to  send  him  away  by  the  hand  of 
a  fit  man  into  a  land  not  inhal)ite(.l,  a  land  of  separation,  or 
forgetfulness,  the  goat  never  again  to  appear  in  the  camp  of 
Israel,  and  the  sins  of  the  people  to  be  remembered  against 
them  no  more.  This  service  was  for  the  purpose  of  cleansing 
the  people  from  their  sins,  and  cleansing  the  sanctuary  and  its 
sacred  vessels.  Lev.  16:30,  33.  By  this  process,  sin  was 
removed, —  but  only  in  figure ;  for  all  that  Avork  was  typical. 
The  reader  to  whom  these  views  are  new  will  be  ready  here 
to  inquire,  perhaps  with  some  astonishment,  what  this  strange 
work  could  possibly  be  desigiied  to  typify ;  what  there  is  in 
this  dispensation  which  it  was  designed^  to  prefigure.  We  an- 
swer, A  similar  work  in  the  ministration  of  Christ,  as  Paul 
clearly  teaches.  After  stating,  in  Hebrews  8,  that  Christ  is 
the  minister  of  the  true  tabernacle,  the  sanctuary  in  heaven,  he 
states  that  the  priests  on  earth  served  unto  the  example  and 
shadow  of  heavenly  things.  In  other  words,  the  work  of  the 
earthly  priests  was  a  shadow,  an  example,  a  correct  represen- 
tation, so  far  as  it  could  be  carried  out  by  mortals,  of  the 
ministration  of  Christ  above.      These  priests  ministered  in  both 


22ij  '  FROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

aijartiuents  of  the  earthly  tabernacle,  Christ  therefore  inluisters 
ill  both  apartments  of  the  heavenly  temple;  for  that  temple 
has  two  apartments,  or  it  was  not  correctly  represented  by  the 
earthly;  and  our  Lord  officiates  in  both,  or  the  service  of  the 
priest  on  earth  was  not  a  correct  shadoAv  of  his  work.  But 
Paul  directly  states  that  he  ministers  in  both  apartments ;  for 
he  says  that  he  has  entered  into  the  holy  place  ( Greek,  to,  ayta, 
tlic  holy  places)  by  his  own  blood.  Ileb.  1):12.  There  is 
therefore  a  work  iierformed  by  Christ  in  his  ministry  in  the 
heavenly  temple  corresponding  to  that  ])erformed  by  the  i)riests 
in  both  apartments  of  the  earthly  building.  But  the  work  in 
the  second  apartment,  or  most  holy  place,  Avas  a  sj^ecial  work 
to  close  the  yearly  round  of  service  and  cleanse  the  sanctuary. 
Hence  Christ's  ministration  in  the  second  apartment  of  the 
heavenly  sanctuary  must  be  a  work  of  like  nature,  and  con- 
stitute the  close  of  his  work  as  our  great  High  Priest,  and  the 
cleansing  of  that  sanctuary. 

As  through  the  sacrifices  of  a  former  disj^ensation  the  sins 
of  the  people  were  transferred  in  figure  by  the  priests  to  the 
earthly  sanctuary,  where  those  priests  ministered,  so  ever  since 
Christ  ascended  to  be  our  intercessor  in  the  presence  of  his 
Father,  the  sins  of  all  those  who  sincerely  seek  pardon  through 
him,  are  transferred  in  fact  to  the  heavenly  sanctuary  where 
lie  ministers.  Whether  Christ  ministers  for  us  in  the  heavenly 
holy  places  with  his  own  blood  literally,  or  only  by  virtue  of 
its  merits,  we  need  not  stop  to  inquire.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
his  blood  has  been  shed,  and  through  that  blood  remission  of 
sins  is  secured  in  fact,  which  was  obtained  only  in  figure 
through  tlie  blood  of  the  calves  and  goats  of  the  former  dis- 
pensation. But  those  sacrifices  had  real  virtue  in  tliis  respect: 
they  signified  faith  in  a  real  sacrifice  to  come;  and  thus  those 
who  employed  them  have  an  equal  interest  in  the  W(n-k  of 
Christ  Avith  those  who  in  this  dispensation  come  to  him  by 
faith,  through  the  ordinances  of  the  gosjiel. 

The  continual  transfer  of  sins  to  the  heavenlv  sanctuary 
(and  if  they  are  not  thus  transferred,  will  anv  one,  in  the  light 
of  the  types,  and  in  view  of  the  langnaae  of  Paul,  exj)lain  the 
nature  of  the  work  of  Christ  in  our  behalf?)  — fhis  continual 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  hi,  U  227 

transfer,  we  saj,  of  sins  to  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  makes  its 
cleansing  necessary  on  the  same  ground  that  a  like  work  was 
reijuired  in  the  earthly  sanctuary. 

.Vn  important  distinction  between  the  two  ministrations 
must  here  be  noticed.  In  the  earthly  tabernacle,  a  complete 
round  of  service  was  accomplished  every  year.  For  three 
hundred  and  lifty-nine  days,  in  their  ordinary  years,  the  minis- 
tration went  forward  in  the  first  apartment.  One  day's  work 
in  the  most  holy  completed  the  yearly  round.  The  work  then 
commenced  again  in  the  holy  place,  and  went  forward  till 
another  day  of  atonement  completed  the  year's  work.  And  so 
on,  year  by  year.  This  continual  repetition  of  the  work  was 
necessary  on  account  of  the  short  lives  of  mortal  priests.  ]jut 
no  such  necessity  exists  in  the  case  of  our  divine  Lord,  who 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us.  (See  Ileb.  7  :  23  -  25.) 
Ilence  the  work  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  instead  of  being  a 
yearly  work,  is  performed  once  for  all.  Instead  of  being 
repeated  year  by  year,  one  grand  cycle  is  allotted  to  it,  in 
which  it  is  carried  forward  and  finished,  never  to  be  repeated. 

One  year's  round  of  service  in  the  earthly  sanctuary  repre- 
sented the  entire  work  of  the  sanctuary  above.  In  the  type, 
the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  was  the  brief  closing  work  of 
the  year's  service.  In  the  antitype,  the  cleansing  of  the  sanc- 
tuary must  be  the  closing  work  of  Christ,  our  great  High  Priest, 
in  the  tabernacle  on  high.  In  the  type,  to  cleanse  the  sanc- 
tuary, the  high  priest  entered  into  the  most  holy  place  to  min- 
ister in  the  presence  of  God  before  the  ark  of  his  testament.  In 
the  antitype,  when  the  time  comes  for  the  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary,  our  High  Priest,  in  like  manner,  enters  into  the 
most  holy  place  to  make  a  final  end  of  his  intercessory  work  in 
behalf  of  mankind.  We  confidently  affirm  that  no  other  con- 
clusion can  be  arrived  at  on  this  subject  without  doing  despite 
to  the  unequivocal  testimony  of  God's  word. 

Reader,  do  you  now  see  the  importance  of  this  subject  ?  Do 
you  begin  to  perceive  what  an  object  of  interest  for  all  the  world 
is  the  sanctuary  of  God  ?  Do  you  see  that  the  whole  work  of 
salvation  centers  there,  and  tliat  when  the  work  is  done,  pro- 
bation is  euflod,  and  th*^  cases  of  the  saved  and  lost  are  eter- 


228  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

nallj  decided  ?  Do  jou  see  that  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary 
is  a  brief  and  special  work,  by  which  the  great  scheme  is  for- 
ever finished  i  Do  you  see  that  if  it  can  be  made  known  when 
this  work  of  cleansing  connnences,  it  is  a  solenm  anno\nicement 
to  the  world  that  salvation's  last  hour  is  reached,  and  is  fast 
hastening  to  its  close  'I  And  this  is  A\'hat  the  prophecy  is  de- 
signed to  show.  It  is  to  make  known  the  commencement  of 
this  momentous  work.  "  Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred 
days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed." 

In  advance  of  any  argument  on  the  nature  and  application 
of  these  days,  the  position  may  be  safely  taken  that  they  reach 
to  the  cleansing  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  for  the  earthly  was 
to  be  cleansed  each  year ;  and  we  make  the  prophet  utter  non- 
sense, if  we  understand  him  as  saying  that  at  the  end  of  2300 
days,  a  period  of  time  over  six  years  in  length,  even  if  we  take 
the  days  literally,  an  event  should  take  place  which  was  to  oc- 
cur regularly  every  year.  The  heavenly  sanctuary  is  the  one  in 
which  the  decision  of  all  cases  is  to  be  rendered.  The  prog- 
ress of  the  work  there  is  what  it  especially  concerns  mankind 
to  know.  If  people  understood  the  bearing  of  these  subjects 
on  their  eternal  interests,  with  what  earnestness  and  anxiety 
would  they  give  them  their  most  careful  and  prayerful  study. 
See  on  chapter  9  :  20  and  onward,  an  argument  on  the  2300 
days,  showing  at  what  point  they  terminated,  and  when  the 
solemn  work  of  the  cleansing  of  the  heavenly  sanctuarv  began. 

Verse  15.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  I,  even  I  Daniel,  had  seen 
the  vision,  and  sought  for  the  meaning,  then,  behold,  there  stood  be- 
fore me  as  the  appearance  of  a  man.  16.  And  I  heard  a  man's  voice 
between  the  banks  of  Ulai.  which  called,  and  said,  Gabriel,  make  this 
man  to  miderstand  the  vision. 

We  now  enter  upon  an  interpretation  of  the  vision.  And 
first  of  all  we  have  mention  of  Daniel's  solicitude,  and  his 
efforts  to  understand  these  things.  He  sought  for  the  meaning. 
Those  who  have  given  to  prophetic  studies  their  careful  and 
earnest  attention,  are  not  the  ones  who  are  imconcerned  in  such 
matters.  They  only  can  tread  with  indifference  over  a  mine 
of  gold,  who  do  nr)t  know  that  a  bed  of  precious  metal  lies 
beneath  thoir  feet.      Immediately  tliere  stood  before  the  ]')rophet 


CHAPTER  8.  VERSES  15  -  ID  220 

as  the  appearance  of  a  man.  The  text  does  not  say  it  was  a 
man,  as  some  wonhl  fain  have  ns  think,  who  wish  to  prove  that 
angels  are  dead  men,  and  who  resort  to  such  texts  as  this  for 
their  evidence.  It  says,  "  The  appearance  of  a  man,"  from 
which  we  are  evidently  to  understand  an  angel  in  human  form. 
And  he  heard  a  man's  voice ;  that  is,  the  voice  of  an  angel,  as 
of  a  man  sj)eaking.  The  commandment  given  was,  to  make 
this  man,  Daniel,  understand  the  vision.  It  was  addressed  to 
Gabriel,  a  name  that  signifies  "  the  mighty  one.''  He  con- 
tinues his  instruction  to  Daniel  in  chapter  9.  Under  the  new 
dispensation  he  was  commissioned  to  announce  the  birth  of 
John  the  Baptist  to  his  father  Zacharias  (Luke  1:11);  and  that 
of  the  Messiah  to  the  virgin  Mary,  verse  20.  To  Zacharias,  he 
introduced  himself  with  these  words:  "I  am  Gabriel,  that 
stand  in  the  presence  of  God."  From  this  it  appears  that  he 
was  an  angel  of  high  order  and  superior  dignity;  but  the  one 
who  here  addressed  him  was  evidently  higher  in  rank,  and  had 
poAver  to  command  and  control  his  actions.  This  was  probably 
no  other  than  the  archangel,  ^lichael,  or  Christ,  between  whom 
and  Gabriel,  alone,  a  knowledge  of  the  matters  communicated 
to  Daniel  existed.       (See  chapter  10:21.) 

Verse  17.  So  he  came  near  where  I  stood :  and  when  he  came,  I 
was  afraid,  and  fell  upon  my  face :  but  he  said  unto  me.  Understand, 
O  son  of  man:  for  at  the  time  of  the  end  shall  be  the  vision.  18. 
Now  as  he  was  speaking  with  me,  I  was  in  a  deep  sleep  on  ray  face 
toward  the  ground :  but  he  toucliod  me,  and  set  me  upright.  19.  And 
he  said.  Behold,  I  will  make  thee  know  what  shall  be  in  the  last  end 
of  the  indignation;  for  at  the  time  appointed  the  end  shall  be. 

Under  similar  circumstances  to  those  here  narrated,  John 
fell  down  before  the  feet  of  an  angel,  but  it  was  for  the  pur- 
pose of  worship.  Rev.  10:10;  22:8.  Daniel  seems  to  have 
been  completely  overcome  by  the  majesty  of  the  heavenly  mes- 
senger. He  prostrated  himself  with  his  face  to  the  ground, 
probably  as  though  in  a  deep  sleep,  but  not  really  so.  Sorrow, 
it  is  true,  caused  the  disciples  to  sleep ;  but  fear,  as  in  this 
case,  would  hardly  have  that  effect.  The  angel  gently  laid 
his  hand  upon  him  to  give  him  assurance  (how  many  times 
ha\T'  mortals  been  told  by  heavenly  beings  to  "fear  not"!), 
and  from  this  helpless  and  prostrate  condition  set  him  upright. 
15 


230  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

With  a  general  statement  that  at  the  time  appointed  the  end 
shall  be,  and  that  he  will  make  him  know  what  shall  be  in  the 
last  end  of  the  indignation,  he  enters  upon  an  interpretation  of 
the  vision.  The  indignation  must  be  understood  to  cover  a  pe- 
riod of  time.  What  time  ?  God  told  his  people  Israel  that  ho 
would  pour  upon  them  his  indignation  for  their  wickedness ; 
and  thus  he  gave  directions  concerning  the  ''  profane  wicked  • 
prince  of  Israel :  "  ''  Remove  the  diadem,  and  take  off  the 
crown.  .  .  .  I  will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn  it :  and  it  shall 
be  no  more,  until  he  come  whose  right  it  is;  and  I  will  give 
it  him."      Eze.  21:25-  27,  31. 

Here  is  the  period  of  God's  indignation  against  his  cove- 
nant people;  the  period  during  which  the  sanctuary  and  host 
are  to  be  trodden  under  foot.  The  diadem  was  removed,  and 
the  crown  taken  off,  when  Israel  was  subjected  to  the  kingdom 
of  Babylon.  It  was  overturned  again  by  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians, again  by  the  Grecians,  again  by  the  Romans,  correspond- 
ing to  the  three  times  the  word  is  repeated  by  the  prophet. 
The  Jews  then,  having  rejected  Christ,  were  soon  scattered 
abroad  over  the  face  of  the  earth;  and  spiritual  Israel  has 
taken  the  place  of  the  literal  seed ;  but  they  are  in  subjection 
to  earthly  powers,  and  will  be  till  the  throne  of  David  is  again 
set  up, —  till  He  who  is  its  rightful  heir,  the  Messiah,  the 
Prince  of  peace,  shall  come,  and  then  it  will  be  given  him. 
Then  the  indignation  will  have  ceased.  What  shall  take  place 
in  the  last  end  of  this  period,  the  angel  is  now  to  make  kno^^'n 
to  Daniel. 

Verse  20.  The  ram  which  thou  sawest  having  two  horns  are  the 
kings  of  Media  and  Persia.  21.  And  the  rough  goat  is  the  king  of 
Grecia :  and  the  great  horn  that  is  between  his  eyes  is  the  first  king. 
22.  Now  that  being  broken,  whereas  four  stood  up  for  it,  four  king- 
doms shall  stand  up  oiit  of  the  nation,  but  not  in  his  power. 

As  the  disciples  said  to  the  Lord,  so  may  we  here  say  of  the 
angel  who  spake  to  Daniel,  "  Lo,  now  speakest  thou  plainly, 
and  speakest  no  proverb."  This  is  an  explanation  of  the  vision 
in  language  as  plain  as  need  be  given.  (See  on  verses  3  -  S.) 
The  distinguishing  feature  of  the  Persian  empire,  the  union  of 
the  two  nationalities  which  composed  it,  is  represented  by  the 


CHAPTER  8.  VERSES  20  -  25  231 

two  horns  of  the  ram.  Grecia  attained  its  greatest  glory  as  a 
nnit  under  the  leadership  of  Alexander  the  Great,  a  general  as 
famous  as  the  world  has  ever  seen.  This  part  of  her  history  is 
represented  by  the  first  phase  of  the  goat,  during  which  time 
the  one  notable  horn  symbolized  Alexander  the  Great.  Upon 
his  death,  the  kingdom  fell  into  fragments,  but  almost  imme- 
diately consolidated  into  four  grand  divisions,  represented  by 
the  second  phase  of  the  goat,  when  it  had  four  horns  which 
came  up  in  the  place  of  the  first,  which  was  broken.  These 
divisions  did  not  stand  in  his  j)0wer.  Xone  of  them  possessed 
the  strength  of  the  original  kingdom.  These  great  waymarks 
in  history,  on  ^\-hich  the  historian  bestows  volumes,  the  inspired 
penman  here  gives  us  in  sharp  outline,  with  a  few  strokes  of 
the  i)cncil  and  a  few  dashes  of  the  pen. 

Verse  23.  And  in  the  latter  time  of  their  kingdom,  when  the 
transgressors  are  come  to  the  full,  a  king  of  fierce  countenance,  and 
understanding  dark  sentences,  shall  stand  up.  24.  And  his  power 
shall  be  mighty,  but  not  by  his  own  power :  and  he  shall  destroy  won- 
derfully, and  shall  prosper,  and  practice,  and  shall  destroy  the  mighty 
and  the  holy  people.  25.  And  through  his  policy  also  he  shall  cause 
craft  to  prosper  in  his  hand :  and  he  shall  magnify  himself  in  his 
heart,  and  by  peace  shall  destroy  many:  he  shall  also  stand  up  against 
the  Prince  of  princes ;  but  he  shall  be  broken  without  hand. 

This  power  succeeds  to  the  four  divisions  of  the  goat  king- 
dom in  the  latter  time  of  their  kingdom,  that  is,  toward  the 
termination  of  their  career.  It  is,  of  course,  the  same  as  the 
little  horn  of  verse  9  and  onward.  Apply  it  to  Rome,  as  set 
forth  in  remarks  on  verse  9,  and  all  is  harmonious  and  clear. 

"A  king  of  fierce  countenance."  Moses,  in  predicting  pun- 
ishment to  come  upon  the  Jews  from  this  same  power,  calls  it 
''a  nation  of  fierce  countenance."  Deut,  28:49,  50.  No 
people  made  a  more  formidable  appearance  in  warlike  array 
than  the  Romans.  "  Understanding  dark  sentences."  Moses, 
in  the  scripture  just  referred  to,  says,  "  ^^Tiose  tongue  thou 
shalt  not  understand."  This  could  not  be  said  of  the  Baby- 
lonians, Persians,  or  Greeks,  in  reference  to  the  Jews;  for  the 
Chaldean  and  Greek  languages  were  used  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent  in  Palestine.  This  was  not  the  case,  however,  Avith  the 
Latin. 

"^  When  the  transgressors  are  come  to  the  full."      All  along, 


^rd'l  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  connection  between  God's  peoj^le  and  their  oppressors  is 
kept  in  view.  It  was  on  acconnt  of  the  transgressions  of  his 
people  that  they  were  sold  into  captivity.  And  their  continu- 
ance in  sin  brought  more  and  more  severe  punishment.  At  no 
time  were  the  Jews  more  corrupt,  morally,  as  a  nation,  than 
at  the  time  they  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Romans. 

"  Mighty,  but  not  by  his  own  power."  The  success  of  the 
Konians  was  owing  largely  to  the  aid  of  their  allies,  and  divi- 
sions among  their  enemies,  of  which  they  were  ever  ready  to 
take  advantage. 

"  He  shall  destroy  wonderfully."  The  Lord  told  the  Jews 
by  the  pro])liet  Ezekiel  that  he  would  deliver  them  to  men  who 
were  "  skilful  to  destroy."  How  full  of  meaning  is  such  a 
description,  and  how  applicable  to  the  Romans !  In  taking  Je- 
rusalem, they  slew  eleven  hundred  thousand  Jews,  and  made 
ninety-seven  thousand  captives.  So  wonderfully  did  they  des- 
troy this  once  mighty  and  holy  people. 

And  ^\Iiat  they  could  not  accomplish  by  force,  they  secured 
by  artifice.  Their  flatteries,  fraud,  and  corruptions  were  as 
fatal  as  their  thunderbolts  of  war.  And  Rome,  finally,  in 
the  person  of  one  of  its  governors,  stood  up  against  the  Prince 
of  princes,  by  giving  sentence  of  death  against  Jesus  Christ. 
"  But  he  shall  be  broken  without  hand,"  an  expression  which 
identifies  the  destruction  of  this  power  with  the  smiting  of  the 
image  of  chapter  2. 

Verse  26.  And  the  vision  of  the  evening-  and  the  morning  which 
was  told  is  true;  wherefore  shut  thou  up  the  vision;  for  it  shall  be 
for  many  days.  27.  And  I  Daniel  fainted,  and  was  sick  certain  days ; 
afterward  I  rose  up,  and  did  the  king's  business ;  and  I  was  astonished 
at  the  vision,  but  none  understood  it. 

"  The  vision  of  the  evening  and  the  morning,"  is  that  of  the 
2300  days.  In  vicnv  of  the  long  period  of  oppression,  and  the 
calamities  which  were  to  come  upon  his  people,  Daniel  fainted, 
and  was  sick  certain  days.  He  was  astonished  at  the  vision, 
but  did  not  understand  it.  Why  did  not  Gabriel  at  this  time 
fully  carry  out  his  instructions,  and  cause  Daniel  to  understand 
the  vision?" — Because  Daniel  had  received  all  that  he  could 
then  bear.  Further  instruction  is  therefore  deferred  to  a  fu- 
ture time. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Verse  1.  In  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  son  of  Aliasuerus,  of  the 
seed  of  the  Medes,  which  was  made  king  over  the  realm  of  the  Chal- 
deans ;  2.  In  the  first  year  of  his  reign  I  Daniel  understood  by  books 
the  number  of  the  years,  whereof  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Jere- 
miah the  prophet,  that  he  would  accomplish  seventy  years  in  the  deso- 
lations of  Jerusalem. 

THE  vision  recorded  in  the  preceding  chapter  was  given 
in  the  third  year  of  Belsliazzar,  b.  c.  538.  In  the  same 
year,  wliicli  Avas  also  the  first  of  Darius,  the  events  nar- 
rated in  this  cliapter  occurred.  Consequently  less  than  one 
year  is  passed  over  between  these  two  chapters.  Although  Dan- 
iel, as  prime  minister  of  the  foremost  kingdom  on  the  face  of 
the  earth,  was  cuniLered  with  cares  and  burdens,  he  did  not  let 
this  deprive  him  of  the  privilege  of  studying  into  things  of 
higher  moment,  even  the  purposes  of  God  as  revealed  to  his 
pro]ihets.  He  understood  by  books,  that  is,  the  writings  of 
Jeremiah,  that  God  would  accomplish  seventy  years  in  the 
captivity  of  his  people.  This  prediction  is  found  in  Jer.  25  : 
12;  29:  10.  The  knowledge  of  it,  and  the  use  that  was  made 
of  it,  shows  that  Jeremiah  was  early  regarded  as  a  divinely 
inspired  prophet ;  otherwise  his  Avritings  would  not  have  been 
so  soon  collected,  and  so  extensively  copied.  Though  Daniel 
was  for  a  time  contemporary  with  him,  he  had  a  copy  of  his 
works  which  he  carried  with  him  in  his  captivity;  and  though 
he  was  so  great  a  prophet  himself,  he  was  not  above  studying 

(233.^ 


234  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

carefully  what  God  might  reveal  to  others  of  his  servants. 
Commencing  the  seventy  years  b.  c.  600,  Daniel  understood 
that  they  were  now  drawing  to  their  termination ;  and  God 
had  even  commenced  the  fulfilment  by  overthrowing  the  king- 
dom of  Babylon. 

Verse  3.  And  I  set  my  face  unto  the  Lord  God,  to  seek  by  prayer 
and  supplications,  with  fasting,  and  sackcloth,  and  ashes. 

Because  God  has  promised,  we  are  not  released  from  the 
responsibility  of  beseeching  him  for  the  fulfilment  of  his  word. 
Daniel  might  have  reasoned  in  this  manner:  God  has  promised 
to  release  his  people  at  the  end  of  the  seventy  years,  and  he 
will  accomplish  this  promise;  I  need  not  therefore  concern 
myself  at  all  in  the  matter.  Daniel  did  not  thus  reason ;  but 
as  the  time  drew  near  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  vrord  of 
the  Lord,  he  set  himself  to  seek  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart. 
And  how  earnestly  he  engaged  in  the  work,  even  with  fasting, 
and  sackcloth,  and  ashes !  This  was  the  year,  probably,  in 
which  he  was  cast  into  the  lions'  den ;  and  the  prayer  of  which 
we  here  have  an  account  nniy  have  been  the  burden  of  that 
petition,  which,  regardless  of  the  unrighteous  Inunan  Ir.w  which 
had  been  secured  to  the  contrary,  he  offered  before  the  Lord 
three  times  a  day. 

Verse  4.  And  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  niy  God,  and  made  my  con- 
fession, and  said,  O  Lord,  the  c:reat  and  dreadful  God,  keeping  the 
covenant  and  mercy  to  them  that  love  him,  and  to  them  that  keep  his 
comniandments. 

We  here  have  the  opening  of  Dtmiers  wonderful  prayer, — 
a  prayer  expressing  such  humiliation  and  contrition  of  heart 
that  one  must  be  without  feeling  who  can  rea<l  it  immoved. 
He  commences  by  acknowledging  the  faithfulness  of  God. 
God  never  fails  in  any  of  his  engagements  with  his  followers. 
Tt  was  not  from  any  lack  on  God's  part  in  defending  and 
u])holding  them,  that  the  Jews  were  then  in  the  furnace  of 
ca]itivity,  but   only  on  account  of  their  sins. 

Verse  5.  We  have  sinned,  and  have  committed  iniquity,  and  have 
done  wickedly,  and  have  rebelled,  even  by  departing  from  thy  pre- 
cepts and  from  thy  judgments :    6.  Neither  liave  we  hearkened  unto 


CHAPTER  9.  VERSES  5  -  IJ^  235 

thy  servants  the  prophets,  which  spake  in  thy  name  to  our  kings,  our 
jjrinces,  and  our  fathers,  and  to  all  the  people  of  the  land.  7.  O 
Lord,  righteousness  helongeth  unto  thee,  hut  unto  us  confusion  of 
faces,  as  at  this  day;  to  the  men  of  Judah,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem,  and  unto  all  Israel,  that  are  near,  and  that  are  far  off, 
through  all  the  countries  whither  thou  hast  driven  them,  because  of 
their  trespass  that  they  have  trespassed  against  thee.  8.  O  Lord,  to 
us  helongeth  confusion  of  face,  to  our  kings,  to  our  princes,  and  to 
our  fathers,  because  we  have  sinned  against  thee.  9.  To  the  Lord  our 
God  belong  mercies  and  forgivenesses,  though  we  have  rebelled  against 
him;  10.  Xeither  have  we  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord  our  God,  to 
walk  in  his  laws,  which  he  set  before  us  by  his  servants  the  prophets. 
11.  Yea,  all  Israel  have  traiisgressed  thy  law,  even  by  departing,  that 
they  might  not  obey  thy  voice;  therefore  the  curse  is  poured  upon 
us,  and  the  oath  that  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses  the  servant  of 
God,  because  we  have  sinned  against  him.  12.  And  he  hath  confirmed 
his  words,  which  he  spake  against  us,  and  against  our  judges  that 
judged  us,  by  bringing  upon  us  a  great  evil:  for  under  the  whole 
heaven  hath  not  been  done  as  hath  been  done  upon  Jerusalem.  13. 
As  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  all  this  evil  is  come  upon  us : 
yet  made  we  not  our  prayer  before  the  Lord  our  God,  that  we  might 
turn  from  our  iniquities,  and  understand  thy  truth.  14.  Therefore 
hath  the  Lord  watched  upon  the  evil,  and  brought  it  upon  us :  for 
the  Lord  our  God  is  righteous  in  all  his  works  w^iich  he  doeth:  for 
we  obeyed  not  his  voice. 

To  this  point  Daniel's  prayer  is  employed  in  making  a  full 
and  lieart-hroken  confession  of  sin.  He  vindicates  fully  the 
course  of  the  Lord,  acknowledging  their  sins  to  be  the  cause  of 
all  their  calamities,  as  God  had  threatened  them  by  the  prophet 
Closes.  And  he  does  not  discriminate  in  favor  of  himself.  l\o 
self -righteousness  appears  in  his  petition.  And  although  he 
had  suffered  long  for  others'  sins,  enduring  seventy  years  of 
captivity  for  the  wrongs  of  his  people,  himself  meanwhile  liv- 
ing a  godly  life,  and  receiving  signal  honors  and  blessings  from 
the  Lord,  he  brings  no  accusations  against  any  one  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  others,  pleads  no  sympathy  for  himself  as  a  victim  of 
others'  wrongs,  but  ranks  himself  in  with  the  rest,  and  says, 
We  have  sinned,  and  unto  us  belongs  confusion  of  face.  And 
he  acknowledges  that  they  had  not  heeded  the  lessons  God 
designed  to  teach  them  by  their  afflictions,  by  turning  again 
unto  him. 

An  expression  in  the  14th  verse  is  worthy  of  especial  no- 
tice:   "Therefore  hath  the  Lord  watched  upon  the  evil,   and 


236  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

brought  it  upon  us."  Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work 
is  not  executed  speedily,  therefore  the  hearts  of  the  sons  of 
men  are  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil.  But  none  may  think  that 
the  Lord  does  not  see,  or  that  he  has  forgotten.  His  retribu- 
tions will  surely  overtake  the  transgressor,  against  whom  they 
are  threatened,  without  deviation  and  without  fail.  He  will 
watch  upon  the  evil,  and  in  his  own  good  time  will  bring  it 
to  pass. 

Verse  15.  And  now,  O  Lord  our  God,  that  hast  brought  thy  peo- 
ple forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  with  a  mighty  hand,  and  hast 
gotten  thee  renown,  as  at  this  day;  we  have  sinned,  we  have  done 
wickedly.  16.  0  Lord,  according  to  all  thy  righteousness,  I  beseech 
thee,  let  thine  anger  and  thy  fury  be  turned  away  from  thy  city  Je- 
rusalem, thy  holy  mountain :  because  for  our  sins,  and  for  the  iniq- 
uities of  our  fathers,  Jerusalem  and  thy  people  are  become  a  reproach 
to  all  that  are  about  ns.  17.  Now  therefore,  O  our  God,  hear  the 
prayer  of  thy  servant,  and  his  supplications,  and  cause  thy  face  to 
shine  upon  thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate,  for  the  Lord's  sake.  18. 
O  my  God,  incline  thine  ear,  and  hear;  open  thine  eyes,  and  behold 
our  desolations,  and  the  city  which  is  called  by  thy  name:  for  we  do 
not  present  our  supplications  before  thee  for  our  righteousnesses, 
but  for  thy  great  mercies.  19.  O  Lord,  hear;  O  Lord,  forgive;  O 
Lord,  hearken  and  do ;  defer  not,  for  thine  own  sake,  O  my  God :  for 
thy  city  and  thy  people  are  called  by  thy  name. 

The  prophet  now  pleads  the  honor  of  the  Lord's  name  as  a 
reason  why  he  desires  that  his  petition  should  be  granted.  lie 
refers  to  the  fact  of  their  deliverance  from  Egypt,  and  the  great 
renown  that  had  accrued  to  the  Lord's  name  for  all  his  won- 
derful works  manifested  among  them.  All  this  would  be  lost, 
shoidd  he  now  abandon  them  to  perish.  ]\Ioses  used  the  same 
argument  in  pleading  for  Israel.  Xumbers  14.  Xot  that  God 
is  moved  with  motives  of  ambition  and  vainglory ;  but  when  his 
people  are  jealous  for  the  honor  of  his  name,  M'hen  they  evince 
their  love  for  him  by  pleading  with  him  to  work,  not  for  their 
own  personal  benefit,  but  for  his  own  glory,  that  his  name  may 
not  be  reproached  and  blasphemed  among  the  heatbon,  this  is 
acceptable  with  him.  Daniel  then  intercedes  for  the  city  of 
Jerusalem,  called  by  God's  name,  and  his  holy  mountain,  for 
which  he  has  had  such  love,  and  beseeches  him,  for  his  mer- 
cies' sake,  to  let  his  anger  1)0  turned  away.  Finally,  liis  niitid 
centers  upon  the  holy  sanctuary,  God's  own  dwelHng-])la('e  ujion 


THE  ANGEL  GABRIEL   SENT  TO   INSTRUCT  DANIEL 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  16  -  !dl  2au 

this  earth,  and  he  pleads  that  its  desohitioiis  may  be  repaired. 
Daniel  understood  the  seventy  years  of  captivity  to  be  near 
their  termination.  From  his  allusion  to  the  sanctuary,  it  is 
evident  that  he  so  far  misunderstood  the  important  vision  given 
him  in  chapter  8  as  to  suppose  that  the  2300  days,  at  the  ter- 
mination of  which  the  sanctuary  was  to  be  cleansed,  expired  at 
the  same  time.  This  misapprehension  was  at  once  corrected 
when  the  angel  came  to  give  him  further  instruction  in  answer 
to  his  prayer,  the  narration  of  which  is  next  given. 

Verse  20.  And  whiles  I  was  speaking,  and  praying,  and  confess- 
ing my  sin  and  the  sin  of  my  people  Israel,  and  presenting  my  sup- 
plication before  the  Lord  my  God  for  the  holy  mountain  of  my  God; 
21.  Yea,  whiles  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  even  the  man  Gabriel,  whom 
I  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being  caused  to  fly  swiftly, 
touched  me  about  the  time  of  the  evening  oblation. 

We  here  have  the  result  of  Daniel's  supplication..  He  is 
suddenly  interrupted  by  a  heavenly  messenger.  The  angel 
Gabriel,  appearing  again  as  he  had  before,  in  the  form  of  a 
man,  whom  Daniel -had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning, 
touched  him.  A  very  important  question  is  at  this  point  to  be 
determined.  It  is  to  be  decided  whether  the  vision  of  chapter 
8  has  ever  been  explained,  and  can  ever  be  understood.  The 
question  is.  To  what  vision  does  Daniel  refer  by  the  expression, 
"  the  vision  at  the  beginning ''  ?  It  will  be  conceded  by  all 
that  it  is  a  vision  of  which  we  have  some  previous  record,  and 
that  in  that  vision  we  shall  find  some  mention  of  Gabriel.  We 
must  go  back  beyond  this  ninth  chapter;  for  all  that  we  have 
in  this  chapter  previous  to  this  appearance  of  Gabriel,  is  simply 
a  record  of  Daniel's  prayer.  Looking  back,  then,  through 
previous  chapters,  we  find  mention  of  only  three  visions  given 
to  Daniel.  1.  The  interpretation  of  the  dream  of  Xebuchad- 
nezzar  was  given  in  a  night  vision.  Chapter  2  :  19.  But  there 
is  no  record  of  any  angelic  agency  in  the  matter.  2.  The 
vision  of  chapter  7.  This  was  explained  to  Daniel  by  "  one 
of  them  that  stood  by,"  probably  an  angel ;  but  we  have  no 
information  as  to  what  angel,  nor  is  there  anything  in  that 
vision  which  needed  further  explanation.  3.  The  vision  of 
chapter  8.      Here  we  find  some  particulars  which  show  this  to 


240  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

be  the  vision  referred  to.  1.  Gabriel  is  there  iirst  brought  to 
view  by  name  in  the  book,  and  the  only  time  previous  to  this 
occasion.  2.  lie  was  commanded  to  make  Daniel  understand 
the  vision.  3.  Daniel,  at  the  conclusion,  says  he  did  not  under- 
stand it,  showing  that  Gabriel,  at  the  conclusion  of  chapter  8, 
had  not  fulfilled  his  mission.  There  is  no  place  in  all  the  Bible 
where  this  instruction  is  carried  out,  if  it  be  not  in  chapter  9. 
If,  therefore,  the  vision  of  cha23ter  8  is  not  the  one  referred  to, 
we  have  no  record  that  Gabriel  ever  complied  with  the  instruc- 
tions given  him,  or  that  that  vision  has  ever  been  explained. 
4.  The  instructiou  which  the  angel  now  gives  to  Daniel,  as  we 
shall  see  from  tlie  following  verses,  does  exactly  complete  what 
was  lacking  in  chapter  8.  These  considerations  prove  beyond 
a  doubt  the  connection  between  Daniel  8  and  9 ;  and  this  con- 
clusion will  be  still  further  strengthened  l)y  a  consideration  of 
the  angeFs  instructions. 

Verse  22.  And  he  informed  me,  and  talked  with  me,  and  said,  0 
Daniel,  I  am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee  skill  and  understanding. 
23.  At  the  beginning  of  thy  supplications  the  commandment  came 
forth,  and  I  am  come  to  show  thee ;  for  thou  art  greatly  beloved ; 
therefore  understand  the  matter,  and  consider  the  vision. 

The  manner  in  which  Gabriel  introduces  himself  on  this 
occasion,  shows  that  he  has  come  to  complete  some  unfulfilled 
mission.  This  can  be  nothing  less  than  to  carry  out  the  in- 
struction to  make  this  man  "  understand  the  vision,"  as  re- 
corded in  chapter  8.  "'  I  am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee  skill 
and  understanding."  As  the  charge  still  rested  upon  him  to 
make  Daniel  understand,  and  as  he  explained  to  Daniel  in 
chapter  8  all  that  he  couhl  then  bc^ar,  and  yet  lie  did  not  un- 
derstand the  vision,  he  now  comes  to  resume  his  work  and  com- 
plete his  mission.  As  soon  as  Daniel  commenced  his  fervent 
supplication,  the  commandment  came  forth ;  that  is,  Gabri(d 
received  instruction  to  visit  Daniel,  and  iiu])art  to  him  the 
requisite  inf(n"mation.  From  the  time  it  takes  to  read  Daniel's 
prayer  down  to  the  point  at  which  Gabriel  made  his  appearance 
upon  the  scene,  the  reader  can  judge  of  the  speed  with  which 
this  messenger  was  dispatched  from  the  court  of  heaven  to  this 
servant  of  God.      Xo  wonder  that  Daniel  savs  he  was  caused 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  22,  2S  241 

to  flj  swiftly,  or  that  Ezekiel  compares  the  movements  of  these 
celestial  beings  to  a  Hash  of  lightning.  Eze.  1:14.  "  Under- 
stand the  matter,"  he  says  to  Daniel.  What  inatter  ?  —  That, 
evidently,  which  he  did  not  before  understand,  as  stated  in  the 
last  verse  of  chapter  8.  ''  Consider  the  vision."  What  vision  i 
Xot  the  interpretation  of  iSTebnchadnezzar's  image,  nor  the 
vision  of  chapter  7,  for  there  was  no  difficulty  with  either  of 
these;  but  the  vision  of  chapter  8,  in  reference  to  which  his 
mind  was  filled  with  doubt  and  astonishment.  '''  I  am  come 
to  show  thee,"  also  said  the  angel.  Show  thee  in  reference 
to  what  ?  ■ — ■  Certainly  in  reference  to  something  wherein  he  Avas 
entertaining  MTong  ideas,  and  something,  at  the  same  time, 
pertaining  to  his  prayer,  as  it  Avas  this  which  had  called  forth 
Gabriel  on  his  mission  at  this  time. 

But  Daniel  had  no  difficulty  in  understanding  what  the 
angel  told  him  about  the  ram,  he-goat,  and  little  horn,  the 
kingdoms  of  Medo-Persia,  Greece,  and  Kome.  Xor  was  he 
mistaken  in  regard  to  the  ending  of  the  seventy  years'  captivity. 
But  the  burden  of  his  petition  was  respecting  the  repairing  of 
the  desolations  of  the  sanctuary,  which  lay  in  ruins ;  and  he 
had  undoubtedly  drawn  the  conclusion  that  when  the  end  of 
the  seventy  years'  captivity  came,  the  time  would  come  for  the 
fulfilment  of  what  the  angel  had  said  respecting  the  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary  at  the  end  of  the  2300  days.  Xow  he  must 
be  set  right.  And  this  exj^lains  why  at  this  particular  tiiiu\ 
so  soon  after  the  previous  vision,  instruction  was  sent  to  him. 
,  ]^ow  the  seventy  years  of  captivity  were  drawing  to  their  close, 
and  Daniel  was  applying  to  a  wrong  issue  the  instruction  he 
had  before  received  from  the  angel.  lie  was  falling  into  a 
misunderstanding,  and  was  acting  upon  it;  hence  he  must  not 
be  suffered  longer  to  remain  ignorant  of  the  true  import  of  the 
former  vision.  "  I  am  come  to  show  thee;  "  "'  understand  the 
matter;"  "consider  the  vision."  Such  were  the  words  used 
by  the  very  person  Daniel  had  seen  in  the  former  vision,  and 
to  whom  he  had  heard  the  command  given,  "  Make  this  nuui  to 
understand  the  vision,"  and  who,  he  knew,  had  never  carried 
out  that  instruction.  But  now  he  appears,  and  says,  "'  L  am 
now  come  forth  to  give  thee  skill  and  understanding."       IIoav 


242  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

could  Daniel's  mind  be  more  emphatically  carried  back  to  the 
vision  of  chapter  8,  and  how  could  the  connection  between  that 
visit  of  the  angel  and  this  be  more  distinctly  shown,  than  by 
such  words  at  such  a  time  from  such  a  person  ?  The  con- 
siderations already  jjresentcd  are  sufficient  to  show  conclusively 
the  connection  between  chapters  8  and  9 ;  but  this  will  still 
further  appear  in  subsequent  verses. 

One  expression  seems  worthy  of  notice  before  we  leave 
verse  23.  It  is  the  declaration  of  the  angel  to  Daniel,  "  For 
thou  art  greatly  beloved."  The  angel  brought  this  declaration 
direct  from  the  courts  of  heaven.  It  expressed  the  state  of 
feeling  that  existed  there  in  regard  to  Daniel.  Think  of 
celestial  beings,  the  highest  in  the  universe, —  the  Father,  the 
Son,  the  holy  angels, —  having  such  regard  and  esteem  for  a 
mortal  man  here  upon  earth  as  to  authorize  an  angel  to  bear 
the  message  to  him  that  he  is  greatly  beloved !  This  is  one 
of  the  highest  pinnacles  of  glory  to  which  mortals  can  attain. 
Abraham  reached  another,  when  it  could  be  said  of  him  that 
he  was  the  "  friend  of  God ;  "  and  Enoch  another,  when  it  could 
be  said  of  him  that  he  "  walked  with  God."  Can  we  arrive  at 
any  such  attainments  ?  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons ;  but  he 
is  a  respecter  of  character.  If  in  virtue  and  godliness  we  could 
equal  these  eminent  men,  we  could  move  the  divine  love  to 
equal  depths.  "We,  too,  could  be  greatly  beloved,  ■ — •  could  be 
friends  of  God,  and  could  walk  with  him.  And  we  must  be 
in  our  generation  what  they  were  in  theirs.  There  is  a  figure 
used  in  reference  to  the  last  church  which  denotes  the  closest 
union  with  God :  "  If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  Avith  him,  and  he 
with  me."  Rev.  3:20.  To  sup  with  the  Lord  denotes  an 
intimacy  equal  to  lieing  greatly  beloved  by  him,  walking  with 
him,  or  being  his  friend.  How  desirable  a  position  I  Alas 
for  the  evils  of  our  nature,  which  cut  us  off  from  this  com- 
munion !  Oh  for  grace  to  overcome  these !  that  we  may  enjoy 
this  spiritual  union  here,  and  finally  enter  the  glories  of  his 
presence  at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 

Versp;  24.  Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and 
upon  thy  holy  city,  to  finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  an  end 


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CHAPTER  9,  VER^E  ^k  245 

of  sins,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  brinji'  in  ever- 
lasting- righteousness,  and  to  seal  up  the  vision  and  proijhecy,  au''. 
to  anoint  the  most  Holy. 

Sticli  arc  the  first  words  the  angel  utters  to  Daniel,  toward 
imparting  to  him  that  instruction  which  he  came  to  give.  Why 
does  he  thus  abruptly  introduce  a  period  of  time  ?  V\"e  must 
again  refer  to  the  vision  of  chapter  S.  We  have  seen  that 
Daniel,  at  the  close  of  that  chapter,  says  that  he  did  not  under- 
stand the  vision.  Some  portions  of  that  vision  were  at  the 
time  very  clearly  explained.  It  could  not  have  been  these  por- 
tions which  he  did  not  understand.  We  therefore  inqtiire  what 
it  was  which  JJaniel  did  not  understand,  or,  in  other  words, 
what  part  of  the  vision  was  there  left  unexplained.  In  that 
vision  four  prominent  things  are  brotight  to  view:  (1)  The 
Ram;  (2)  The  Ile-goat;  (3)  The  Little  Horn;  (4)  The  period 
of  the  2300  days.  The  symbols  of  the  ram,  the  he-goat,  and 
the  little  horn  were  explained.  Xothing,  however,  was  said 
respecting  the  time.  This  mtist  therefore  have  been  the  point 
which  he  did  not  understand;  and  as  without  this  the  other 
portions  of  the  vision  were  of  no  avail,  he  could  well  say, 
while  the  application  of  this  period  was  left  in  obscurity, 
that  he   did  not  understand   the  vision. 

If  this  view  of  the  subject  is  correct,  we  should  naturally 
expect,  when  the  angel  completed  his  explanation  of  the  vision, 
that  he  would  connnence  with  the  very  point  which  had  been 
omitted;  namely,  the  time.  And  this  we  find  to  be  trite  in 
fact.  After  citing  Daniel's  attention  l)ack  to  tlie  former  vision 
in  the  most  direct  and  emphatic  manner,  and  assuring  him 
that  he  had  now  come  forth  to  give  him  understanding  in  the 
matter,  he  connnences  u])on  the  very  point  there  omitte<l,  and 
says,  "  Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and 
upon  thy  lioly  city."' 

But  how  does  this  language  show  any  connection  with  the 
2300  days,  or  throw  any  light  upon  that  period  ?  We  an- 
s^^•er :  The  language  cannot  be  intelligibly  referred  to  anything 
else;  for  the  Avord  here  rendered  determined  signiifies  "cut 
off;  "  and  there  is  no  period  from  which  the  seventy  weeks 
could  be  cut  off  but  the  2300  days  of  the  ])revious  vision.  How 
16 


246  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

direct  and  natural,  then,  is  tlie  connection.  Daniel's  attention 
is  fixed  upon  the  2300  days,  which  he  did  not  understand,  by 
the  angel's  directing  him  to  the  former  vision ;  and  he  says, 
"  Seventy  \veeks  are  cut  off."  Cut  off  from  what  ?  —  The 
2300  days,  most  assuredly. 

Proof  may  be  called  for  that  the  word  rendered  determined 
signifies  to  cut  off.  An  abundance  can  be  given.  The  Hebrew 
word  thus  translated  is  TinnJ,  nelihtah.  This  word  Gesenius, 
in  his  Hebrew  Lexicon,  defines  as  follows:  "Properly,  to  cut 
off;  troi^ically,  to  divide;  and  so  to  determine,  to  decree."  In 
the  Chaldoe-Kabbinic  Dictionary  of  Stockius,  the  word  nelihtak 
is  thus  defined :  "  Scidit,  abscidit,  conscidit,  inscidit,  exscidit 
—  to  cut,  to  cut  away,  to  cut  to  pieces,  to  cut  or  engi-ave,  to  cut 
off."  Mercerus,  in  his  Thesaurus,  furnishes  a  specimen  of 
Rabbinical  usage  in  the  phrase,  lihat'ikali  shel  hasar,  "  a  piece 
of  flesh,"  or  "  a  cut  of  flesh."  He  translates  the  word  as  it 
occurs  in  Dan.  9 :  24,  by  "  prsecisa  est,"  is  cut  off.  In  the 
literal  version  of  Arias  Montanus,  it  is  translated  "  decisa  est," 
is  cut  off ;  in  the  marginal  reading,  which  is  grammatically 
correct,  it  is  rendered  by  the  plural,  "  decisse  sunt,"  are  cut 
off.  In  the  Latin  version  of  Junius  and  Tremellius,  nelihtak 
(the  passive  of  hhathalc)  is  rendered  "  decisa^  sunt,"  arc  cut  off. 
Again,  in  Theodotion's  Greek  version  of  Daniel  (which  is  the 
version  used  in  the  Vatican  copy  of  the  Septuagint,  as  being  the 
most  faithful),  it  is  rendered  by  o-vvcTfirjOrjaav  {sunetmethesan) , 
were  cut  off;  and  in  the  Venetian  copy  by  TCTfirjvrai  (^tct mental), 
have  been  cut.  The  idea  of  cutting  off  is  preserved  in  the 
Vulgate,  where  the  phrase  is  "  abbreviate  sunt,"  a7'e  shortened. 

"  Thus  Ghaldaic  and  Rabbinical  authority,  and  that  of  the 
earliest  versions,  the  Septuagint  and  Vulgate,  give  the  single 
signification  of  cutting  off,  to  this  verb." 

"  Ilengstenberg,  who  enters  into  a  critical  examination  of 
the  original  text,  says,  '  But  the  very  use  of  the  word,  which 
does  not  elsewliore  occur,  while  others  much  uKire  fre(|nently 
used  Avere  at  hand  if  Daniel  had  wished  to  express  the  idea  of 
determination,  and  of  which  he  has  elsewhere,  and  even  in 
this  portion  availed  himself,  seems  to  argue  that  tlie  word  stands 
from  regard  to  its  original  meaning,  and  represents  the  seventy 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSE  24  247 

weeks  in  contrast  with  a  determination  of  time  (en  platei)  as  a 
period  cut  oif  from  subsequent  duration,  and  accurately  lim- 
ited.'" —  Christology  of  the  Old  Testament,  Vol.  II,  p.  301. 
Washington,  1839. 

Why,  then,  it  may  be  asked,  did  our  translators  render  the 
word  determined,  when  it  so  obviously  means  cut  off?  The 
answer  is.  They  doubtless  overlooked  the  connection  between 
the  eighth  and  ninth  chapters,  and  considering  it  improper  to 
render  it  cut  off,  when  nothing  was  given  from  which  the 
seventy  weeks  could  be  cut  off,  they  gave  the  word  its  tropical 
instead  of  its  literal  meaning.  But,  as  we  have  seen,  the  con- 
struction, the  context,  and  the  connection  require  the  literal 
meaning,  and  render  any  other  inadmissible. 

Seventy  Aveeks,  then,  or  490  days  of  the  2300,  were  cut  off 
upon,  or  allotted  to,  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews ;  and  the  events 
which  were  to  be  consummated  within  that  period  are  briefly 
stated.  The  transgression  was  to  be  finished;  that  is,  the 
Jewish  people  were  to  fill  up  the  cup  of  their  iniquity,  which 
they  did  in  the  rejection  and  crucifixion  of  Christ.  And  end 
of  sins,  or  of  sin-offerings,  was  to  be  made.  This  took  place 
when  the  great  offering  was  made  on  Calvary.  Reconciliation 
for  iniquity  was  to  be  provided.  This  was  made  by  the  sacri- 
ficial death  of  the  Son  of  God.  Everlasting  righteousness  was 
to  be  brought  in ;  the  righteousness  which  our  Lord  manifested 
in  his  sinless  life.  The  vision  and  the  prophecy  were  to  be 
sealed  up,  or  made  sure.  By  the  events  given  to  transpire  in 
the  seventy  weeks,  the  prophecy  is  tested.  By  this  the  appli- 
cation of  the  whole  vision  is  determined.  If  the  events  of  this 
period  are  accurately  fulfilled,  the  prophecy  is  of  God,  and  will 
all  be  accomplished;  and  if  these  seventy  weeks  are  fulfilled  as 
weeks  of  years,  then  the  2300  days,  of  which  these  are  a  part, 
are  so  many  years.  Thus  the  events  of  the  seventy  weeks  fur- 
nish a  key  to  the  whole  vision.  And  the  "  most  holy  "  was  to 
be  anointed ;  the  most  holy  place  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary.  In 
the  examination  of  the  sanctuary,  on  chapter  8 :  14,,  we  saw  that 
a  time  came  when  the  earthly  sanctuary  gave  place  to  the  heav- 
enly, and  the  priestly  ministration  was  transferred  to  that. 
Before  the  ministration  in  the  sanctuary  commenced,  the  sane- 


248  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

tuary  and  all  the  lioly  vessels  were  to  be  anointed.  Ex.  40 :  9, 
10.  The  last  event,  therefore,  of  the  seventy  weeks,  here 
brought  to  view,  is  the  anointing  of  the  heavenly  tabernacle, 
or  the  opening  of  the  ministration  there.  Thus  this  first 
division  of  the  2300  days  brings  us  to  the  commencement  of 
the  service  in  the  first  apartment  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
as  the  whole  period  brings  us  to  the  commencement  of  the 
service  in  the  second  apartment,  or  most  holy  place,  of  that 
sanctuary. 

The  argument  must  now  be  considered  conclusive  that  the 
ninth  chapter  of  Daniel  explains  the  eighth,  and  that  the  sev- 
enty weeks  are  a  part  of  the  2300  days;  and  with  a  few 
extracts  from  the  wantings  of  others  Ave  will  leave  this  point. 

The  Advent  Shield  in  184-4  said  : — 

"  We  call  attention  to  one  fact  which  shows  that  there  is  a 
necessary  '  connection  '  between  the  seventy  weeks  of  the  ninth 
chapter,  and  something  else  which  precedes  or  follows  it,  called 
^  the  vision/  It  is  found  in  the  24th  verse:  'Seventy  weeks 
are  determined  [are  cut  off]  upon  thy  people,  ...  to  seal  up 
the  vision,'  etc.  Now  there  are  but  two  significations  to  the 
phrase  '  seal  up.'  They  are,  first,  '  to  make  secret,'  and  sec- 
ond, 'to  make  sure.'  We  care  not  now  in  which  of  these  sig- 
nifications the  phrase  is  supposed  to  be  used.  That  is  not  the 
point  now  before  us.  Let  the  signification  be  Avhat  it  may,  it 
shows  that  the  prediction  of  the  seventy  weeks  necessarily  re- 
lates to  something  else  beyond  itself,  called  '  the  vision,'  in 
reference  to  which  it  performs  this  work,  '  to  seal  up.'  To 
talk  of  its  sealing  up  itself  is  as  much  of  an  absurdity  as  to 
suppose  that  Josephus  was  so  much  afraid  of  the  Tvomans  that 
ho  refrained  from  telling  the  world  that  he  thought  the  fourth 
kingdom  of  Daniel  was  '  the  kingdom  of  the  Greeks.'  Tt  is  no 
more  proper  to  say  that  the  ninth  chapter  of  Daniel  '  is  com- 
plete in  itself,'  than  it  would  be  to  say  that  a  map  which  was 
designed  to  show  the  relation  of  Massachusetts  to  the  Fuitod 
States,  referred  to  nothing  but  Massachusetts.  It  is  no  more 
complete  in  itself  than  a  bond  given  in  security  for  a  note,  or 
some  other  document  to  which  it  refers,  is  coin]>l(Me  in  itself; 
and  we  doubt  if  there  is  a  schoolboy  of  fourteen  years  in  the 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  21^-21  249 

land,  of  ordinary  capacity,  who  would  not,  on  reading  the 
ninth  chapter,  with  an  understanding  of  the  clause  before  us, 
decide  that  it  referred  to  something  distinct  from  itself,  called 
'  the  vision.'  AVhat  vision  it  is,  there  is  no  diiiiculty  in  deter- 
mining. It  naturally  and  obviously  refers  to  the  vision  which 
was  not  fully  explained  to  Daniel,  and  to  which  Gabriel  calls 
his  attention  in  the  preceding  verse, —  the  vision  of  the  eighth 
chapter.  Daniel  tells  us  that  Gabriel  was  commanded  to  make 
him  understand  the  vision  (8:  16).  This  was  not  fully  done 
at  that  interview  connected  with  the  vision ;  he  is  therefore 
sent  to  give  Daniel  the  needed  '  skill  and  imderstanding,'  — 
to  explain  its  '  meaning  '  by  communicating  to  him  the  pre- 
diction of  the  seventy  weeks." 

"  We  claim  that  the  ninth  of  Daniel  is  an  appendix  to  the 
eighth,  and  that  the  seventy  weeks  and  the  2300  days,  or  years, 
commence  together.  Our  opponents  deny  this." — Signs  of  the 
Times,  18Ji3. 

'•  The  grand  principle  involved  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
2300  days  of  Dan.  8:14,  is  that  the  seventy  weeks  of  Dan. 
9  :  24  are  the  first  490  days  of  the  2300  of  the  eighth  chapter." 
—Advent  Shield,  p.  JiO."^ 

"  If  the  connection  between  the  seventy  weeks  of  Daniel  9 
and  the  2300  days  of  Daniel  8  does  not  exist,  the  whole  system 
is  shaken  to  its  foundation;  if  it  does  exist,  as  we  suppose,  the 
si/stem  mvst  stand."  ■ — Harmony  of  the  Prophetic  Chronology, 
p.    33. 

Says  the  learned  Dr.  Hales,  in  commenting  upon  the  sev- 
enty weeks,  '"  This  chronological  prophecy  was  evidently  de- 
signed to  explain  the  foregoing  vision,  especially  in  its  chron- 
ological part  of  the  2300  days." — Chronology.  Vol.  IT.  p.  517. 

Verse  25.  Know  therefore  and  understand,  that  from  the  going 
forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  bnild  Jerusalem  unto 
the  Messiah  the  Prince  shall  be  seven  weeks,  and  threescore  and 
two  weeks:  the  street  shall  be  built  again,  and  the  wall,  even  in 
troublous  times.  26.  And  after  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  Mes- 
siah be  cut  off.  but  not  for  himself:  and  the  people  of  the  prince 
that  shall  come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary;  and  the  end 
thereof  shall  be  with  a  flood,  and  unto  the  end  of  the  war  desolations 
pre  fletermined.  27.  And  he  shall  confirm  the  covenant  with  many 
for  one  week :  and  in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacri- 


250  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

fice  and  the  oblation  to  cease,  and  for  the  overspreading  of  abomina- 
tions he  shall  make  it  desolate,  even  until  the  consummation,  and  that 
determined  shall  be  poured  upon  the  desolate. 

The  angel  now  gives  to  Daniel  the  event  which  is  to  mark 
the  commencement  of  the  seventy  weeks.  They  were  to  date 
from  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  build 
Jerusalem.  And  not  only  is  the  event  given  which  was  to 
determine  the  time  of  the  commencement  of  this  period,  but 
those  events  also  which  w^ere  to  transpire  at  its  close.  Thus 
a  double  test  is  provided  by  which  to  try  the  application  of  this 
prophecy.  But  more  than  this,  the  period  of  seventy  weeks  is 
divided  into  three  grand  divisions,  and  one  of  these  is  again 
divided,  and  the  intermediate  events  are  given  which  were  to 
mark  the  termination  of  each  one  of  these  divisions.  If,  now, 
we  can  find  a  date  which  will  harmonize  with  all  these  events, 
we  have,  beyond  a  doubt,  the  true  application;  for  none  but 
that  which  is  correct  could  meet  and  fulfil  so  many  conditions. 
Let  the  reader  take  in  at  one  view  the  points  of  harmony  to 
be  made,  that  he  may  be  the  better  prepared  to  guard  against 
a  false  application.  First,  we  are  to  find,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  period,  a  commandment  going  forth  to  restore  and 
build  Jerusalem.  To  this  work  of  restoration  seven  weeks  are 
allotted.  As  we  reach  the  end  of  this  first  division,  seven 
weeks  from  the  commencement,  we  are  to  find,  secondly,  Jeru- 
salem, in  its  material  aspect  restored,  the  work  of  building 
the  street  and  the  wall  fully  accomplished.  From  this  point 
sixty-two  weeks  are  measured  off ;  and  as  we  reach  the  termina- 
tion of  this  division,  sixty-nine  weeks  from  the  beginning,  we 
are  to  see,  thirdly,  the  manifestation  before  the  world  of  the 
Messiah  the  Prince.  One  week  more  is  given  us,  completing 
the  seventy.  Fourthly,  in  the  midst  of  this  week  the  Messiah 
is  to  be  cut  off,  and  to  cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease ; 
and,  fifthly,  when  the  last  week  of  that  period  which  was 
allotted  to  the  Jews  as  the  time  during  which  they  were  to  be 
the  special  people  of  God,  expires,  we  naturally  look  for  the 
going  forth  of  the  blessing  and  work  of  God  to  other  people. 

We  now  inquire  for  the  initial  date  which  will  harmonize 
with  all  these  particulars.     The  command  respecting  Jerusalem 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  25-27  253 

was  to  include  more  tliau  mere  Ijuikliiig.  There  was  to  be 
restoration;  and  by  tliis  we  must  understand  all  llio, forms  and 
regulations  of  civil,  political,  and  judicial  society.  When  did 
such  a  coinmand  go  forth  i  At  the  time  these  words  wore 
sjjoken  to  Daniel,  Jerusalem  lay  in  complete  and  utter  deso- 
lation, and  had  thus  been  lying  for  seventy  years.  The  resto- 
ration, pointed  to  in  the  future,  must  be  its  restoration  from 
this  desolation.  We  then  inquire,  When  and  how  was  Jeru- 
salem restored  after  the  seventy  years'  captivity  ( 

There  are  but  four  events  which  can  be  taken  as  answering 
to  the  commandment  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem.  These 
are,  (1)  The  decree  of  Cyrus  for  the  rebuilding  of  the  house 
of  God,  B.  c.  536  (Ezra  1:1-4);  (2)  The  decree  of  Darius 
for  the  prosecution  of  that  work,  which  had  been  hindered,  b.  c. 
519  (Ezra  0:1-12);  (3)  The  decree  of  Artaxerxes  to  Ezra, 
B.  c.  457  (Ezra  7)  ;  and  (4)  The  commission  to  Xehemiah  from 
the  same  king  in  his  twentieth  year,  b.  c.  444.      Xebemiah  2. 

Dating  from  the  first  two  of  these  decrees,  the  seventy 
weeks,  being  weelis  of  years,^  490  years  in  all,  would  fall 
many  years  short  of  reaching  even  to  the  Christian  era  ;  besides, 
these  decrees  had  reference  principally  to  the  restoration  of 
the  temple  and  the  temple-worship  of  the  Jews,  and  not  to  the 
restoration  of  their  civil  state  and  polity,  all  of  which  must  be 
included  in  the  expression,  "  To  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem." 

These  made  a  commencement  of  the  work.  They  were 
preliminary  to  Avhat  was  afterward  accomplished.  Dut  of 
themselves  they  were  altogether  insufficient,  both  in  their  dates 
and  in  their  nature,  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  prophecy; 


1  The  exi'Ianation  of  these  prophetic  periods  is  based  on  what  is  called  the 
"  year-day  principle;  "  that  is,  making  each  day  stand  for  a  year,  according  to 
the  Scriptural  rule  for  the  application  of  symbolic  time.  Eze.  4:0:  Num.  14:  ."4. 
That  the  time  in  these  visions  of  Daniel  8  and  0  is  symbolic  is  evident  from  the 
nature  and  scope  of  the  prophecy.  The  question  calling  out  the_  answers^  on  this 
point  was,  "  Hoz^'  long  the  vision?"  The  vision,  reckoning  from  5:'>8  B.  C.  to  our 
own  time,  sweeps  over  a  period  more  than  2400  years  in  length.  But  if  the 
■2'AW  days  of  the  vision  are  literal  days,  v.  e  have  a  period  of  only  a  little  over 
six  years  and  a  half  for  the  duration  of  the  kingdoms  and  the  tra:isaction  of  the 
great  events  brought  to  view,  which  is  absurd!  The  year-day  principle  numbers 
among  its  supporters  such  names  as  Augustine,  Tichonius,  Primasius,  Andreas,  the 
venerable  Bede,  Ambrosius,  Ansbertus,  Berengaud,  and  Bruno  Astcnsis,  besides  the 
leading  modern  expositors.  (See  Elliott's  "Home  Apoealypticse,"  \'ol.  Ill,  p.  241; 
and  "The  Sanctuary  and  Its  Cleansing,"  pp.  45-52.)  But  what  is  more  conclusive 
than  all  else  is  the  fact  that  the  proi)hecies  have  actually  been  fulfilled  on  this  prin- 
ciple,—  a  demonstration  of  its  correctness  from  which  there  is  no  appeal.  This 
will  he  found  in  the  prophecy  of  the  sevfnty  weeks  throughout,  and  all  the  prophetic 
periods  of  Daniel   7   and    12,   and   Revelation   0,    12,   and   l.S. 


254  PROPHECY  OF  VAX  I  EL 

and  tbns  failing  in  every  respect,  they  cannot  Le  bronglit  into 
the  controversy  as  marking  the  point  from  which  the  seventy 
weeks  are  to  date.  The  only  question  now  lies  between  the 
decrees  which  were  granted  to  Ezra  and  to  Xehemiah  re- 
S2:)ectively. 

The  facts  between  which  we  are  to  decide  here  are  briefly 
these:  In  457  b.  c,  a  decree  was  granted  to  Ezra  by  the 
Persian  emperor  Artaxerxes  Longimanns  to  go  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem with  as  many  of  his  people  as  were  minded  to  go  with  him. 
The  commission  granted  him  an  unlimited  amount  of  treasure, 
to  beautify  the  house  of  God,  to  procure  offerings  for  its  serv- 
ice, and  to  do  wliatever  else  might  seem  good  unto  him.  It 
empowered  him  to  ordain  laws,  set  magistrates  and  judges, 
and  execute  punishment  even  unto  death ;  in  other  words,  to 
restore  the  Jewish  state,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  according  to 
the  law  of  God  and  the  ancient  customs  of  that  people.  In- 
spiration has  seen  fit  to  preserve  this  decree;  and  a  full  and 
accurate  copy  of  it  is  given  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  book 
of  Ezra.  In  the  original,  this  decree  is  given,  not  in  Hebrew, 
like  the  rest  of  the  book  of  Ezra,  but  in  the  Chaldaic  (or 
Eastern  Aramaic),  the  language  then  used  at  Babylon;  and 
thus  we  are  furnished  with  the  original  document  by  virtue  of 
which  Ezra  was  authorized  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem. 

Thirteen  years  after  this,  in  the  twentieth  year  of  the  same 
king,  B.  c.  444,  Xehemiah  sought  and  obtained  permission  to 
g'o  up  to  Jerusalem.  Xehemiah  2.  Permission  was  granted 
him,  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  it  was  anything  more  than 
verbal.  It  pertained  to  him  individually,  nothing  being  said 
about  others  going  up  with  him.  The  king  asked  him  how 
long  a  journey  he  wished  to  make,  and  when  he  would  return. 
lie  received  letters  to  the  governors  beyond  the  river  to  hoi]) 
him  on  his  way  to  Judea,  and  an  order  to  the  keeper  of  the 
king's  forest  for  timber  for  beams,  etc.  When  he  arrived  at 
Jerusalem,  he  found  rulers  and  priests,  nobles  and  people,  al- 
ready engaged  in  the  work  of  building  Jerusalem.  Xeh.  2 : 
16.  These  were,  of  course,  acting  under  tlie  decree  given  to 
Ezra  thirteen  vears  before.       And  finally,    Xehemiah.  having 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  25-27  255 

arrived  at  Jerusalem,  finished  the  work  he  came  to  accomplish, 
in  fifty-two  days.      Neh.  6:15. 

Now  which  of  these  connnissions,  Ezra's  or  Nehemiah's, 
constitutes  the  decree  for  the  restoration  of  Jerusalem,  from 
which  the  seventy  weeks  are  to  he  dated  i  It  hardly  seems 
that  there  can  he  any  question  on  this  point. 

1.  The  grant  to  Nehemiah  cannot  he  called  a  decree.  It 
was  necessary  that  a  Persian  decree  should  be  put  in  writing, 
and  signed  by  the  king.  Dan.  6 :  8.  Such  was  the  document 
given  to  Ezra;  but  Xehemiah  had  nothing  of  the  kind,  his 
commission  being  only  verbal.  If  it  be  said  that  the  letters 
given  him  constitute  the  decree,  then  the  decree  was  issued, 
not  to  [N^ehemiah,  but  to  the  governors  beyond  the  river;  be- 
sides, these  would  constitute  a  series  of  decrees,  and  not  one 
decree,  as  the  prophecy  contemplates. 

2.  The  occasion  of  l^ehemiah's  petition  to  the  king  for 
permission  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  was  the  report  which  certain 
ones,  returning,  had  brought  from  thence,  that  those  in  the 
province  were  in  great  affliction  and  reproach,  also  that  the 
wall  of  Jerusalem  was  broken  down,  and  the  gates  thereof 
burned  with  fire.  Xehemiah  1.  Whose  work  were  these  walls 
and  gates  that  were  broken  down  and  burned  with  fire  ?  — 
Evidently  the  work  of  Ezra  and  his  associates ;  for  it  cannot 
for  a  moment  be  supposed  that  the  utter  destruction  of  the  city 
by  Nebuchadnezzar,  one  hundred  and  forty-four  years  previous 
to  that  time,  would  have  been  reported  to  Xehemiah  as  a  mat- 
ter of  news,  nor  that  he  would  have  considered  it,  as  he  evi- 
dently did,  a  fresh  misfortune,  calling  for  a  fresh  expression  of 
grief.  A  decree,  therefore,  authorizing  the  building  of  these, 
had  gone  forth  previous  to  the  grant  to  Xehemiah ;  and  the 
attempt  that  had  been  made  to  execute  the  work,  had  fallen 
into  embarrassment,  which  Nehemiah  wished  to  relieve. 

3.  If  any  should  contend  that  Nehemiah's  commission  must 
be  a  decree,  because  the  object  of  his  request  was  that  he  might 
huild  the  city,  it  is  sufficient  to  reply,  as  shown  above,  that 
gates  and  walls  had  been  built  previous  to  his  going  up ;  be- 
sides, the  work  of  building  which  he  went  to  perform  was 
accomplished  in  fifty-two  days ;  whereas,  the  prophecy  allows 


256  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

for  the  bnilJing  of  the  city,  seven  weeks,  or  fortv-nine  years. 

4.  There  was  nothing  granted  to  Xeheniiah  which  was  not 
embraced  in  the  decree  to  Ezra ;  while  the  latter  had  all  the 
forms  and  conditions  of  a  decree,  and  was  vastly  more  ample 
in  its  provisions. 

5.  It  is  evident  from  the  j^rayer  of  Ezra,  as  recorded  in 
chapter  9:9  of  his  hook,  that  he  considered  himself  fully  em- 
powered to  proceed  with  the  building  of  the  city  and  the  wall; 
and  it  is  evident  that  he  understood,  further,  that  the  con- 
ditional prophecies  concerning  his  people  were  then  fulfilled, 
from  the  closing  words  of  that  prayer,  in  which  he  says, 
"  Should  we  again  break  thy  commandments,  and  join  in  af- 
finity with  the  jieople  of  these  abominations  ?  wouldst  not  thou 
be  angry  with  us  till  thou  hadst  consumed  us,  so  that  there 
should  be  no  renmant  nor  escaping?" 

6.  Keckoning  from  the  commission  to  Xeliemiah,  b.  c.  444, 
the  dates  throughout  are  entirely  disarranged;  for  from  that 
point  the  troublesome  times  which  were  to  attend  the  building 
of  tlie  street  and  wall  did  not  last  seven  weeks,  or  forty-nine 
years.  Reckoning  from  that  date,  the  sixty-nine  weeks,  or 
483  years,  which  were  to  extend  to  the  Messiah  the  Prince, 
bring  us  to  a.  d.  40 ;  but  Jesus  was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan, 
and  the  voice  of  the  Father  was  heard  from  heaven  declaring 
him  his  Son,  in  a.  d.  27,  thirteen  years  before.  According  to 
this  calctdation,  the  midst  of  the  last  or  seventieth  week,  which 
is  marked  by  the  crucifixion,  is  placed  in  a.  d.  44,  but  the  cru- 
cifixion took  place  in  a.  d.  31,  thirteen  years  previous.  And 
lastly,  the  seventy  weeks,  or  490  years,  dating  from  the  twen- 
tieth of  Artaxerxes,  extend  to  a.  d.  47,  with  absolutely  nothing 
to  mark  their  termination.  Hence  if  that  be  the  year,  and  the 
grant  to  Xeheuiinh  the  event,  from  wliieli  to  reckon,  the  ])r()])h- 
eey  has  pro\-ed  a  failure.  A?,  it  is,  it  only  proves  that  theory 
a  failure  which  dates  the  seventy  weeks  from  Xehemiah's  com- 
mission   in    the    twentietli    year   of    Artaxerxes. 

7.  AVill  these  dates  harmonize  if  we  reckon  from  the  decree 
to  Ezra  (  Let  us  see.  In  this  case,  457  b.  c.  is  our  starting- 
point.  Forty-nin(>  y(>ars  w(n'e  allottccl  to  the  building  of  the 
city  r.nd  the  wall.       On  this  point,  Pridoaux  (Connexion,  Vol. 


CHAPTER  9.   VERSES  25-27  257 

I,  p.  322)  saj^s:  "In  the  fifteenth  year  of  Darius  Xothus 
ended  the  first  seven  weeks  of  Daniel's  prophecy.  For  then 
the  restoration  of  the  chnrch  and  state  of  the  Jews  in  Jerusa- 
lem and  Judea  was  fully  finished,  in  that  last  act  of  reformation 
which  is  recorded  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  ^NTehemiah,  from 
the  twenty-third  verse  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  just  forty-nine 
years  after  it  had  been  commenced  by  Ezra  in  the  seventh  year 
of  Artaxerxes  Longimanus."       This  was   b.   c.   408. 

So  far  Ave  find  harmony.  Let  us  apply  the  measuring-rod 
of  the  prophecy  still  further.  Sixty-nine  weeks,  or  4S3  years, 
were  to  extend  to  ^Messiah  the  Prince.  Dating;  from  b.  c.  457, 
they  end  in  a.  d.  27.  And  what  event  tlien  occurred  ?  Luke 
thus  informs  us :  "  Xow  when  all  the  people  were  baptized,  it 
came  to  pass,  that  Jesus  also  being  baptized,  and  praying,  the 
heaven  was  opened,  and  the  IToly  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily 
shape  like  a  dove  upon  him,  and  a  voice  came  from  heaven, 
which  said.  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son;  in  thee  I  am  well 
pleased."  Luke  3 :  21,  22 ;  margin,  a.  d.  27.  After  this, 
Jesus  came  "  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  saying.  The  timers  fuliilled."  Mark  1:14,  15.  The 
time  here  mentioned  must  have  l^oen  some  specific,  definite, 
and  predicted  period ;  but  no  prophetic  period  can  bo  found 
then  terminating,  except  the  sixty-nine  weeks  of  the  prophecy 
of  Daniel,  which  were  to  extend  to  the  IMessiah  the  Prince. 
The  Messiah  had  now  come;  and  with  his  own  lips  he  an- 
nounced the  termination  of  that  period  which  was  to  be  marked 
bv  his  manifestation.^ 


■■  Luke  declares  that  Jesus  "  began  to  lie  ahout  lliirty  years  of  age  "  at  the  time 
of  his  baiHism  (Luke  3:2S);  and  almost  immediately  after  this  he  entered  upon  his 
ministry.  How,  then,  could  his  ministry  commence  in  A.  D.  27,  and  he  still  be 
of  the  age  named  by  Luke?  The  answer  to  this  question  is  found  in  the  fact  that 
Christ  was  born  between  three  and  four  years  before  the  beginning  of  the  Christian 
era,  that  is,  before  the  year  marked  A.  D.  1.  The  mistake  of  dating  the  Christian 
era  something  over  three  years  this  side  of  the  birth  of  Christ,  instead  of  dating 
it  from  the  year  of  his  birth,  as  it  was  designed  to  be,  arose  on  this  wise:  One  of 
the  most  important  of  ancient  eras  was  reckoned  from  the  building  of  the  city  of 
Rome  — •  ab  iirbe  condita,  expressed  by  the  abbreviation  A.  U.  C  or  more  briefly, 
U.  C.  In  the  year  which  is  now  numbered  A.  D.  5:?2,  Dionysius  Exiguus,  a  Scythian 
by  birth,  and  a  Roman  abbot,  who  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Justinian,  invented  the 
Christian  era.  According  to  the  best  evidence  at  his  command,  he  placed  the  birth 
of  Christ  U.  C.  753.  But  Christ  was  born  before  the  death  of  Herod;  and  it  was 
afterward  ascertained  on  the  clearest  evidence  that  the  death  of  Herod  occurred  in 
April,  \J.  C.  7.50.  Allowing  a  few  months  for  the  events  recorded  in  Christ's  life 
before  the  time  of  Herod's  death,  his  birth  is  carried  back  to  the  latter  part  of  U.  C. 
7451,  a  little  over  three  years  before  A.  D.  1.  Christ  was  therefore  thirty  years 
of  age  in  A.  D.  27.  "  The  vulgar  fcommonl  era  began  to  ]irevail  in  the  West 
about    the    time    of    Charles    Marttl    and    Pope    Gregory    IT,    A.     D.    7.".i>:    but    was    not 


258  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Here,  again,  is  indisputable  harmony.  But  further,  the 
Messiah  was  to  confirm  the  covenant  with  many  for  one  week. 
This  would  be  the  last  week  of  the  seventy,  or  the  last  seven 
years  of  the  490.  In  the  midst  of  the  week,  the  prophecy 
informs  us,  he  should  cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease. 
These  Jewish  ordinances,  pointing  to  the  death  of  Christ,  could 
cease  only  at  the  cross;  and  there  they  did  virtually  come  to 
an  end,  though  the  outward  observance  was  kept  up  till  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  a.  d.  70.  After  threescore  and  two 
weeks,  according  to  the  record,  the  Messiah  was  to  be  cut  off. 
It  is  the  same  as  if  it  had  read :  And  after  threescore  and  two 
weeks,  in  the  midst  of  the  seventieth  week,  shall  Messiah  be 
cut  off,  and  cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease.  i^ow, 
as  the  word  midst  here  means  middle,  according  to  an  abun- 
dance of  authority  Mliich  we  might  produce  if  necessary,  the 
crucifixion  is  definitely  located  in  the  middle  of  the  seventieth 
week. 

It  now  becomes  an  important  point  to  determine  in  what 
year  the  crucifixion  took  place.  The  following  evidence  is 
sufficient  to  be  considered  absolutely  decisive  on  this  question. 

It  is  not  to  be  questioned  that  our  Saviour  attended  every 
Passover  that  occurred  during  his  public  ministry;  and  we 
have  mention  of  only  four  such  occasions  previous  to  his  cruci- 
fixion. These  are  found  in  the  following  passages :  John  2 : 
13;  5:1;  6:4;  13:1.  At  the  last-mentioned  Passover  lie  was 
crucified.       From   facts    already   established,   let   us   then   see 


sanctioned  by  any  public  Acts  or  Rescripts  till  the  first  German  Synod,  in  the 
time  of  Carolomannus,  Duke  of  the  Franks,  which,  in  the  preface,  was  said  to  be 
assembled  'Anno  ab  incarnafione  Dom.  742,  11  Calendas  Maii.'  But  it  was  not 
established  till  the  time  of  Pope  Eugenius  I\',  A.  D.  1481,  who  ordered  this  era  to 
be  used  in  the  public  Registers:  according  to  Mariana  and  others."  —  Hales'  Chron- 
ology,   Vol.    1,   pp.   8s,   84.       (See    also    "Life    of    Our    Lord,"    by    S.    J.    Andrews.) 

The  Christian  era  had  become  so  well  established  before  the  mistake  above 
referred  to  was  discovered,  that  no  change  in  the  reckoning  has  been  attempted.  It 
makes  no  material  difference,  as  it  does  not  interfere  at  all  with  the  calculation  of 
dates.  If  the  era  commenced  with  the  actual  year  of  Christ's  Isirth,  the  number  of 
years  B.  C.  in  any  case  would  be  four  years  less,  and  the  years  A.  D.  four  years 
more.  To  illustrate:  If  we  have  a  period  of  twenty  years,  one  half  before  and  the 
other  half  since  the  Christian  era,  we  say  that  it  commenced  B.  C.  10  and  ended 
A  D.  10.  But  if  we  place  the  era  back  to  the  real  point  of  Christ's  birth,  there 
would  be  no  change  of  cither  terminus  of  the  period,  but  we  should  then  say  that 
it  commenced  B.  C.  0  and  ended  .^.  D.  14;  that  is,  four  years  would  be  taken  from 
the  figures  B.  C.  and  added  to  those  of  A.  D.  Some  have  so  far  misapprehended 
•  his  subject  as  to  claim  that  the  current  year  should  liave  four  years  added  to  it, 
to  denote  the  real  year  of  the  Christian  era.  This  would  be  true,  if  the  reckoning 
began  from  the  actual  date  of  Christ's  birth.  But  this  is  not  the  case;  the  starting- 
point  is   between   three   and    four   years   later. 


THE     CF8UCI  FIXION 


CHAPTER  9.  VERSES  25-21  261 

where  this  woukl  locate  the  eriieitixicjii.  As  he  began  his  min- 
istry in  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  27,  his  first  Passover  would  occur 
the  following  spring,  a.  d.  28 ;  his  second,  a.  d.  29  ;  his  third, 
A.  D.  30;  and  his  fourth  and  last,  a.  d.  31.  This  gives  us 
three  years  and  a  half  for  his  public  ministry,  and  corresponds 
exactly  to  the  prophecy  that  he  should  be  cut  off  in  the  midst, 
or  middle,  of  the  seventieth  -week.  As  that  week  of  years 
commenced  in  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  27,  the  middle  of  the  week 
would  occur  three  and  one  half  years  later,  in  the  spring  of  31, 
where  the  crucifixion  took  place.  Dr.  Hales  quotes  Eusebius, 
A.  D.  300,  as  saying:  "  It  is  recorded  in  history  that  the  whole 
time  of  our  Saviour's  teaching  and  working  miracles  was  three 
years  and  a  half,  which  is  the  half  of  a  Aveek  [of  years]. 
This,  John  the  evangelist  will  represent  to  those  who  critically 
attend  to  his  Gospel." 

Of  the  unnatural  darkness  which  occurred  at  the  crucifixion, 
Hales,  Vol.  I,  pp.  69,  70,  thus  speaks :  "  Hence  it  appears  that 
the  darkness  which  '  overspread  the  whole  land  of  Judea  '  at 
the  time  of  our  Lord's  crucifixion  Avas  pi'eternatural,  '  from  the 
sixth  until  the  ninth  hour,'  or  from  noon  till  three  in  the  after- 
noon, in  its  daration,  and  also  in  its  time,  about  full  moon, 
when  the  moon  could  not  possibly  eclipse  the  sun.  The  time 
it  happened,  and  the  fact  itself,  are  recorded  in  a  curious  and 
valuable  passage  of  a  respectable  Roman  Consul,  Aurelius  Cas- 
siodorius  Senator,  about  a.  d.  514:  ^  In  the  consulate  of  Tibe- 
rius Caesar  Aug.  V  and  ^Elius  Sejanus  (u.  c.  784,  a.  d.  31), 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  sufi^ered,  on  the  8th  of  the  calends  of 
April  (25th  of  March),  when  there  happened  such  an  eclipse 
of  the  sun  as  was  never  before  nor  since.' 

"  In  this  year,  and  in  this  day,  agree  also  the  Council  of 
Cesarea,  a.  d.  196  or  198,  the  Alexandrian  Chronicle,  Maxi- 
mus  Monachus,  Xicephorus  Constantinus,  Cedrenus :  and  in 
this  year,  but  on  different  days,  concur  Eusebius  and  Epipha- 
nius,  followed  by  Kepler,  Bucher,  Patinus,  and  Petavius,  some 
reckoning  it  the  10th  of  the  calends  of  April,  others  tbe  13th." 
(See  on  chapter  11:22.) 

Here,  then,  are  thirteen  credible  authorities  locating  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ  in  the  spring  of  a.  d.  31.  We  may  there- 
17 


202  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

fore  set  this  down  as  a  fixed  date,  as  tlie  most  cautious  or  the 
most  skeptical  could  re(iuire'  nothing  more  conclusive.  This 
being  in  the  middle  of  the  last  week,  we  have  simplv  to  reckon 
backward  three  and  a  half  years  to  find  where  sixty-nine  of 
the  weeks  ended,  and  forward  from  that  point  three  and  a  half 
years  to  find  the  termination  of  the  whole  seventy.  Thus  ffoins' 
back  from  the  crucifixion,  a.  d.  31,  spring,  three  and  a  half 
years,  we  find  ourselves  in  the  autumn  of  a.  d,  27,  where,  as 
we  have  seen,  the  sixty-nine  weeks  ended,  and  Christ  com- 
menced his  public  ministry.  And  going  from  the  crucifixion 
forward  three  and  a  half  years,  we  are  brought  to  the  autumn 
of  A.  D.  81,  as  the  grand  terminating  point  of  the  whole  period 
of  the  seventy  wrecks.  This  date  is  marked  by  the  martyrdom 
of  Stephen,  the  formal  rejection  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  by  the 
Jewish  Sanhedrin  in  the  persecution  of  his  disciples,  and  the 
turning  of  the  apostles  to  the  Gentiles.  And  these  are  just 
the  events  which  one  would  expect  to  take  place  when  that 
specified  period  which  was  cut  off  for  the  Jews,  and  allotted 
to  them  as  a  peculiar  people,  should  fully  expire. 

A  word  respecting  the  date  of  the  seventh  of  Artaxerxes, 
Avhen  the  decree  for  restoring  Jerusalem  was  given  to  Ezra, 
and  the  array  of  evidence  on  this  point  is  complete.  Was  the 
seventh  of  Artaxerxes  b.  c,  457  ?  For  all  those  who  can  ap- 
])reciate  the  force  of  facts,  the  following  testimony  will  be 
sufficient  here : — 

^'  The  Bible  gives  the  data  for  a  complete  system  of  chro- 
nology, extending  from  the  creation  to  the  birth  of  Cyrus  — 
a  clearly  ascertained  date.  From  this  period  downward  we 
have  the  undisputed  canon  of  Ptolemy,  and  the  undoubted  era 
of  Xabonassar,  extending  below  our  vulgar  era.  At  the  point 
where  inspired  chronology  leaves  us,  this  canon  of  undoubted 
accuracy  commences.  And  thus  the  whole  arch  is  spanned. 
It  is  by  the  canon  of  Ptolemy  that  the  great  prophetical  period 
of  seventy  weeks  is  fixed.  This  canon  places  the  seventh  year 
of  Artaxerxes  in  the  year  b.  c.  157 ;  and  the  accuracy  of  this 
canon  is  demonstrated  by  tlie  concurrent  agreement  of  more 
tlian  twenty  eclipses.  This  date  we  cannot  change  from  b.  c. 
457,   without  first  demonstrating  the  inaccuracy  of  Ptolemy's 


CHAPTER  9.  VERSES  25-21  263 

canon.  To  do  this  it  Avonld  1)('  necessary  to  show  that  the 
large  nuiiTber  of  eclipses  hy  which  its  accuracy  has  been  re- 
peatedly demonstrated  have  not  been  correctly  computed ;  and 
such  a  result  Avould  unsettle  every  chronological  date,  and 
leave  the  settlement  of  epochs  and  the  adjustment  of  eras 
entirely  at  the  mercy  of  every  dreamer,  so  that  chronology 
wo-uld  be  of  no  more  value  than  mere  guesswork.  As  the 
seventy  weeks  must  terminate  in  a.  t>.  o4  unless  the  seventh  of 
Artaxerxes  is  wrongly  fixed,  and  as  that  cannot  be  changed 
without  some  evidence  to  that  effect,  we  inquire.  What  evidence 
marked  that  termination  ?  The  time  when  the  apostles  turned 
to  the  Gentiles  harmonizes  with  that  date  better  than  any 
other  which  has  been  named.  And  the  crucifixion  in  a.  d.  31, 
in  the  midst  of  the  last  week,  is  sustained  by  a  mass  of  testi- 
mony which  cannot  be  easily  invalidated."  —  Advent  Herald. 

From  the  facts  above  set  forth,  we  see  that,  reckoning  the 
seventy  weeks  from  tlie  decree  given  to  Ezra  in  the  seventh 
of  Artaxerxes,  b.  c.  457,  there  is  the  most  perfect  harmony 
throughout.  The  important  and  definite  events  of  the  mani- 
festation of  the  Messiah  at  the  baptism,  the  commencement  of 
his  public  ministry,  the  crucifixion,  and  the  turning  away  from 
the  Jews  to  the  Gentiles,  with  the  proclamation  of  the  new 
covenant,  all  come  in  in  their  exact  place,  and  like  a  bright 
galaxy  of  blazing  orbs  of  light,  cluster  round  to  set  their  seal 
to  the  prophecy,  and  make  it  sure. 

It  is  thus  evident  that  the  decree  of  Ezra  in  the  seventh  of 
Artaxerxes,  b.  c.  457,  is  the  point  from  which  to  date  the 
seventy  weeks.  That  was  the  going  forth  of  the  decree  in  the 
sense  of  the  prophecy.  The  two  previous  decrees  were  prepar- 
atory and  preliminary  to  this ;  and  indeed  they  are  regarded 
by  Ezra  as  parts  of  it,  the  three  being  taken  as  one  great 
whole.  For  in  Ezra  6:  14,  we  read:  "And  they  builded,  and 
finished  it,  according  to  the  commandment  of  the  God  of  Israel, 
and  according  to  the  commandment  of  Cyrus,  and  Darius,  and 
Artaxerxes,  king  of  Persia."  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  de- 
crees of  these  three  kings  are  spoken  of  as  one,  —  "  fhe  com- 
mandment [margin,  "  decree,"  singular  nundier]  of  Cyrus  and 
Darius  and  Artaxerxes,"  showinc:  that  tliev  are  all   reckoned 


204  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

as  a  unit,  the  different  decrees  beitig  but  the  successive  steps 
by  which  the  work  was  accomplished.  And  this  decree  could 
not  be  said  to  have  ''  gone  forth,"  as  intended  by  the  prophecy, 
till  the  last  permission  which  the  prophecy  required  was  em- 
bodied in  the  decree,  and  clothed  with  the  authority  of  the 
empire.  This  point  was  reached  in  the  grant  given  to  Ezra, 
but  not  before.  Here  the  decree  assumed  the  proportions,  and 
covered  the  ground,  demanded  by  the  proj)hecy.  and  from  this 
point  its  "  going  forth  "  must  be  dated. 

With  the  seventy  weeks  we  are  now  done ;  but  there  remain 
a  longer  period  and  other  important  events  to  be  considered. 
The  seventy  weeks  are  but  the  first  490  years  of  the  2300. 
Take  490  from  2300,  and  there  remain  1810.  The  490,  as  we 
have  seen,  ended  in  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  34.  If  to  this  date 
we  now  add  the  remaining  1810  years,  we  shall  have  the  ter- 
mination of  the  whole  period.  Thus,  to  a.  d.  34,  autumn,  add 
1810,  and  avo  have  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  1844.  Thus  speedily 
and  surely  do  we  find  the  termination  of  the  2300  days,  when 
once  the  seventy  weeks  have  been  located. 

One  other  point  should  here  be  noticed.  We  have  seen 
that  the  seventy  weeks  are  the  first  490  days  of  the  2300 ; 
that  these  days  are  prophetic,  signifying  literal  years,  accord- 
ing to  the  Bible  rule,  a  day  for  a  year  (Ximi.  14:34;  Eze. 
4:  0),  as  is  proved  by  the  fulfilment  of  the  seven *^y  weeks,  and 
as  all  reliable  expositors  agree;  that  they  commenced  in  457 
B,  c.  and  ended  in  a.  d.  1844,  provided  the  number  is  right, 
and  twenty-three  hundred  is  the  correct  reading.  With  this 
point  established,  there  would  seem  to  be  no  room  for  further 
controversy.       On  this  point  Dr.   Hales  remarks :  — 

"  There  is  no  number  in  the  Bible  whose  genuineness  is 
better  ascertained  than  that  of  the  2300  days.  It  is  found  in 
all  the  printed  Hebrew  editions,  in  all  the  MSS.  of  Kcnicott 
and  De  Ilosfti's  collations,  and  in  all  the  ancient  versions,  ex- 
cept the  Vatican  copy  of  the  Septuagint,  which  reads  2400, 
followed  by  Symmachus ;  and  some  copies  noticed  by  Jerome, 
2200,  both  evidently  literal  errors  in  excess  and  defect,  which 
compensate  each  other  and  confirm  the  mean,  2300."  —  Chro- 
nology, Vol.  II,  p.  512. 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  25-27  •   265 

The  query  may  here  arise  how  the  days  can  be  extended  to 
the  autumn  of  1844  if  they  eommence  457  b.  c,  as  it  requires 
only  184o  years,  in  addition  to  the  457,  to  make  the  whole 
number  of  2300.  Attention  to  one  fact  will  clear  this  point  of 
all  difficulty;  and  that  is,  that  it  takes  457  /;///  years  before 
Christ,  and  1843  full  years  after,  to  make  2300;  so  that  if 
the  period  commenced  with  the  very  first  day  of  457,  it  would 
not  terminate  till  the  very  last  day  of  1843.  'Now  it  will  be 
evident  to  all  that  if  any  portion  of  the  year  457  had  passed 
away  before  the  2300  days  commenced,  just  so  much  of  the 
year  1844  must  pass  away  before  they  would  end.  We  there- 
fore inquire.  At  what  point  in  the  year  457  are  we  t(3  com- 
mence to  reckon  ?  From  the  fact  that  the  first  forty-nine 
years  were  allotted  to  the  huilding  of  the  street  and  wall,  we 
learn  that  the  j)eriod  is  to  be  dated,  not  from  the  starting  of 
Ezra  from  Babylon,  but  from  the  actual  commencement  of  the 
Avork  at  Jerusalem  ;  which  it  is  not  probable  could  be  earlier 
than  the  seventh  month  (autumn)  of  457,  as  he  did  not  arrive 
at  Jerusalem  till  the  fifth  month  of  that  year.  Ezra  7 :  9. 
The  whole  period  would  therefore  extend  to  the  seventh  month, 
autumn,  Jewish  time,  of  1844. 

Those  who  oppose  this  view  of  the  prophetic  periods,  have 
l)een  wont  in  years  past  to  meet  vis  with  this  objection :  "  The 
2300  days  have  not  ended,  because  the  time  has  passed,  and 
the  Lord  has  not  come.  Why  the  time  passed  in  1S44  without 
the  consummation  of  our  hopes,  we  acknowledge  to  be  a  mys- 
tery; but  the  passing  of  the  time  is  proof  that  the  2300  days 
have  not  ended." 

Time,  however,  is  no  respecter  of  persons  nor  of  theories ; 
and  with  the  formidable  scythe  which  he  is  represented  as  car- 
rying, he  sometimes  demolishes  in  the  most  summary  manner 
the  grotesque  and  gossamer  theories  of  men,  however  dear  they 
may  be  to  their  authors  and  defenders.  It  is  so  here.  Heed- 
less of  the  wild  contortions  of  those  who  would  fain  compel 
him  to  stop  and  fulfil  their  darling  predictions,  he  has  kept 
on  the  swift  but  even  tenor  of  his  way  until  —  what  ?  every 
limit  is  passed  to  which  the  2300  days  can  be  extended;  and 
thus  he  has  demonstrated  that  those  days  have  passed.       Let 


2GG    •  PBOPIIECY  OF  DANIEL 

not  this  point  be  overlooked.  Setting  aside  for  a  moment  the 
argninents  bj  ^vhich  they  are  shown  to  have  ended  in  1844,  and 
letting  them  date  from  any  point  Avliere  the  least  shadow  of 
reason  can  be  imagined  for  placing  tlieni,  or  from  which  the 
wildest  dreamer  conld  date  them,  it  is  still  trne  that  the  utmost 
limit  to  which  they  could  extend  has  gone  hy.  They  cannot 
possibly  be  dated  at  any  point  which  would  bring  their  termi- 
nation so  late  as  the  present  time.  We  therefore  say  again, 
with  not  a  misgiving  as  to  the  truth  of  the  assertion,  nor  a 
fear  of  its  successful  contradiction,  Those  days  have  ended  I 

The  momentous  declaration  matle  by  the  angel  to  Daniel, 
"  Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  days ;  then  shall  the 
sanctuary  be  cleansed,"  is  now  explained.  In  our  search  for 
the  meaning  of  the  sanctuary  and  its  cleansing,  and  the  appli- 
cation of  the  time,  we  have  found  not  only  that  this  subject 
can  be  easily  understood ;  but  lo !  the  event  is  even  now  in 
process  of  accomplishment,  and  is  almost  finished.  And  here 
we  pause  a  l)rief  moment  to  reflect  upon  the  solemn  position 
into  which  we  are  brought. 

V\Q  have  seen  that  the  sanctuary  of  this  dispensation  is  the 
tabernacle  of  God  in  heaven,  the  house  not  made  with  hands, 
where  our  Lord  ministers  in  behalf  of  penitent  sinners,  the 
place  where  between  the  great  God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ 
the  "  counsel  of  peace  "  prevails  in  the  work  of  salvation  for 
perishing  men.  Zech.  6:  18;  Ps.  85:  10.  We  have  seen  that 
the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  consists  in  the  removing  of  the 
sins  from  the  same,  and  is  the  closing  act  of  tlie  ministration 
performed  therein ;  that  the  work  of  salvation  now  centers  in 
the  heavenly  sanctuary;  and  Avhen  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed, 
the  work  is  done,  and  the  plan  is  finished.  Then  the  great 
scheme  devised  at  the  fall  for  the  salvation  of  as  many  of  tlie 
lost  race  as  would  avail  themselves  of  its  provisions,  and  carried 
forward  for  six  thousand  years,  is  brought  to  its  final  termi- 
nation, ^fcrcy  no  longer  pleads,  and  the  great  voice  is  heard 
from  the  throne  in  the  temple  in  heaven,  saying,  "  It  is  done." 
"Rev.  16:17.  And  what  then?  —  All  the  righteous  are  safe 
for  everlasting  life;  all  the  wicked  are  doomed  to  everlasting 
death.       ^o  decision  can  be  changed,  no  reward  can  be  lost, 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  £.->  -  27  267 

and  no  destiny  of  despair  can  be  averted,  beyond  that  point. 
And  ^ve  have  seen  (and  this  is  what  brings  tlie  solemnities 
of  tlie  Judgment  to  onr  own  door)  that  that  long  prophetic 
period  which  was  to  mark  the  commencement  of  this  final  work 
in  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  has  met  its  ternihiation  in  our  own 
generation.  In  1S44  the  days  ended.  And  since  that  time 
the  final  work  for  man's  salvation  has  been  going  forward. 
This  work  involves  an  examination  of  every  man's  character; 
for  it  consists  in  the  remission  of  the  sins  of  those  who  shall 
be  found  worthy  to  have  them  remitted,  and  determines  who 
among  the  dead  shall  be  raised,  and  who  among  the  living 
shall  be  changed,  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  and  who,  of  both 
dead  and  living,  shall  be  left  to  have  their  part  in  the  fearful 
scenes  of  the  second  death.  And  all  can  see  that  such  a  deci- 
sion as  this  must  be  rendered  before  the  Lord  appears.  Every 
man's  destiny  is  to  be  determined  by  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body,  and  each  one  is  to  be  rewarded  according  to  his  works. 
2  Cor.  5  :  10 ;  Eev.  22  :  12.  In  the  books  of  remembrance 
kept  by  the  heavenly  scribes  above,  every  man's  deeds  will  be 
found  recorded  (Rev.  20:12);  and  in  the  closing  sanctuary 
work  these  records  are  examined,  and  decision  is  rendered  in 
accordance  therewith.  Dan.  7:9,  10.  It  would  be  most 
natural  to  suppose  that  the  work  would  commence  with  the 
first  members  of  the  human  race;  that  their  cases  would  be 
first  examined,  and  decision  rendered,  and  so  on  with  all  the 
dead,  generation  by  generation,  in  chronological  succession 
along  the  stream  of  time,  till  we  reach  the  last  generation, — 
the  generation  of  the  living,  M'itli  whose  cases  the  work  would 
close.  How  long  it  will  take  to  examine  the  cases  of  all  the 
dead,  how  soon  the  work  will  reach  the  cases  of  the  living, 
no  man  can  know.  And  as  above  remarked,  since  the  year 
1844:  this  solemn  work  has  been  going  forward.  The  light  of 
the  types,  and  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  forbid  that  it  should 
be  of  long  continuance.  John,  in  his  sublime  views  of  heav- 
enly scenes,  saw  millions  of  attendants  and  assistants  engaged 
with  our  Lord  in  his  priestly  w^ork.  Revelation  5.  And  so 
the  ministration  goes  forward.  It  ceases  not,  it  delays  not, 
and  it  must  soon  be  forever  finished. 


268  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

And  here  we  stand  —  the  last,  the  greatest,  and  the  most 
solemn  crisis  in  the  history  of  our  race  immediately  impending ; 
the  great  plan  of  salvation  about  finished;  the  last  precious 
years  of  probation  almost  ended ;  the  Lord  about  to  come  to 
save  those  Avho  are  ready  and  waiting,  and  to  cut  asunder  the 
careless  and  unbelieving ;  and  the  world  —  alas !  what  shall  we 
say  of  them !  - — ■  deceived  with  error,  crazed  with  cares  and 
business,  delirious  with  pleasure,  and  paralyzed  with  vice,  they 
have  not  a  moment  to  spare  in  listening  to  solemn  truth,  nor  a 
thought  to  bestow  upon  their  eternal  interests.  Let  the  people 
of  God,  with  eternity  right  in  view,  be  careful  to  escape  the 
corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust,  and  prepare  to 
joass  the  searching  test,  when  their  cases  shall  come  up  for 
examination  at  the  great  tribunal  above. 

To  the  careful  attention  of  every  student  of  prophecy  we 
commend  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary.  In  the  sanctuary  is 
seen  the  ark  of  God's  testament,  containing  his  holy  law;  and 
this  suggests  a  reform  in  our  obedience  to  that  great  standard 
of  morality.  The  opening  of  this  heavenly  temple,  or  the  com- 
menceinent  of  the  service  in  its  second  apartment,  marks  the 
commencement  of  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  angel.  Rev.  11 : 
15,  19.  The  work  performed  therein  is  the  foundation  of 
the  third  message  of  Revelation  14, —  the  last  message  of  mercy 
to  a  perishing  world.  This  subject  explains  the  great  disaj^- 
pointment  of  the  Adventists  in  1844,  by  shoAving  that  they 
mistook  the  event  to  occur  at  the  end  of  the  2300  days.  It 
renders  harmonious  and  clear  past  prophetic  fulfilments,  which 
are  otherwise  involved  in  impenetrable  obscurity.  It  gives  a 
definite  idea  of  the  position  and  work  of  our  great  High  Priest, 
and  brings  out  the  plan  of  salvation  in  its  distinctive  and  beau- 
tiful features.  It  reins  us  up,  as  no  other  subject  does,  to  the 
realities  of  the  Judgment,  and  shows  the  preparation  we  neoil 
to  be  able  to  stand  in  the  coming  day.  It  shows  us  that  we  are 
in  the  waiting  time,  and  puts  us  upon  our  watch ;  for  we  knoAv 
not  how  soon  the  work  will  be  finished,  and  our  Lord  a]'>]^ear. 
Watch,  lest   coming  suddenly,  he  find  you   sleeping. 

After  stating  the  great  events  connected  with  our  Lord's 
mission  here  upon  the  earth,  the  prophet  in  the  last  ]>art  of 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  26-21  269 

verse  27  speaks  of  llic  soou-i'ollowiug  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
by  the  Homan  power;  aiul  liually  of  the  destruction  of  that 
power  itself,  called  in  the  margin  '"  the  desolator." 

!XoTE. —  That  the  expression  '"  to  anoint  the  most  holy  "'  refers,  ac- 
cording to  remarks  on  verse  24  of  this  chapter,  to  the  anointing  of  the 
heavenly  sanctuary  previous  to  the  beginning  of  Cln'ist's  ministry 
therein,  and  not  to  any  anointing  of  tlie  ]\[essiah  himself,  seems  to 
be  susceptible  of  the  clearest  proof.      The  words  translated  "  most 

holy -"'are    D^t^HD    C^lD    (/.oJtWi,  iWas/im),  the  '' holy  of  holies," 

•        T  I   T  V  ) 

an  expression  wliieli,  according  to  Gesenivis,  applies  to  the  most  holy 
place  in  the  sanctuary,  and  which  in  no  instance  is  applied  to  a 
person,  unless  this  passage  be  an  exception. 

The  Advent  Shield,  Ko.  1,  p.  75,  says :  "And  the  last  event  of  the 
seventy  weeks,  as  enumerated  in  verse  24,  Avas  the  anointing  of  the 
'most  holy,'  or  'the  holy  of  holies,'  or  the  'sanctum  sanctorum;' 
not  that  which  was  on  earth,  made  with  hands,  but  the  true  taber- 
nacle, into  which  Christ,  our  High  Priest,  is  for  us  entered.  Christ 
was  to  do  in  the  true  tabernacle  in  heaven  Avhat  Moses  and  Aaron 
did  in  its  pattern.  (See  Hebrews,  chapters  6,  7,  8,  and  9;  Ex.  30: 
22-30;  Lev.  8:10-15.)" 

Dr.  Barnes,  in  his  notes  on  this  passage,  and  particularly  on  the 
words  "  most  holy,"  says :  "  The  phrase  properly  means  '  holy  of 
holies,'  or  most  holy;  it  is  applied  often  in  the  Scriptures  to  the  inner 
sanctuary,  or  the  portion  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple  containing 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  two  tables  of  stone,  etc."  "  It  is  not 
necessarily  limited  to  the  inner  sanctuary  of  the  temple,  but  may  be 
applied  to  the  whole  house."  "  Others  have  supposed  that  this  refers 
to  the  ]\ressiah  himself,  and  that  the  meaning  is  tliat  he  who  was  most 
holy  would  then  be  consecrated,  or  anointed,  as  the  Messiah.  It  is 
probable,  as  Ilengstenberg  (Christology,  II,  321,  322)  has  shown, 
that  the  Greek  translators  thus  understood  it,  but  it  is  a  sufficient 
objection  to  this  that  the  phrase,  though  occurring  many  times  in 
the  Scriptures,  is  never  applied  to  persons,  unless  this  be  an  in- 
stance." "  It  seems  to  me,  therefore,  that  the  obvious  and  fair  in- 
terpretation is,  to  refer  it  to  the  temple." 

An  understanding  of  the  subject  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary  would 
have  relieved  this  scripture  of  the  perplexity  in  which,  in  the  minds 
of  some  expositors,  it  seems  to  be  involved. 


MNIBIi\^  LA^T  VIRION 


CITAPTEK  X. 

Verse  1.  In  the  third  year  of  Cyrus  king  of  Persia  a  thing  was 
revealed  unto  Daniel,  whose  name  was  called  Belteshazzar ;  and  the 
thing-  was  true,  but  the  time  api)ointed  was  long:  and  he  understood 
tlie  thing,  and  had  imderstanding  of  the  vision. 


T 


JITS  verse  introduces  lis  to  the  last  of  the  recorded  visions 
of  the  prophet  Daniel,  the  instruction  imparted  to  liini 
at  this  time  being  continued  throngli  chapters  11  and 
12,  to  the  close  of  the  Look.  The  third  year  of  Cyrus  was 
B.  c.  534.  Six  years  had  consequently  elapsed  since  Daniel's 
vision  of  the  four  beasts  in  the  first  year  of  Belshazzar,  b.  c. 
540 ;  four  years  since  the  vision  of  the  ram,  he-goat,  little  horn, 
and  2300  days  of  chapter  8,  in  the  third  year  of  Belshazzar, 
B.  c.  538 ;  and  four  years  since  the  instruction  given  to  Daniel 
respecting  the  seventy  weeks,  in  the  first  year  of  Darius,  b.  c. 
538,  as  recorded  in  chapter  9.  On  the  overthrow  of  the  king- 
dom of  Habylon  by  the  ]\redes  and  Persians,  b.  c.  538,  Darius, 
through  the  courtesy  of  his  nephew,  Cyrus,  was  permitted  to 
occupy  the  throne.  This  he  did  till  the  time  of  his  death, 
about  two  years  after.  About  this  time,  Cambyses,  king  of 
(270) ' 


ClIAPTKR  10.   VERSES  1-3  271 

Persia,  father  of  Cyr\is,  having-  also  died,  Cyrus  became  sole 
monarch  of  the  second  universal  empire  of  prophecy,  b.  c. 
530.  This  being  reckoned  as  his  first  year,  his  third  year, 
in  Avhicli  this  vision  \vas  given  to  Daniel,  would  be  dated 
B.  c.  534.  The  death  of  Daniel  is  supposed  to  have  occurred 
soon  after  this,  he  being  at  this  time,  according  to  Prideaux, 
not  less  than  ninety-one  years  of  age. 

Verse  2.  In  those  days  I  Daniel  was  mourning  three  full  weeks. 
3.  I  ate  no  pleasant  bread,  neither  came  flesh  nor  wine  in  my  mouth, 
neither  did  1  anoint  myself  at  all,  till  three  whole  weeks  were  fulfilled. 

The  marginal  reading  for  "  three  full  weeks  "  is  '*  weeks  of 
days ;  "  which  term  Dr.  Stonard  thinks  is  here  used  to  dis- 
tinguish the  time  spoken  of  from  the  iveel'S  of  years,  brought 
to  view  in  the  preceding  chapter. 

For  what  purpose  did  this  aged  servant  of  God  thus  humble 
himself  and  afflict  his  soul  ?  —  Evidently  for  the  purpose  of 
understanding  more  fully  the  divine  purpose  concerning  events 
that  were  to  befall  the  church  of  God  in  coming  time ;  for  the 
divine  messenger  sent  to  instruct  him  says,  ''  From  the  first 
day  that  thou  didst  set  thine  heart  to  understand,"  etc.  Verse 
1'2.  There  was,  then,  still  something  which  Daniel  did  not 
understand,  but  in  reference  to  which  he  earnestly  desired 
light.  What  was  it  I  —  It  was  undoubtedly  some  part  of  his 
last  preceding  vision;  namely,  the  vision  of  chapter  9,  and 
through  that  of  the  vision  of  chapter  8,  of  which  chapter  9 
was  but  a  further  ex]danation.  And  as  the  result  of  his  sup- 
plication, he  now  receives  more  minute  information  respecting 
the  events  included  in  the  great  outlines  of  his  former  visions. 

This  mourning  of  the  prophet  is  supposed  to  have  been 
accompanied  with  fasting;  not  an  absolute  abstinence  from 
food,  but  a  use  of  only  the  plainest  and  most  simjde  articles 
of  diet.  He  ate  no  pleasant  bread,  no  delicacies  or  dainties ; 
he  used  no  flesh  nor  wine ;  and  he  did  not  anoint  his  head, 
which  was  with  the  Jews  an  outward  sign  of  fasting.  How 
long  he  would  have  continued  this  fast  had  he  not  received  the 
answer  to  his  prayer,  we  know  not ;  but  his  course  in  continuing 
it  for  three  full  weeks  shows  that,  being  assured  his  re(piest 


272  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

was  lawful,  he  was  not  a  person  to  cease  his  supplications  till 
his  petition  was  granted. 

Verse  4.  And  in  the  four  and  twentieth  day  of  the  first  month, 
as  I  was  by  the  side  of  the  great  river,  which  is  Hiddekel ;  5.  Then  I 
lifted  up  mine  eyes,  aud  looked,  and  behold  a  certain  man  clothed  in 
linen,  whose  loins  were  girded  with  fine  gold  of  Uphaz :  6.  His  body 
also  was  like  the  beryl,  and  his  face  as  the  appearance  of  lightning, 
and  his  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire,  and  his  arms  and  his  feet  like  in  color 
to  polished  brass,  and  the  voice  of  his  words  like  the  voice  of  a  mul- 
titude. 7.  And  I  Daniel  alone  saw  the  vision :  for  the  men  that  were 
with  me  saw  not  the  vision;  but  a  great  quaking  fell  upon  them,  so 
that  they  fled  to  hide  themselves.  8.  Therefore  I  was  left  alone,  and 
saw  this  great  vision,  and  there  remained  no  strength  in  me:  for 
my  comeliness  was  turned  in  me  into  corruption,  and  I  retained  no 
strength.  9.  Yet  heard  I  the  voice  of  his  words :  and  when  I  heard 
the  voice  of  his  words,  then  was  I  in  a  deep  sleep  on  my  face,  and 
my  face  toward  the  g'round. 

By  the  River  Hiddekel  the  Syriac  understands  the  Eu- 
phrates ;  the  Vulgate,  Greek,  and  Arabic,  the  Tigris ;  hence 
Wintle  concludes  that  the  prophet  had  this  vision  at  the  place 
where  these  rivers  nnite,  as  they  do  not  far  from  the  Persian 
Gulf. 

A  most  majestic  personage  visited  Daniel  on  this  occasion. 
The  description  of  him  is  almost  parallel  to  that  given  of 
Christ  in  the  Revelation,  cliai:)ter  1:  14- -IG;  and  the  effect  of 
his  presence  was  about  such  as  Avas  experienced  by  Paul  and 
his  comjianions  when  the  Lord  met  them  on  their  way  to 
Damascus.  Acts  9:1-7.  But  this  was  not  the  Lord ;  for 
the  Lord  is  introduced  as  Michael  in  verse  13.  It  must  there- 
fore have  been  an  angel,  but  one  of  no  ordinary  character. 
The  inquiry  then  arises,  Of  what  angel  can  such  a  descrijition 
be  truthfully  given  ?  There  are  some  points  of  identity  be- 
tween this  and  other  passages  which  plainly  show  that  this  was 
the  angel  Gabriel.  In  chapter  8:  1(>  Gabriel  is  introduced  by 
name.  His  interview  with  Daniel  at  that  time  produced  ex- 
actly the  same  effect  upon  the  prophet  as  that  described  in  the 
passage  before  us.  At  that  time  Gabriel  was  commanded  to 
make  Daniel  understand  the  vision,  and  he  himself  promised 
to  make  him  know  what  should  be  in  the  last  end  of  the  indig- 
nation.     Having  given  Daniel  all  the  instruction  he  was  able 


CHAPTER  10,  VERSES  J^-12  273 

to  bear  on  that  occasion,  he  subsequently  resumed  his  work, 
and  explained  another  great  point  in  the  visiou,  as  recorded  in 
chapter  9:20-  27.  Yet  we  learn  from  chapter  10  that  there 
were  some  points  still  unexplained  to  the  prophet;  and  he  set 
his  heart  again,  with  fasting  and  supplication,  to  understand 
the  matter. 

A  personage  now  appears  whose  presence  has  the  same 
effect  upon  Daniel  as  that  produced  by  the  presence  of  Gabriel 
at  the  first;  and  he  tells  Daniel  (verse  14),  "  Now  I  am  come 
to  make  thee  understand  what  shall  befall  thy  people  in  the 
latter  days,"  the  very  information  Gabriel  had  promised  to 
give,  as  recorded  in  chapter  8:  19.  But  one  conclusion  can  be 
drawn  from  these  facts.  Daniel  w^as  seeking  further  light  on 
the  very  vision  which  Gabriel  had  been  commanded  to  make 
him  understand.  Once,  already,  he  had  made  a  special  visit 
to  Daniel  to  give  him  additional  information  when  he  sought 
it  with  prayer  and  fasting.  J^Tow,  when  he  is  prepared  for 
further  instruction,  and  again  seeks  it  in  the  same  manner  in 
reference  to  the  same  subject,  can  it  for  a  moment  be  supposed 
that  Gabriel  disregarded  his  instruction,,  lost  sight  of  liis  mis- 
sion, and  suffered  another  angel  to  undertake  the  completion 
of  his  unfinished  Avork  ?  And  the  language  of  verse  14  clearly 
identifies  the  speaker  Avith  the  one,  who,  in  the  vision  of  chap- 
ter 8,  promised  to  do  that  work. 

Verse  10.  And,  behold,  an  hand  touched  nie,  which  set  me  upon 
my  knees  and  upon  the  palms  of  my  hands.  11.  And  he  said  unto 
me,  O  Daniel,  a  man  greatly  beloved,  understand  the  words  that  I 
speak  unto  thee,  and  stand  upright:  for  unto  thee  am  I  now  sent. 
And  when  he  had  spoken  this  word  unto  me,  I  stood  trembling.  12. 
Then  said  he  unto  me,  Fear  not,  Daniel:  for  from  the  first  day  that 
thou  didst  set  thine  heart  to  understand,  and  to  chasten  thyself  be- 
fore thy  God,  thy  words  were  heard,  and  I  am  come  for  tliy  words. 

Daniel  having  fallen  into  a  swoon  at  the  majestic  appear- 
ance of  Gabriel  (for  so  the  expression  "deep  sleep"  of  verse 
9  is  generally  understood),  the  angel  approaches,  and  lays  his 
hand  upon  him  to  give  him  assurance  and  confidence  to  stand 
in  his  presence.  He  tells  Daniel  that  he  is  a  man  greatly  be- 
loved. Wonderful  declaration !  a  member  of  the  human  fam- 
ily, one  of  the  same  race  with  us,  loved,  not  merely  in  the 


274  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

general  sense  in  which  God  loved  the  whole  world  wlien  he 
gave  his  Son  to  die  for  them,  but  loved  as  an  individual,  and 
that  greatly !  Well  might  the  prophet  receive  confidence  from 
such  a  declaration  as  that,  to  stand  even  in  the  ]:)resence  of 
Gabriel.  lie  tells  him,  moreover,  that  he  is  come  for  the  pur- 
pose of  an  interview  with  him,  and  he  wishes  him  to  bring 
his  mind  into  a  proper  state  to  understand  his  words.  Being 
thus  addressed,  the  holy  and  beloved  proj^het,  assured,  but  yet 
trembling,  stood  before  the  heavenly  angel. 

"  Fear  not,  Daniel,"  continues  Gabriel.  lie  had  no  occa- 
sion to  fear  before  one,  even  though  a  divine  being,  who  had 
been  sent  to  him  because  he  was  greatly  beloved,  and  in  an- 
swer to  his  earnest  prayer.  ITor  ought  the  people  of  God  of 
any  age  to  entertain  a  servile  fear  of  any  of  those  agents  who 
are  sent  forth  to  minister  to  their  salvation.  There  is,-  how- 
ever, a  disposition  manifested  among  far  too  many  to  allow 
their  minds  to  conceive  of  Jesus  and  his  angels  as  only  stern 
ministers  of  justice,  inflicters  of  vengeance  and  retribution, 
rather  than  as  beings  who  are  earnestly  working  for  our  salva- 
tion on  account  of  the  pity  and  love  with  which  they  regard 
us.  The  presence  of  an  angel,  should  he  appear  bodily  be- 
fore them,  would  strike  them  with  terror;  and  the  thought 
that  Christ  is  soon  to  appear,  and  they  are  to  be  taken  into 
his  presence,  distresses  and  alarms  them.  We  recommend  to 
such  more  amiable  views  of  the  relation  which  the  Christian 
sustains  to  Christ,  the  head  of  the  church,  and  a  little  more  of 
that  perfect  love  which  casts  out  all  fear. 

On  verse  12  Bagster  has  the  following  pointed  note:  ''  Dan- 
iel, as  Bishop  Xewton  observes,  was  now  very  far  advanced  in 
years;  for  the  third  year  of  Cyrus  was  the  seventy- third  of 
his  captivity;  and  being  a  youth  when  carried  captive,  he 
cannot  be  supposed  to  have  been  less  than  ninety.  Old  as 
he  Avas,  '  he  set  his  heart  to  understand  '  the  former  revela- 
tions which  had  been  made  to  him,  and  jiarticularly  the  vision 
of  the  ram  and  he-goat,  as  may  be  collected  from  the  sequel ; 
and  for  this  purpose  he  prayed  and  fasted  three  Aveeks.  His 
fasting  and  prayers  had  the  desired  effect,  for  an  angel  was 
sent  to  unfold  to  him  those  mysteries;  and  whoever  would  excel 


CHAPTER  10,  VERSES  10  - 13  275 

in  divine  knowledge  must  imitate  Daniel,  and  habituate  him- 
self to  study,  temperance,   and  devotion." 

Verse  13.  But  the  prince  of  the  kingdom  of  Persia  withstood  nie 
one  and  twenty  days:  but,  lo,  Michael,  one  of  the  chief  princes,  came 
to  help  me;  and  I  remained  there  with  the  kings  of  Persia. 

How  often  the  prayers  of  God's  j^eople  are  heard,  while  as 
yet  there  is  no  apparent  answer.  It  was  even  so  in  this  case 
with  Daniel.  The  angel  tells  him  that  from  the  first  day  he 
set  his  heart  to  understand,  his  words  were  heard.  Yet  Dan- 
iel continued  to  afflict  his  soul  with  fasting,  and  to  ^vrestle 
with  God  for  three  full  weeks,  all  unaware  that  any  respect 
Avas  yet  paid  to  his  petition.  But  why  was  the  delay  ?  —  The 
king  of  Persia  withstood  the  angel.  The  answer  to  Daniel's 
prayer  involved  some  action  on  the  part  of  that  king.  This 
action  he  must  be  influenced  to  perform.  It  doubtless  per- 
tained to  the  work  which  he  was  to  do,  and  had  already  begun 
to  do,  in  behalf  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews,  his 
decree  for  the  building  of  that  temple  being  the  first  of  the 
series  which  finally  constituted  that  notable  commandment  to 
restore  and  build  Jerusalem,  at  the  going  forth  of  wdiich  the 
great  prophetic  period  of  2300  days  was  to  begin.  And  the 
angel  is  dispatched  to  influence  him  to  go  forward  in  accord- 
ance with  the  divine  will. 

Ah,  how  little  do  we  realize  what  is  going  on  in  the  unseen 
world  in  relation  to  human  afi"airs !  Here,  as  it  were,  the  cur- 
tain is  for  a  moment  lifted,  and  we  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
movements  within.  Daniel  prays.  The  Creator  of  the  uni- 
verse hears.  The  command  is  issued  to  Gabriel  to  go  to  his 
relief.  But  the  king  of  Persia  must  act  before  Daniel's  prayer 
is  answered  ;  and  the  angel  hastens  to  the  Persian  king.  Satan 
no  doubt  musters  his  forces  to  oppose.  They  meet  in  the 
royal  palace  of  Persia.  All  the  motives  of  selfish  interest  and 
worldly  policy  which  Satan  can  play  upon,  he  doubtless  uses 
to  the  best  advantage  to  influence  the  king  against  compliance 
with  God's  will,  w^hile  Gabriel  brings  to  bear  his  influence  in 
the  other  direction.  The  king  struggles  between  conflicting 
emotions.       He  hesitates;  he  delays.       Day   after  day  passes 


270  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

away;  jet  Daniel  jDrays  on.  The  king  still  refuses  to  yield 
to  the  influence  of  the  angel ;  three  weeks  expire,  and  lo !  a 
mightier  than  Gabriel  takes  his  place  in  the  palace  of  the  king, 
and  Gabriel  appears  to  Daniel  to  acquaint  him  with  the  prog- 
ress of  events.  From  the  first,  said  he,  your  prayer  was  heard ; 
but  during  these  three  weeks  which  you  have  devoted  to  prayer 
and  fasting,  the  king  of  Persia  has  resisted  my  influence  and 
prevented  my  coming. 

Such  was  the  effect  of  prayer.  And  God  has  erected  no 
barriers  between  himself  and  his  people  since  Daniel's  time. 
It  is  still  their  privilege  to  offer  up  prayer  as  fervent  and 
effectual  as  his,  and,  like  Jacob,  to  have  power  with  God,  and 
to  prevail. 

AVho  was  Michael,  wdio  here  came  to  Gabriel's  assistance  ? 
The  term  signifies,  "^  He  who  is  like  God ;  "  and  the  Scrip- 
tures clearly  show  that  Christ  is  the  one  who  bears  this  name, 
elude  (verse  9)  declares  that  Michael  is  the  archangel.  Arch- 
angel signifies  "  head  or  chief  angel ;  "  and  Gabriel,  in  our  text, 
calls  him  one,  or,  as  the  margin  reads,  the  first,  of  the  chief 
princes.  There  can  be  but  one  archangel ;  and  hence  it  is  man- 
ifestly improper  to  use  the  ^vord,  as  some  do,  in  the  plural. 
The  Scriptures  never  so  use  it.  Paul,  in  1  Thess.  4:  16,  states 
that  when  the  Lord  appears  the  second  time  to  raise  the  dead, 
ttie  voice  of  the  archangel  is  heard.  Whose  voice  is  heard 
when  the  dead  are  raised  ?  —  The  voice  of  the  Son  of  God. 
John  5:28.  Putting  these  scriptures  together,  they  prove, 
(1)  that  the  dead  are  called  from  their  graves  by  the  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God;  (2)  that  the  voice  which  is  then  heard  is  the 
voice  of  the  archangel,  proving  that  the  archangel  is  the  Son 
of  God;  and  (3)  that  the  archangel  is  called  Michael;  from 
which  it  follows  that  Michael  is  the  Son  of  God.  In  the 
last  verse  of  Daniel  10,  he  is  called  "  your  prince,"  and  in  the 
first  of  chapter  12,  ''  the  great  prince  which  standeth  for  the 
children  of  thy  people,"  expressions  which  can  appropriately 
be  applied  to  Christ,  but  to  no  other  being. 

Verse  14.  Now  I  am  come  to  make  thee  understand  wliat  shall 
befall  thy  people  in  the  latter  days :  for  yet  the  vision  is  for  many 
days. 


CHAPTER  10,  VERSES  U-21  277 

The  expression,  "  yet  the  vision  is  for  many  days,"  reach- 
ing far  into  the  fnture,  and  embracing  what  shoiihl  befall  the 
people  of  God  even  in  the  latter  days,  shows  conclusively  that 
the  days  given  in  that  vision,  namely  the  2300,  cannot  mean 
literal  days,  bnt  must  be  days  of  years.  (See  on  chapter  9, 
verses  25  -  27.) 

Verse  15.  And  when,  he  had  spoken  such  words  unto  me,  I  set  my 
face  toward  the  ground,  and  I  became  dumb.  16.  And,  behold,  one 
like  the  similitude  of  the  sons  of  men  touched  my  lips;  then  I  opened 
my  mouth,  and  spake,  and  said  unto  him  that  stood  before  me,  O  my 
Lord,  by  the  vision  my  sorrows  are  turned  upon  me,  and  I  have  re- 
tained no  strength.  17.  For  how  can  the  .servant  of  this  my  lord 
talk  with  this  my  lord?  for  as  for  me,  straightway  there  remaineth 
no  strength  in  me,  neither  is  there  any  breath  left  in  me. 

One  of  the  most  marked  characteristics  manifested  by  Dan- 
iel was  the  tender  solicitude  he  felt  for  his  people.  Having 
come  now  clearly  to  comprehend  that  the  vision  portended  long 
ages  of  oppression  and  suffering  for  the  church,  he  was  so  af- 
fected by  the  view  that  his  strength  departed  from  him,  his 
breath  ceased,  and  the  power  of  speech  was  gone.  The  vision 
of  verse  16  doubtless  refers  to  the  former  vision  of  chapter  8. 

Verse  18.  Then  there  came  again  and  touched  me  one  like  the 
appearance  of  a  man,  and  he  strengthened  me.  19.  And  said,  O  man 
greatly  beloved,  fear  not :  peace  be  luito  thee,  be  strong,  yea,  be  strong. 
And  when  be  had  spoken  inito  me,  I  was  strengthened,  and  said.  Let 
my  lord  speak ;  for  thou  hast  strengthened  me.  20.  Then  said  he, 
Knowest  thou  wherefore  I  come  unto  tbce?  and  now  will  I  return  to 
fight  with  the  prince  of  Persia :  and  wlien  I  am  gone  forth,  lo,  the 
prince  of  Grecia  shall  come.  21.  But  I  will  show  thee  that  which 
is  noted  in  the  Scripture  of  truth :  and  there  is  none  that  holdeth 
with  me  in  these  things,  but  Michael  yoiir  prince. 

The  prophet  is  at  length  strengthened  to  hear  in  full  the 
communication  M'hicli  the  angel  has  to  make.  And  Gabriel 
says,  "  Knowest  thou  wherefore  I  come  unto  thee  ?  "  That  is, 
do  you  now  know  to  what  end  I  have  come  ?  Do  you  under- 
stand my  purpose  so  that  you  will  no  more  fear  ?  He  then 
announced  his  intention  to  return,  as  soon  as  his  communica- 
tion was  complete,  to  fight  with  the  king  of  Persia.  The  word 
icith  is,  in  the  Septuagint,  meta,  and  signifies,  not  against,  but 
in  common  with,  alongside  of;  that  is,  the  angel  of  God  would 
18 


278  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

stand  on  the  side  of  the  Persian  kingdom  so  long  as  it  was  in 
the  providence  of  God  that  that  kingdom  should  continue. 
"  But  when  I  am  gone  forth,"  continues  Gabriel,  "  lo,  the 
prince  of  Grocia  shall  come."  That  is,  when  he  withdraws 
his  support  from  that  kingdom,  and  the  providence  of  God 
operates  in  behalf  of  another  kingdom,  the  prince  of  Grecia 
shall   come,   and   the   Persian  monarchy  be   overthro^^^l. 

Gabriel  then  announced  that  none  —  God  of  course  ex- 
cepted —  had  an  understanding  with  him  in  the  matters  he 
was  about  to  communicate  except  Michael  the  prince.  And 
after  he  had  made  them  known  to  Daniel,  tlien  there  were 
four  beings  in  the  universe  with  whom  rested  a  knowledge  of 
these  important  truths,  —  Daniel,  Gabriel,  Christ,  and  God. 
Four  links  in  this  ascending  chain  of  witnesses, —  the  first, 
Daniel,  a  member  of  the  human  family;  the  last,  Jehovah, 
the  God  of  all! 


'^^^lX^5^:?2^''^i>:^' '■^'^'^^^  ^ 


^  ummm  wmwmcj 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Verse  1.  Also  I  in  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  Mede,  even  I, 
stood  to  confirm  and  to  strengthen  him.  2,  And  now  will  I  show  thee 
the  truth.  Behold,  there  shall  stand  up  yet  three  kings  in  Persia; 
and  the  fourth  shall  be  far  richer  than  they  all:  and  by  his  strength 
through  his  riches  he  shall  stir  up  all  against  the  realm  of  Grecia. 

WE  now  enter  uj)on  a  prophecy  of  fnture  events,  clothed 
not  in  fignres  and  symbols,  as  in  the  visions  of  chap- 
ters 2,  7,  and  8,  bnt  given  mostly  in  plain  language. 
Many  of  the  signal  events  of  the  world's  history,  from  the 
days  of  Daniel  to  the  end  of  the  world,  are  here  brouglit  to 
view.  This  prophecy,  says  Bishop  !Newton,  may  not  improp- 
erly be  said  to  be  a  comment  and  explanation  of  the  vision  of 
chapter  8 ;  a  statement  showing  how  clearly  he  j^erceived  the 
connection  between  that  vision  and  the  remainder  of  the  book. 
The  angel,  after  stating  that  he  stood,  in  the  first  year  of 
Darius,  to  confirm  and  strengthen  him,  turns  his  attention  to 
the  future.  Three  kings  shall  yet  stand  up  in  Persia.  To 
stand  up  means  to  reign;  three  kings  were  to  reign  in  Per- 
sia, referring,  doubtless,  to  the  immediate  successors  of  Cyrus. 

(279) 


280  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

These  were,   (1)    Cambyses,   son  of  Cyrus;    (2)    Sinerdis,   an 
impostor;    (3)   Darius  Hystaspes. 

The  fourth  shall  be  far  richer  than  they  all.  The  fourth 
king  from  Cyrus  was  Xerxes,  more  famous  for  his  riches  than 
his  generalship,  and  conspicuous  in  history  for  the  magnificent 
campaign  he  organized  against  Grecia,  and  his  utter  failure  in 
that  enterprise.  lie  was  to  stir  up  all  against  the  realm  of 
Grecia.  Xever  before  had  there  been  such  a  levy  of  men  for 
warlike  purposes;  never  has  there  been  since.  His  army,  ac- 
cording to  Herodotus,  who  lived  in  that  age,  consisted  of  five 
million  two  hundred  and  eighty-three  thousand  two  hundred 
and  twenty  men  (5,283,220).  And  not  content  with  stirring 
up  the  East  alone,  he  enlisted  the  Carthaginians  of  the  West 
in  his  service,  who  took  the  field  with  an  additional  army  of 
three  hundred  thousand  men,  raising  his  entire  force  to  the 
almost  fabulous  number  of  over  five  million  and  a  half.  As 
Xerxes  looked  over  that  vast  concourse,  he  is  said  to  have  wept 
at  the  thought  that  in  a  hundred  years  from  that  time  not 
one  of  all  those  men  would  be  left  alive. 

Verse  3.  And  a  mighty  king  shall  stand  up,  that  shall  rule  with 
great  dominion,  and  do  according  to  his  will.  4.  And  when  he  shall 
stand  up,  his  kingdom  shall  be  broken,  and  shall  be  divided  toward 
the  four  winds  of  heaven;  and  not  to  his  posterity,  nor  according  to 
his  dominion  which  he  ruled:  for  his  kingdom  shall  be  plucked  up, 
even  for  others  beside  those. 

The  facts  stated  in  these  verses  plainly  point  to  Alexander, 
and  the  division  of  his  empire.  (See  on  chapter  8:8.)  Xerxes 
was  the  last  Persian  king  who  invaded  Grecia ;  and  the  proph- 
ecy therefore  passes  over  the  nine  successors  of  Xerxes  in 
the  Persian  empire,  and  next  introduces  Alexander  the  Great. 
Ha^'ing  overthrown  the  Persian  empire,  Alexander  "  became 
absolute  lord  of  that  empire,  in  the  utmost  extent  in  which  it 
was  ever  possessed  by  any  of  the  Persian  kings." — Pvideaux, 
Vol.  I,  p.  Ji.77.  His  dominion  was  great,  including  "  the  greater 
portion  of  the  then  known  habitable  world ;  "  and  he  did  ac- 
cording to  his  Avill.  His  will  led  him,  b.  c.  323,  into  a 
drunken  debauch,  as  tlie  result  of  which  he  died  as  the  fool 
dieth ;  and  his  vainglorious  and  ambitious  projects  went  into 


ALEXANDER     VIEWING     THE     BODY     OF     DARIUS 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  3-5  283 

sudden,  total,  and  everlasting  eclipse.  The  kingdom  was  di- 
vided, but  not  for  his  posterity;  it  was  })lucked  up  for  others 
besides  those.  Within  fifteen  years  after  his  death,  all  his 
posterity  had  fallen  victims  to  the  jealousy  and  ambition  of  his 
leading  generals.  JSTot  one  of  the  race  of  Alexander  was  left 
to  breathe  upon  the  earth.  So  short  is  the  transit  from  the 
highest  pinnacle  of  earthly  glory  to  the  lowest  depths  of  ob- 
livion and  death.  The  kingdom  was  rent  into  four  divisions, 
find  taken  possession  of  by  Alexander's  four  ablest,  or  perhaps 
most  ambitious  and  unprincipled  generals, —  Cassander,  Ly- 
simachus,  Seleucus,  and  Ptolemy. 

Verse  5.  And  the  king  of  the  south  shall  be  strong,  and  one  of  his 
princes;  and  he  shall  be  strong  above  him,  and  have  dominion;  his 
dominion  shall  be  a  great  dominion. 

The  king  of  the  north  and  the  king  of  the  south  are  many 
times  referred  to  in  the  remaining  portion  of  this  chapter.  It 
therefore  becomes  essential  to  an  understanding  of  the  prophecy 
clearly  to  identify  these  powers.  When  Alexander's  emjjire 
was  divided,  the  different  portions  lay  toward  the  four  winds 
of  heaven,  west,  north,  east,  and  south;  these  divisions  of 
course  to  be  reckoned  from  the  standpoint  of  Palestine,  the 
native  land  of  the  prophet.  That  division  of  the  empire  lying 
west  of  Palestine  would  thus  constitute  the  kingdom  of  the 
west ;  that  lying  north,  the  kingdom  of  the  north ;  that  lying 
east,  the  kingdom  of  the  east ;  and  that  lying  south,  the  king- 
dom of  the  south.  The  divisions  of  Alexander's  kingdom  with 
respect  to  Palestine  were  situated  as  follows :  Cassander  had 
Greece  and  the  adjacent  countries,  which  lay  to  the  west;  Ly- 
simachus  had  Thrace,  which  then  included  Asia  Minor,  and 
the  countries  lying  on  the  Hellespont  and  Bosphorus,  which  lay 
to  the  north  of  Palestine ;  Seleucus  had  Syria  and  Babylon, 
which  lay  principally  to  the  east;  and  Ptolemy  had  Egypt 
and  the  neighboring  countries,  which  lay  to  the   south. 

During  the  wars  and  revolutions  which  for  long  ages  suc- 
ceeded, these  geographical  boundaries  were  frequently  changed 
or  obliterated;  old  ones  were  wiped  out,  and  new  ones  insti- 
tuted.      But  Avhatever  changes   might  occur,   these  frst  divis- 


284  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

ions  of  the  empire  must  determine  the  names  which  these 
l^ortions  of  territory  should  ever  afterward  bear,  or  we  have 
no  standard  by  which  to  test  the  application  of  the  prophecy; 
that  is,  whatever  power  at  any  time  should  occupy  the  territory 
which  at  first  constituted  the  kingdom  of  the  north,  that  power, 
so  long  as  it  occupied  that  territory,  would  be  the  king  of  the 
north ;  and  "whatever  power  should  occupy  that  which  at  first 
constituted  tlie  kingdom  of  the  south,  that  power  would  so  long 
be  the  king  of  the  south.  We  speak  of  only  these  two,  because 
they  are  the  only  ones  afterward  spoken  of  in  the  prophecy, 
and  because,  in  fact,  almost  the  whole  of  Alexander's  empire 
finally  resolved  itself  into  these  two  divisions. 

Cassander  w^as  very  soon  conquered  by  Lysimachus,  and 
his  kingdom,  Greece  and  ^[acedon,  annexed  to  Thrace.  And 
Lysimachus  was  in  turn  conquered  by  Seleucus,  and  ]\Iacedon 
and  Thrace  annexed  to  Syria. 

These  facts  prepare  the  way  for  an  application  of  the  text 
before  us.  The  king  of  the  south,  Egypt,  shall  be  strong. 
Ptolemy  annexed  Cyprus,  Phoenicia,  Caria,  Cyrene,  and  many 
islands  and  cities  to  Egypt.  Thus  was  his  kingdom  made 
strong.  But  another  of  Alexander's  princes  is  introduced  in 
the  expression,  "  one  of  his  princes.'  The  Septuagint  trans- 
lates the  verse  thus :  ''And  the  king  of  the  south  shall  be 
strong,  and  one  of  his  [Alexander's]  princes  shall  be  strong- 
above  him."  This  must  refer  to  Seleucus,  Avho,  as  already 
stated,  having  annexed  Macedon  and  Thrace  to  Syria,  thus 
became  possessor  of  three  parts  out  of  four  of  Alexander's 
dominion,  and  established  a  more  powerful  kingdom  than  that 
of  Egypt. 

Verse  6.  And  in  the  end  of  years  they  shall  join  themselves  to- 
gether; for  the  king's  daughter  of  the  south  shall  come  to  the  king 
of  the  north  to  make  an  agreement :  but  she  shall  not  retain  the  power 
of  the  arm;  neither  shall  he  stand,  nor  his  arm;  but  she  shall  be 
given  lip,  and  they  that  brought  her,  and  he  that  begat  her,  and  he 
that  strengthened  her  in  these  times. 

There  Avere  frequent  wars  between  the  kings  of  Egypt  and 
Syria.  Especially  was  this  the  case  with  Ptolemy  Philadel- 
phus,  the  second  king  of  Egypt,  and  Antiochus  Theos,  third 
king  of  Syria.       They  at  length   agreed   to  make  ])eace  upon 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  6-9  285 

condition  that  Antioclius  Tlieos  should  put  away  his  former 
wife,  Laodice,  and  her  two  sons,  and  should  marry  Berenice, 
the  daughter  of  Ptolemy  Philadelpluis.  Ptolemy  accordingly 
brought  his  daughter  to  Antiochus,  bestowing  with  her  an  im- 
mense doAvry. 

"  But  she  shall  not  retain  the  power  of  the  arm ;  "  that  is, 
her  interest  and  power  with  Antiochus.  And  so  it  proved ;  for 
some  time  shortly  after,  in  a  fit  of  love,  xYntiochus  brought 
back  his  former  wife,  Laodice,  and  her  children,  to  court  again. 
Then  says  the  prophecy,  "  Xeither  shall  he  [Antiochus]  stand, 
nor  his  arm,"  or  seed.  Laodice,  being  restored  to  favor  and 
power,  feared  lest,  in  the  fickleness  of  his  temper,  Antiochus 
should  again  disgrace  her,  and  recall  Berenice ;  and  conceiving 
that  nothing  short  of  his  death  would  be  an  effectual  safeguard 
against  such  a  contingency,  she  caused  him  to  be  poisoned 
shortly  after.  Xeither  did  his  seed  by  Berenice  succeed  him 
in  the  kingdom ;  for  Laodice  so  managed  affairs  as  to  secure 
the  throne  for  her  eldest  son,  Seleucus  Callinicus. 

"  But  she  [Berenice]  shall  be  given  up."  Laodice,  not  con- 
tent with  poisoning  her  husband,  Antiochus,  caused  Berenice 
to  be  murdered.  "And  they  that  brought  her."  Her  Egyp- 
tian women  and  attendants,  in  endeavoring  to  defend  her, 
were  many  of  them  slain  with  her.  "And  he  that  begat  her," 
margin,  "  whom  she  brought  forth  ;  "  that  is,  her  son,  Avho  was 
murdered  at  the  same  time  by  order  of  Laodice.  "And  he  that 
strengthened  her  in  these  times ;  "  her  husband,  Antiochus,  as 
Jerome  supposes,  or  those  who  took  her  part  and  defended  her. 

But  such  wickedness  could  not  long  remain  unpunished,  as 
the  prophecy  further  predicts,  and  further  history  proves. 

Yerse  7.  But  out  of  a  branch  of  her  roots  shall  one  stand  \\\)  in 
his  estate,  which  shall  come  with  an  army,  and  shall  enter  into  the 
fortress  of  the  king-  of  the  north,  and  shall  deal  against  them,  and 
shall  prevail :  8.  And  shall  also  carry  captives  into  Egypt  their  gods, 
with  their  princes,  and  with  their  precious  vessels  of  silver  and  of 
gold ;  and  he  shall  continue  more  years  than  the  king  of  the  north. 
9.  So  the  king  of  the  south  shall  come  into  his  kingdom,  and  shall 
return  into  his  own  land. 

This  branch  out  of  the  same  root  with  Berenice  was  her 
lirother,  Ptolemv  Euer2;etes.      He  had  no  sooner  succeeded  his 


280  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

father,  Ptolemj  Pliiladelpliiis,  in  the  kingdom  of  Egypt,  than, 
hurning  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  sister,  Berenice,  he  raised 
ail  immense  army,  and  invaded  the  territory  of  the  king  of  the 
north,  that  is,  of  Selencns  Callinicus,  who,  with  his  mother, 
J.aodice,  reigned  in  Syria.  And  he  prevailed  against  them, 
even  to  the  conquering  of  Syria,  Cilicia,  the  upper  parts  be- 
yond the  Euphrates,  and  ahnost  all  Asia.  But  hearing  that  a 
sedition  was  raised  in  Egypt  requiring  his  return  home,  he 
2:)lundered  the  kingdom  of  Seleucus,  took  forty  thousand  tal- 
ents of  silver  and  precious  vessels,  and  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred images  of  the  gods.  Among  these  were  the  images  which 
Cambyses  had  formerly  taken  from  Egypt  and  carried  into 
Persia.  The  Egyptians,  being  wholly  given  to  idolatry,  be- 
stowed upon  Ptolemy  the  title  of  Euergetes,  or  the  Benefactor, 
as  a  compliment  for  his  having  thus,  after  many  years,  re- 
stored their  captive  gods. 

This,  according  to  Bislioj)  Xe^\'ton,  is  Jerome's  account, 
extracted  from  ancient  historians ;  but  there  are  authors  still 
extant,  he  says,  who  confirm  several  of  the  same  particulars. 
Appian  informs  us  that  Laodice  having  killed  Antiochus,  and 
after  him  both  Berenice  and  her  child,  Ptolemy,  the  son  of 
Philadelphus,  to  revenge  those  murders,  invaded  Syria,  slew 
Laodice,  and  proceeded  as  far  as  Babylon.  From  Polybius 
we  learn  that  Ptolemy,  surnamed  Euergetes,  being  greatly  in- 
censed at  the  cruel  treatment  of  his  sister,  Berenice,  marched 
with  an  army  into  Syria,  and  took  the  city  of  Seleucia,  which 
was  kept  for  some  years  afterward  by  garrisons  of  the  kings 
of  Egypt.  Thus  did  he  enter  into  the  fortress  of  the  king 
of  the  north.  Polya?nus  affirms  that  Ptolemy  made  himself 
master  of  all  the  country  from  ]\lount  Taurus  as  far  as  to 
India,  without  war  or  battle ;  but  he  ascribes  it  by  mistake  to 
the  father  instead  of  the  son.  Justin  asserts  that  if  Ptolemy 
liad  not  been  recalled  into  Egypt  by  a  domestic  sedition,  he 
would  have  possessed  the  whole  kingdom  of  Seleucus.  The 
king  of  the  south  thus  came  into  the  dominion  of  the  king  of 
the  north,  and  returned  to  his  own  land,  as  the  pro})het  had 
foretold.  And  he  also  continued  more  years  than  the  king 
of  the  north;  for  Seleucus  Callinicus  died  in  exile,  of  a  fall 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  10,  11  287 

from  his  horse;  and  Ptolemy  Eiiergetes  survived  him  for  four 
or  hve  years. 

Verse  10.  But  his  sons  shall  be  stirred  up,  and  shall  assemble  a 
multitude  of  great  forces :  and  one  shall  certainly  come,  and  over- 
flow, and  pass  through:  then  shall  he  return,  and  be  stirred  up,  even 
to  his  fortress. 

The  first  part  of  this  verse  speaks  of  sons,  in  the  plural ; 
the  last  part,  of  one,  in  the  singular.  The  sons  of  Selencus 
Callinicns  were  Selencus  C'eraunus  and  Antiochus  Magnus. 
These  both  entered  with  zeal  upon  the  work  of  vindicating  and 
avenging  the  cause  of  their  father  and  their  country.  The 
elder  of  these,  Selencus,  first  took  the  throne.  He  assembled 
a  great  multitude  to  recover  his  father's  dominions;  but  being 
a  weak  and  pusillanimous  prince,  both  in  body  and  estate, 
destitute  of  money,  and  unable  to  keep  his  army  in  obedience, 
he  was  poisoned  by  two  of  his  generals  after  an  inglorious 
reign  of  two  or  three  years.  II is  more  capable  brother,  Antio- 
chus Magnus,  was  thereupon  proclaimed  king,  who,  taking 
charge  of  the  army,  retook  Seleucia  and  recovered  Syria,  mak- 
ing himself  master  of  some  places  by  treaty,  and  of  others  by 
force  of  arms.  A  truce  followed,  wherein  both  sides  treated 
for  peace,  yet  prepared  for  war;  after  which  Antiochus  re- 
turned and  overcame  in  liattle  Xicolas,  the  Egyptian  general, 
and  had  thoughts  of  invading  Egypt  itself.  Here  is  the  "'  one  " 
who   should    certaiidy   overflow   and    ]iass   through. 

Verse  11.  And  the  king  of  the  south  shall  be  moved  with  oholer, 
and  shall  come  forth  and  fight  with  him,  even  with  the  king  of  the 
north:  and  he  shall  set  forth  a  great  multitude;  but  the  multitude 
shall  be  given  into  his  hand. 

Ptolemy  Philopater  succeeded  his  father,  Euergetes,  in  the 
kingdom  of  Egypt,  being  advanced  to  the  crown  not  long  after 
Antiochus  Magnus  had  succeeded  his  brother  in  the  government 
of  Svria.  He  was  a  most  luxurious  and  vicious  prince,  but 
was  at  length  aroused  at  the  prospect  of  an  invasion  of  Egypt 
bv  Antiochus.  He  was  indeed  "  moved  with  eholer  "  for  the 
losses  he  had  sustained,  and  the  danger  which  threatened  him  ; 
and  he  came  forth  out  of  Egypt  with  a  numerous  army  io  check 


288  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  progress  of  the  Syrian  king.  The  king  of  the  north  was 
also  to  set  forth  a  great  multitude.  The  army  of  Antiochus, 
according  to  Polybius,  amounted  on  this  occasion  to  sixty-two 
thousand  foot,  six  thousand  horse,  and  one  hundred  and  two 
elephants.  In  the  battle,  Antiochus  was  defeated,  and  his 
army,  according  to  prophecy,  was  given  into  the  hands  of  the 
king  of  the  south.  Ten  thousand  foot  and  three  thousand  horse 
were  slain,  and  over  four  thousand  men  were  taken  prisoners; 
while  of  Ptolemy's  army  there  were  slain  only  seven  hundred 
horse,  and  about  twice  that  number  of  infantry. 

Verse  32.  And  when  he  hath  taken  away  the  multitude,  his  heart 
shall  be  lifted  up;  and  he  shall  cast  down  many  ten  thousands;  but 
he  shall  not  be  streng'thened  by  it. 

Ptolemy  lacked  the  prudence  to  make  a  good  use  of  his 
victory.  Had  he  followed  up  his  success,  he  would  probably 
have  become  master  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  Antiochus;  but 
content  with  making  only  a  few  menaces  and  a  few  threats, 
he  made  peace  that  he  might  be  able  to  give  himself  up  to  the 
uninterrupted  and  uncontrolled  indulgence  of  his  brutish  pas- 
sions. Thus,  ha-^dng  conquered  his  enemies,  he  was  overcome 
by  his  vices,  and,  forgetful  of  the  great  name  which  he  might 
have  established,  he  spent  his  time  in  feasting  and  lewdness. 

His  heart  was  lifted  up  by  his  success,  but  he  was  far  from 
being  strengthened  by  it;  for  the  inglorious  use  he  made  of 
it  caused  his  own  subjects  to  rebel  against  him.  But  the  lift- 
ing up  of  his  heart  was  more  especially  manifested  in  his 
transactions  with  the  Jews.  Coming  to  Jerusalem,  he  there 
offered  sacrifices,  and  was  very  desirous  of  entering  into  the 
most  holy  place  of  the  temple,  contrary  to  the  law  and  relig- 
ion of  that  place;  but  being,  though  with  great  difficultv,  re- 
strained, he  left  the  place  burning  with  anger  against  the 
Avholo  nation  of  the  Jews,  and  iunnediately  commenced  against 
them  a  terrible  and  relentless  persecution.  In  Alexandria, 
where  the  Jews  had  resided  since  the  days  of  iVlexander,  and 
enjoyed  the  privileges  of  the  most  favored  citizens,  forty  thou- 
sand according  to  Eusebius,  sixty  thousand  according  to  Je- 
rome, were  slain   in   this  persecution.       The   rebellion   of  the 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  12  -  U  289 

Egyptians,  and  the  massacre  of  the  Jews,  certainly  were  not 
calculated  to  strengthen  him  in  his  kingdom,  but  were  sufficient 
rather  almost  totally  to  ruin  it. 

Verse  13.  For  the  king  of  the  north  shall  return,  and  shall  set 
forth  a  multitude  greater  than  the  former,  and  shall  certainly  come 
after  certain  years  with  a  great  army  and  much  riches. 

The  events  predicted  in  this  verse  were  to  occur  "  after 
certain  years."  The  peace  concluded  between  Ptolemy  Pliil- 
opater  and  Antiochus  lasted  fourteen  years.  Meanwhile 
Ptolemy  died  from  intemperance  and  debauchery,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  a  child  tlicn  four 
or  five  years  old.  Antiochus,  during  the  same  time,  having 
sn])pressed  rebellion  in  his  kingdom,  and  reduced  and  settled 
the  eastern  parts  in  their  obedience,  was  at  leisure  for  any 
enterprise  Avlien  young  Epiphanes  came  to  the  throne  of 
Egypt ;  and  thinking  this  too  good  an  opportunity  for  enlarg- 
ing his  dominion  to  be  let  slip,  he  raised  an  immense  army 
"greater  than  the  former"  (for  he  had  collected  many  forces, 
and  acquired  great  riches  in  his  eastern  expedition),  and  set 
out  against  Egypt,  expecting  to  ha^'e  an  easy  victory  over  the 
infant  king.  How  he  succeeded  we  shall  presently  see;  for 
here  new  complications  enter  into  the  affairs  of  these  king- 
doms, and  new  actors  are  introduced  upon  the  stage  of  history. 

Verse  14.  And  in  those  times  there  shall  many  stand  up  against 
the  king  of  the  south :  also  the  robbers  of  thy  people  shall  exalt  them- 
selves to  establish  the  vision ;  but  they  shall  fall. 

Antiochus  was  not  the  only  one  who  rose  up  against  the 
infant  Ptolemy.  Agathocles,  his  prime  minister,  having  pos- 
session of  the  king's  person,  and  conducting  the  affairs  of  the 
kingdom  in  his  stead,  was  so  dissolute  and  proud  in  the  exer- 
cise of  his  power  that  the  provinces  which  before  were  subject 
to  Egypt  rebelled ;  Egypt  itself  was  disturbed  by  seditions ; 
and  the  Alexandrians,  rising  up  against  Agathocles,  caused 
him,  his  sister,  his  mother,  and  their  associates,  to  be  put  to 
death.  At  the  same  time,  Philip,  king  of  Macedon,  entered 
into  a  leagne  with  Antiochus  to  divide  the  dominions  of  Ptol- 
emy between  them,  each  proposing  to  take  the  parts  which  lay 


290  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

nearest  and  most  convenient  to  liini.  Here  was  a  rising  up 
against  the  king  of  the  south  sufficient  to  fulfil  the  prophecy, 
and  the  very  events,  beyond  doubt,  which  the  prophecy  in- 
tended. 

A  new  power  is  now  introduced, —  ""  the  robbers  of  thy 
peoi^le;"  literally,  says  Bishop  Xewton,  "the  breakers  of  thy 
peoj^le/'  Far  away  on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  a  kingdom 
had  been  nourishing  itself  with  ambitious  projects  and  dark 
designs.  Small  and  weak  at  first,  it  grew  with  marvelous 
rapidity  in  strength  and  vigor,  reaching  out  cautiously  here 
and  there  to  try  its  prowess,  and  test  the  vigor  of  its  warlike 
arm,  till,  conscious  of  its  power,  it  boldly  reared  its  head 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  seized  with  invincible 
hand  the  helm  of  their  affairs.  Henceforth  the  name  of  Rome 
stands  upon  the  historic  page,  destined  for  long  ages  to  control 
the  affairs  of  the  world,  and  exert  a  mighty  influence  among 
the  nations  even  to  the  end  of  time. 

Rome  spoke ;  and  Syria  and  Macedonia  soon  found  a  change 
coming  over  the  aspect  of  their  dream.  The  Romans  interfered 
in  behalf  of  the  young  king  of  Egypt,  determined  that  he  should 
be  protected  from  the  ruin  devised  by  Antiochus  and  Pliili]). 
This  Avas  b.  c.  200,  and  was  one  of  the  first  important  inter- 
ferences of  the  Romans  in  the  affairs  of  Syria  and  Egy])t.  Rol- 
lin  furnishes  the  folloAving  succinct  account  of  this  matter: — 

"Antiochus,  king  of  Syria,  and  Philip,  king  of  Macedonia, 
during  the  reign  of  Ptolemy  Philopater,  had  discovered  the 
strongest  zeal  for  the  interests  of  that  monarch,  and  were  ready 
to  assist  him  on  all  occasions.  Yet  no  sooner  was  he  dead, 
leaving  behind  him  an  infant,  whom  the  laws  of  humanity  and 
justice  enjoined  them  not  to  disturb  in  the  i^ossession  of  his 
father's  kingdom,  than  they  immediately  joined  in  a  criminal 
alliance,  and  excited  each  other  to  shake  off  the  lawful  heir, 
and  divide  bis  dominions  between  them.  Philip  was  to  have 
Caria,  Libya,  Cyrenaica,  and  Egypt;  and  Antiochus,  all  the 
rest.  With  this  view,  the  latter  entered  Ca?le-Syria  and  Pales- 
tine, and  in.  less  than  two  campaigns  made  an  entire  conquest 
of  the  two  provinces,  with  all  their  cities  ami  dependencies. 
Their  guilt,  says  Polybius,  would  not  have  been  quite  so  glar- 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  Ih  15  291 

iiig,  liad  they,  like  tyrants,  endeavored  to  gloss  over  their  crimes 
with  some  specious  pretense;  but,  so  far  from  doing  this,  their 
injustice  and  cruelty  were  so  barefaced,  that  to  them  was  ap- 
jjlied  \vhat  is  generally  said  of  tishes,  that  the  larger  ones, 
though  of  the  same  species,  prey  on  the  lesser.  One  would 
be  tempted,  continues  the  same  author,  at  seeing  the  most 
sacred  laws  of  society  so  openly  violated,  to  accuse  Provi- 
dence of  being  indiHerent  and  insensible  to  the  most  horrid 
crimes;  but  it  fully  justified  its  conduct  by  punisliing  those 
two  kings  according  to  their  deserts;  and  made  such  an  ex- 
ample of  them  as  ought,  in  all  succeeding  ages,  to  deter  others 
from  following  their  example.  i^or,  while  they  were  medi- 
tating to  dispossess  a  weak  and  helpless  infant  of  his  kingdom 
by  ^jiecemeal,  Providence  raised  up  the  Ilomans  against  them, 
who  entirely  subverted  the  kingdoms  of  Philip  and  Antiochus, 
and  reduced  their  successors  to  almost  as  great  calamities  as 
those  with  which  they  intended  to  crush  the  infant  king."  — 
Ancient  History,  Book  IS,  chap.  50. 

"  To  establish  the  vision."  The  Romans  being  more  promi- 
nently than  any  other  people  the  subject  of  JJanieFs  prophecy, 
their  first  interference  in  the  affairs  of  these  kingdoms  is  here 
referred  to  as  being  the  establishment,  or  demonstration,  of 
the  truth  of  the  vision  which  predicted  the  existence  of  such 
a  power. 

"  But  they  shall  fall."  Some  refer  this  to  those  mentioned 
in  the  first  part  of  the  verse,  who  should  stand  up  against  the 
king  of  the  south;  others,  to  the  robbers  of  Daniel's  people, 
the  Romans.  It  is  true  in  either  case.  If  those  who  combined 
against  Ptolemy  are  referred  to,  all  that  need  be  said  is  that 
they  did  speedily  fall ;  and  if  it  applies  to  the  Romans,  the 
prophecy  simply  looked  forward  to  the  period  of  their  over- 
throw. 

Verse  15.  So  the  king  of  the  north  shall  come,  and  cast  up  a 
mount,  and  take  the  most  fenced  cities :  and  the  arms  of  the  south 
shall  not  withstand,  neither  his  chosen  people,  neither  sliall  there 
be  any  strength  to  withstand. 

The  tuition  of  the  yoimg  king  of  Egypt  was  entrusted  by 
the  Roman  Senate  to  M.  Emilius  Lepidus,  who  appointed  Aris- 


292  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

tomenes,  an  old  and  experienced  minister  of  that  court,  his 
guardian.  His  first  act  was  to  provide  against  the  threatened 
invasion  of  the  two  confederated  kings,  Philip  and  Antiochus. 

To  this  end  he  despatched  Scopas,  a  famous  general  of. 
^^{Itolia,  then  in  the  service  of  the  Egyptians,  into  his  native 
country  to  raise  reinforcements  for  the  army.  Having 
equipped  an  army,  he  marched  into  Palestine  and  Coele-Syria 
(^ Antiochus  being  engaged  in  a  war  with  Attains  in  Lesser 
Asia),  and  reduced  all  Judea  into  subjection  to  the  authority 
of  Egypt. 

Thus  affairs  were  l)rought  into  a  posture  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  verse  before  us.  For  Antiochus,  desisting  from 
his  war  with  ^Vttalus  at  the  dictation  of  the  Romans,  took 
s]:)eedy  steps  for  the  recovery  of  Palestine  and  Coele-Syria 
from  the  hands  of  the  Egyptians.  Scopas  was  sent  to  oppose 
him.  Xear  the  sources  of  the  Jordan,  the  two  armies  met. 
Scopas  was  defeated,  pursued  to  Sidon,  and  there  closely  be- 
sieged. Three  of  the  ablest  generals  of  Egypt,  Avitli  their  best 
forces,  Avere  sent  to  raise  the  siege,  but  without  success.  At 
length  Scopas  meeting,  in  the  gaunt  and  intangible  specter  of 
famine,  a  foe  with  whom  he  was  unable  to  cope,  was  forced  to 
surrender  on  the  dishonorable  terms  of  life  only ;  whereupon 
he  and  his  ten  thousand  men  Avere  suffered  to  depart,  stripped 
and  naked.  Here  was  the  taking  of  the  most  fenced  cities  by 
the  king  of  the  north  ;  for  Sidon  was,  both  in  its  situation  and 
its  defenses,  one  of  the  strongest  cities  of  those  times.  Here 
was  the  failure  of  the  arms  of  the  south  to  withstand,  and  the 
failure  also  of  the  i^eople  which  the  king  of  the  south  ha<l 
chosen;  namely,  Scopas  and  his  ^Etolian  forces. 

Verse  16.  But  he  that  cometh  against  him  shall  do  accordins'  to 
his  own  will,  and  none  shall  stand  before  him:  and  he  shall  stand 
in  the  glorious  land,  which   by  his  hand  shall  be   consumed. 

Although  Egypt  could  not  stand  before  Antiochus,  the  king 
of  the  north,  Antiochus  could  not  stand  before  the  Romans, 
who  now  came  against  him.  Xo  kingdoms  were  longer  able 
to  resist  this  rising  power.  Syria  was  conquered,  and  added 
to  the  Roman  ('iiij)ire,  when  Pompey,  n.  c.  *')."),  deprived  Antio- 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  16  293 

chus  Asiaticus  of  liis  possessions,  and  reduced  Syria  to  a  lio- 
man  province. 

The  same  power  was  also  to  stand  in  the  Holy  Land,  and 
consume  it.  Rome  became  connected  with  the  people  of  God, 
the  Jews,  by  alliance,  b.  c.  IGl,  from  which  date  it  holds  a 
prominent  place  in  the  prophetic  calendar.  It  did  not,  how- 
ever, acquire  jurisdiction  over  Judea  by  actual  conquest  till 
B.  c.  63 ;  and  then  in  the  following  manner. 

On  Pompey's  return  from  his  expedition  against  Mithri- 
dates,  king  of  Pontus,  two  competitors,  Hyrcanus  and  Aristo- 
bulus,  were  struggling  for  the  crowTi  of  Judea.  Their  cause 
came  before  Pomj^ey,  who  soon  perceived  the  injustice  of  the 
claims  of  Aristobulus,  but  wished  to  defer  decision  in  the  mat- 
ter till  after  his  long-desired  expedition  into  Arabia,  promis- 
ing then  to  return,  and  settle  their  affairs  as  -should  seem  just 
and  proper.  Aristobulus,  fathoming  Pompey's  real  sentiments, 
hastened  back  to  Judea,  armed  his  subjects,  and  prepared  for 
a  vigorous  defense,  determined,  at  all  hazards,  to  keep  the 
crown,  which  he  foresaw  Avould  be  adjudicated  to  another. 
Pompey  closely  followed  the  fugutive.  As  he  approached 
Jerusalem,  Aristobulus,  beginning  to  repent  of  his  course, 
came  out  to  meet  him,  and  endeavored  to  accommodate  mat- 
ters by  promising  entire  submission  and  large  sums  of  money. 
Pompey,  accepting  this  offer,  sent  Gabinius,  at  the  head  of  a 
detachment  of  soldiers,  to  receive  the  money.  But  when  that 
lieutenant-general  arrived  at  Jerusalem,  he  found  the  gates 
shut  against  him,  and  was  told  from  the  top  of  the  walls  that 
the  city  would  not  stand  to  the  agreement. 

Pompey,  not  to  be  deceived  in  this  way  with  impunity,  put 
Aristobulus,  whom  he  had  retained  with  him,  in  irons,  and 
immediately  marched  against  Jerusalem  with  his  whole  army. 
The  partisans  of  Aristobulus  were  for  defending  the  place; 
those  of  Hyrcanus,  for  opening  the  gates.  The  latter  being  in 
the  majority,  and  prevailing,  Pompey  was  given  free  entrance 
into  the  city.  AVhereupon  the  adherents  of  Aristobulus  retired 
to  the  mountain  of  the  temple,  as  fully  determined  to  defend 
that  place  as  Pompey  M'as  to  reduce  it.  At  tb.o  end  of  three 
montlis  a  l)rcach  was  made  in  tlio  wall  sufficient  for  an  assault, 
19 


29-1:  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

and  the  place  was  carried  at  the  point  of  the  sword.  In  the 
terrible  slaughter  that  ensued,  twelve  thousand  persons  were 
slain.  It  was  an  affecting  sight,  observes  the  historian,  to  see 
the  priests,  engaged  at  the  time  in  divine  service,  with  calm 
hand  and  steady  purpose  pursue  their  accustomed  work,  ap- 
parently unconscious  of  the  wild  tumult,  though  all  around 
them  their  friends  were  given  to  the  slaughter,  and  though 
often  their  own  blood  mingled  with  that  of  their  sacrifices. 

Having  put  an  end  to  the  war,  Pompey  demolished  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem,  transferred  several  cities  from  the  juris- 
diction of  Judea  to  that  of  Syria,  and  imposed  tribute  on  the 
Jews.  Thus  for  the  first  time  was  Jerusalem  placed  by  con- 
quest in  the  hands  of  that  power  which  was  to  hold  the  "  glo- 
rious land  "  in  its  iron  grasp  till  it  had  utterly  consumed  it. 

Verse  17.  He  shall  also  set  his  face  to  enter  with  the  strength  of 
his  whole  kingdom,  and  upright  ones  with  him ;  thus  shall  he  do :  and 
he  shall  give  him  the  daughter  of  women,  corrupting  her :  but  she 
shall  not  stand  on  his  side,  neither  be  for  him. 

Bishop  Xewton  furnishes  another  reading  for  this  verse, 
which  seems  more  clearly  to  express  the  sense,  as  follows : 
"  He  shall  also  set  his  face  to  enter  by  force  the  whole  king- 
dom." Verse  10  brought  us  down  to  the  conquest  of  Syria 
and  Judea  by  the  Romans.  Rome  had  previously  conquered 
Macedon  and  Thrace.  Egypt  was  now  all  that  remained  of 
the  "  whole  kingdom "  of  Alexander,  not  brought  into  sub- 
jection to  the  Roman  power,  which  power  now  set  its  face  to 
enter  by  force  into  that  conntry. 

Ptolemy  Auletes  died  b.  c.  51.  He  left  the  croA\Ti  and 
kingdom  of  Egypt  to  his  eldest  son  and  daughter,  Ptolemy 
and  Cleopatra.  It  was  provided  in  his  will  that  they  should 
marry  together,  and  reign  jointly;  and  because  they  were 
young,  they  Avere  placed  under  the  guardianship  of  tlie  Ro- 
mans. The  Roman  people  accepted  the  charge,  and  appointed 
Pompey  as  guardian  of  the  young  heirs  of  Egypt. 

A  quarrel  having  not  long  after  broken  ont  between  Pom- 
]>ey  and  Ctesar,  the  famous  battle  of  Pharsalia  was  fought  be- 
tween the  tv/o  generals.      Pompey,  being  defeated,  fled  into 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  17  295 

Egypt.  Caesar  immediately  followed  liim  thither;  but  before 
his  arrival,  Pompey  was  basely  murdered  by  Ptolemy,  whose 
guardian  he  had  been  appointed.  Caesar  therefore  assumed 
the  appointment  which  had  been  given  to  Pompey,  as  guardian 
of  Ptolemy  and  Cleopatra.  He  found  Egypt  in  connnotion 
from  intestine  disturbances,  Ptolemy  and  Cleopatra  having  be- 
come hostile  to  each  other,  and  she  being  (le})rivod  of  her  share 
in  the  government.  jSTotwithstanding  this,  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  land  at  Alexandria  with  his  small  force,  800  horse  and  3200 
foot,  take  cognizance  of  the  quarrel,  and  undertake  its  settle- 
ment. The  troubles  daily  increasing,  Csesar  found  his  small 
force  insuiHcicnt  to  maintain  his  position,  and  being  unable  to 
leave  Egypt  on  account  of  the  north  wind  which  blew  at  that 
season,  he  sent  into  Asia,  ordering  all  the  troops  he  had  in 
that  quarter  to  come  to  his  assistance  as  soon  as  possible. 

In  the  most  haughty  manner  he  decreed  that  Ptolemy  and 
Cleopatra  should  disband  their  armies,  appear  before  him  for 
a  settlement  of  their  differences,  and  abide  by  his  decision. 
Egypt  being  an  independent  kingdom,  this  haughty  decree 
was  considered  an  affront  to  its  royal  dignity,  at  which  the 
Egyptians,  highly  incensed,  flew  to  arms.  Caesar  replied  that 
he  acted  by  virtue  of  the  "vvill  of  their  father,  Auletes,  who 
had  put  his  children  under  the  guardianship  of  the  senate  and 
people  of  Rome,  the  whole  authority  of  which  was  now  vested 
in  his  person  as  consul ;  and  that,  as  guardian,  he  had  the 
right  to  arbitrate  between  them. 

The  matter  was  finally  brought  before  him,  and  advocates 
appointed  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  respective  parties.  Cleo- 
]iatra,  a^vare  of  the  foible  of  the  great  Roman  conqueror, 
judged  that  the  beauty  of  her  presence  w^ould  be  more  effectual 
in  securing  judgment  in  her  favor  than  any  advocate  she  could 
employ.  To  roach  his  presence  undetected,  she  had  recourse 
to  the  following  stratagem :  Laying  herself  at  full  length  in 
a  bundle  of  clothes,  Apollodorus,  her  Sicilian  servant,  wrapped 
it  up  in  a  cloth,  tied  it  with  a  thong,  and  raising  it  upon  his 
Herculean  shoulders,  sought  the  apartments  of  Caesar.  Claim- 
ing to  have  a  present  for  the  Roman  general,  he  w^as  admitted 
through  the  gate  of  the  citadel,  entered  into  the  presence  of 


2DG  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Caesar,  and  deposited  the  burden  at  his  feet.  When  Caesar 
had  unbound  this  animated  bundle,  lo !  the  beautiful  CleojDatra 
stood  before  him.  He  was  far  from  being  disjDleased  with  the 
stratagem,  and  being  of  a  character  described  in  2  Peter  2 : 
14,  the  first  sight  of  so  beautiful  a  person,  says  Rollin,  had 
all   the  effect  upon  him  she  had  desired. 

Caesar  at  length  decreed  that  the  lirother  and  sister  should 
occupy  the  throne  jointly,  aecoiKling  to  the  intent  of  the  will. 
Pothinus,  the  chief  minister  of  state,  having  been  principally 
instrumental  in  ex23elling  Cleopatra  from  the  throne,  feared 
the  result  of  her  restoration.  He  therefore  began  to  excite 
jealousy  and  hostility  against  Cgesar,  by  insinuating  among  the 
populace  that  he  designed  cA-entually  to  give  Cleopatra  the  sole 
power.  Open  sedition  soon  followed.  Achillas,  at  the  head  of 
20,000  men,  advanced  to  drive  Caesar  from  Alexandria.  Skil- 
fully disposing  his  small  body  of  men  in  the  streets  and  alleys 
of  the  city,  Caesar  found  no  difficulty  in  repelling  the  attack. 
The  Egyptians  undertook  to  destroy  his  fleet.  He  retorted  by 
burning  theirs.  Some  of  the  burning  vessels  being  driven  near 
the  quay,  several  of  the  buildings  of  the  city  took  fire,  and  the 
famous  Alexandrian  library,  containing  nearly  400,000  vol- 
umes, was  destroyed. 

The  war  growing  more  threatening,  Caesar  sent  into  all  the 
neighboring  countries  for  help.  A  large  fleet  came  from  Asia 
]\Iinor  to  his  assistance.  Mithridates  set  out  for  Egypt  with 
an  army  raised  in  Syria  and  Cilicia.  Antipater  the  Idumean 
joined  him  with  3,000  Jews.  The  Jews,  who  held  the  passes 
into  Egypt,  permitted  the  army  to  pass  on  without  interruption. 
Without  this  cooperation  on  their  part,  the  whole  plan  must 
have  faile<l.  The  arrival  of  this  army  decided  the  contest.  A 
decisive  battle  was  fought  near  the  Xile,  resulting  in  a  com- 
plete victory  for  Caesar.  Ptolemy,  attempting  to  escape,  was 
drowned  in  the  river.  Alexandria  and  all  Egypt  then  sub- 
mitted to  the  victor.  Pome  had  now  entered  into  and  absorbed 
the   whole  of  the   original  kingdom  of   Alexander. 

By  the  ''  upright  ones  "  of  the  text  are  doubtless  meant  the 
Jews,  who  gave  him  the  assistance  alreadv  mentioned.      With- 


THE    ALEXANDRIAN      LIBRARY 


i'llAI'TER   II.   \'KHSKS  11  -  lu  £99 

out  tills,  lie  must  have  failed;   with  it,  he  eouipletely  subdued 
Egypt  to  his  power,  b.  c.  47. 

"  The  daughter  of  women,  corrupting  her."  The  passion 
which  Csesar  had  conceived  for  Cleopatra,  by  whom  he  had 
one  son,  is  assigned  by  the  historian  as  the  sole  reason  of  his 
undertaking  so  dangerous  a  campaign  as  the  Egyptian  war. 
This  kept  him  much  longer  in  Egypt  than  his  affairs  required, 
he  spending  whole  nights  in  feasting  and  carousing  with  the 
dissolute  queen.  "  But,"  said  the  prophet,  "  she  shall  not 
stand  on  his  side,  neither  be  for  him."  Cleopatra  afterward 
joined  herself  to  .Vntony,  the  enemy  of  Augustus  Csesar,  and 
exerted  her  whole  power  against  Rome. 

Verse  18.  After  this  shall  he  turn  his  face  unto  the  isles,  and 
shall  take  many:  but  a  prince  for  his  own  behalf  shall  cause  the  re- 
proach offered  by  him  to  cease;  without  his  own  reproach  he  shall 
cause  it  to  tiu-n  upon  him. 

War  with  Pharnaces,  king  of  the  Cimmerian  Bosphorus,  at 
length  drew  him  away  from  Egypt.  "  On  his  arrival  where 
the  enemy  was,"  says  Prideaux,  "  he,  without  giving  any  res- 
pite either  to  himself  or  them,  immediately  fell  on,  and  gained 
an  absolute  victory  over  them ;  an  account  whereof  he  wrote 
to  a  friend  of  his  in  these  three  words:  Voil,  v'ldi,  rici;  I 
came,  I  saw,  I  conquered."  The  latter  part  of  this  verse  is 
involved  in  some  obscurity,  and  there  is  difference  of  opinion 
in  regard  to  its  application.  Some  apply  it  further  back  in 
Caesar's  life,  and  Hiink  they  find  a  fulfilment  in  his  quarrel 
with  Pompey.  But  preceding  and  subsequent  events  clearly 
defined  in  the  prophecy,  compel  us  to  look  for  the  fulfilment 
of  this  part  of  the  prediction  between  the  victory  over  Phar- 
naces, and  Caesar's  death  at  Rome,  as  brought  to  view  in  the 
following  verse.  A  more  full  history  of  this  period  might 
bring  to  light  events  which  would  render  the  application  of  this 
passage  unembarrassed. 

Verse  19.  Then  he  shall  turn  his  face  toward  the  fort  of  his  own 
land :  but  he  shall  stumble  and  fall,  and  not  be  found. 

After  this  conquest,  Csesar  defeated  the  last  remaining  frag- 
ments of  Pompey's  party,  Cato  and  Scipio  in  Africa,  and  La- 


300  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

bienus  and  Varus  in  Spain.  Returning  to  Rome,,  the  "  fort  of 
his  own  land/'  he  was  made  perpetual  dictator;  and  such  other 
powers  and  honors  were  granted  him  as  rendered  him  in  fact 
absolute  sovereign  of  the  whole  empire.  But  the  prophet  had 
said  that  he  should  stumble  and  fall.  The  language  implies 
that  his  overthrow  would  be  sudden  and  unexpected,  like  a 
person  accidentally  stumbling  in  his  walk.  And  so  this  man, 
who  had  fought  and  won  five  hundred  battles,  taken  one  thou- 
sand cities,  and  slain  one  million  one  hundred  and  ninetj-two 
thousand  men,  fell,  not  in  the  din  of  battle  and  the  hour  of 
strife,  but  when  he  thought  his  pathway  was  smooth  and 
strewn  with  flowers,  and  when  danger  was  supposed  to  be  far 
away;  for,  taking  his  seat  in  the  senate  chamber  upon  his 
throne  of  gold,  to  receive  at  the  hands  of  that  body  the  title 
of  king,  the  dagger  of  treachery  suddenly  struck  him  to  the 
heart.  Cassius,  Brutus,  and  other  conspirators  rushed  upon 
him,  and  he  fell,  pierced  with  twenty-three  wounds.  Thus 
he  suddenly  stumbled  and  fell,  and  was  not  found,  b.  c.  44. 

Verse  20.  Then  shall  stand  np  in  his  estate  a  raiser  of  taxes  in 
the  glory  of  the  kingdom:  but  within  few  days  he  shall  be  destroyed, 
neither  in  anger,  nor  in  battle. 

Augustus  Caesar  succeeded  his  uncle,  Julius,  by  whom  he 
had  been  adopted  as  his  successor.  lie  publicly  announced 
his  adoption  by  his  uncle,  and  took  his  name,  to  which  he 
added  that  of  Octavianus.  Combining  with  Mark  Antony 
and  Lepidus  to  avenge  the  death  of  Cfesar,  they  formed  what 
is  called  the  triumvirate  form  of  government.  Having  sub- 
sequently firmly  established  himself  in  the  empire,  the  senate 
conferred  upon  him  the  title  of  Augustus,  and  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  triumvirate  being  now  dead,  he  became  supreme 
ruler. 

He  was  emphatically  a  raiser  of  taxes.  Luke,  in  speaking 
of  the  events  that  transpired  at  the  time  when  Christ  was  born, 
says:  "And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  there  went 
out  a  decree  from  Ciesar  Augustus,  that  all  the  world  should 
be  taxed."  Luke  2:1.  That  taxing  which  embraced  all  the 
world  was    an    event   worthy   of   notice;    and   the   person   who 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  20,  21  301 

enforced  it  has  certainly  a  claim  to  the  title  of  "  a  raiser  of 
taxes  "  above  every  other  competitor. 

The  "St.  Lonis  Globe  Democrat,  as  quoted  in  Current  Lit- 
erature for  July,  1S95,  says:  "Augustus  Cnesar  was  not  the 
public  benefactor  he  is  represented.  lie  was  the  most  exact- 
ing tax  collector  the  Roman  world  had  up  to  that  time  ever 
seen." 

And  he  stood  up  "'  in  the  glory  of  the  kingdom."  Rome 
reached  in  his  days  the  pinnacle  of  its  greatness  and  power. 
The  "'Augustan  Age  "  is  an  exj^ression  everywhere  used  to  de- 
note the  golden  age  of  Roman  history.  Rome  never  saw  a 
brighter  hour.  Peace  was  promoted,  justice  maintained,  lux- 
ury curbed,  disciplipe  established,  and  learning  encouraged. 
In  his  reign,  the  temple  of  Janus  was  for  the  third  time  sliut 
since  the  foundation  of  Rome,  signifying  that  all  the  world  was 
at  peace;  and  at  this  auspicious  hour  our  Lord  was  born  in 
Bethlehem  of  Judea.  In  a  little  less  than  eighteen  years  after 
the  taxing  brought  to  view,  seeming  but  a  "  few  days  "  to  the 
distant  gaze  of  the  prophet,  Augustus  died,  not  in  anger  nor  in 
battle,  but  peacefully  in  his  bed,  at  N'ola,  whither  he  had  gone 
to  seek  repose  and  health,  a.  d.  14,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year 
of  his  age. 

Verse  21.  And  in  his  estate  shall  stand  up  a  vile  person,  to  whom 
they  shall  not  give  the  honor  of  the  kingxlom :  biit  he  shall  come  in 
peaceably,  and  obtain  the  kingdom  by  flatteries. 

Tiberius  Caesar  next  appeared  after  Augustus  Csesar  on  the 
Roman  throne.  He  was  raised  to  the  consulate  in  his  twenty- 
eighth  year.  It  is  recorded  that  as  Augustus  was  about  to 
nominate  his  successor,  his  wife,  Livia,  besought  him  to  nomi- 
nate Tiberius  (her  son  by  a  former  husband)  ;  but  the  emperor 
said,  "  Your  son  is  too  vile  to  wear  the  purple  of  Rome ;  "  and 
the  nomination  was  given  to  Agrippa,  a  very  virtuous  and 
much-respected  Roman  citizen.  Rut  the  prophecy  had  fore- 
seen that  a  vile  person  should  succeed  Augustus.  Agrippa 
died:  and  Augustus  was  again  under  the  necessity  of  choosing 
a  successor.  LiA'ia  renewed  her  intercessions  for  Tiberius ;  and 
Aug-ustus,    weakened  by   age   and    sickness,   Avas   more    easily 


30:^  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

flattered,  and  finally  consented  to  nominate,  as  his  colleague 
and  successor,  that  '*  vile "  young  man.  But  the  citizens 
never  gave  him  the  love,  respect,  and  ''  honor  of  the  king- 
dom "   due  to  an  upright  and  faithful  sovereign. 

How  clear  a  fulfilment  is  this  of  the  prediction  that  they 
should  not  give  him  the  honor  of  the  kingdom.  But  he  was  to 
come  in  peaceahiy,  and  obtain  the  kingdom  by  flatteries.  A 
paragraph  from  the  Encyclopedia  Americana  shows  how  this 
was  fulfilled: — 

'"'  During  the  remainder  of  the  life  of  Augustus,  he  [Tibe- 
rius] behaved  with  great  prudence  and  ability,  concluding  a 
war  with  the  Germans  in  such  a  manner  as  to  merit  a  tri- 
umph. After  the  defeat  of  Varus  and  his  legions,  he  was  sent 
to  check  the  progress  of  the  victorious  Germans,  and  acted  in 
that  Avar  with  equal  spirit  and  prudence.  On  the  death  of 
Augustus,  he  succeeded,  without  opposition,  to  the  sovereignty 
of  the  empire ;  which,  however,  with  his  characteristic  dissimu- 
lation, he  afl^ected  to  decline,  until  repeatedly  solicited  by  the 
servile  senate." 

Dissinuilation  on  his  part,  flattery  on  the  part  of  the  servile 
senate,  and  a  possession  of  the  kingdom  without  opposition  ■ — 
such  were  the  circumstances  attending  his  accession  to  the 
throne,  and  such  were  the  circumstances  for  which  the  proph- 
ecy called. 

The  person  brought  to  view  in  the  text  is  called  ''  a  vile 
person."  Was  such  the  character  sustained  by  Tiberius  ?  Let 
another  paragraph  from  the  Encyclopedia  answer: — 

"  Tacitus  records  the  events  of  this  reign,  including  the 
suspicious  death  of  Germanicus,  the  detestable  administration 
of  Sejanus,  the  poisoning  of  Drusus,  with  all  the  extraordinary 
mixture  of  tyranny  with  occasional  wisdom  and  good^  sense 
Avhich  distinguished  the  conduct  of  Tiberius,  until  his  infamous 
and  dissolute  retirement,  a.  d.  20,  to  the  isle  of  Ca]u-ea\  in  the 
l)ay  of  Xaples,  never  to  return  to  Rome.  On  the  death  of 
Livia,  A.  T).  29,  the  only  restraint  upon  his  actions  and  those 
of  the  detestable  Sejanus,  was  removed,  and  the  destruction  of 
the  widow  and  family  of  Germanicus  followed.  At  length  the 
infamous  favorite  extended  his  views  to  the  empire  itself,  and 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  21,  22  :]03 

Tiberius,  informed  of  his  machinations,  prepared  to  encounter 
him  with  his  favorite  weapon,  dissimulation.  Although  fully 
resolved  upon  his  destruction,  he  accumulated  honors  upon  him, 
declared  him  his  partner  in  the  consulate,  and,  after  long  play- 
ing with  his  credulity,  and  that  of  the  senate,  who  thought  him 
in  greater  favor  than  ever,  he  artfully  prepared  for  his  arrest. 
Sejanus  fell  deservedly  and  unpitied;  but  many  innocent  per- 
sons shared  in  his  destruction,  in  consequence  of  the  suspicion 
and  cruelty  of  Tiberius,  which  now  exceeded  all  limits.  The 
remainder  of  the  reign  of  this  tyrant  is  little  more  than  a  dis- 
gusting narrative  of  servility  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  despotic 
ferocity  on  the  other.  That  he  himself  endured  as  much  mis- 
ery as  he  inflicted,  is  evident  from  the  following  commence- 
ment of  one  of  his  letters  to  the  senate :  '  What  I  shall  write 
to  you,  conscript  fathers,  or  "^^'hat  I  shall  not  write,  or  why  I 
should  write  at  all,  may  the  gods  and  goddesses  plague  me 
more  than  I  feel  daily  that  they  are  doing,  if  I  can  tell.' 
'  What  mental  torture,'  observes  Tacitus,  in  reference  to  this 
passage,   '  which  could  extort  such  a  confession !  '  " 

''  Seneca  remarks  of  Tiberius  that  he  was  never  intoxicated 
but  once  in  his  life ;  for  ho  continued  in  a  state  of  perpetual 
intoxication  from  the  time  he  gave  himself  to  drinking,  to  tlie 
last  moment  of  his  life." 

Tyranny,  hypocrisy,  debauchery,  and  uninterrupted  intoxi- 
cation —  if  these  traits  and  practices  show  a  man  to  be  vile, 
Tiberius  exhibited  that  character  in  disgusting  perfection. 

Verse  22.  And  with  the  arms  of  a  flood  shall  they  be  overflown 
from  before  him,  and  shall  be  broken;  yea,  also  the  prince  of  the 
covenant. 

Bishop  ISTewton  presents  the  following  reading  as  agreeing 
better  with  the  original :  "And  the  arms  of  the  overflower 
shall  be  overflown  from  before  him,  and  shall  1)0  broken." 
The  expressions  signify  revolution  and  violence ;  and  in  fulfil- 
ment we  should  look  for  the  arms  of  Tiberius,  the  overflower, 
to  be  overflown,  or,  in  other  w^ords,  for  him  to  sufl^er  a  violent 
death.  To  show  how  this  was  accomplished,  we  again  have 
recourse  to  the  Encyclopedia  Americana,  art.  Tiberius: — 


304  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

"Acting  the  hypocrite  to  the  last,  he  disguised  his  increas- 
ing debility  as  much  as  he  was  able,  even  affecting  to  join  in 
the  sports  and  exercises  of  the  soldiers  of  his  guard.  At 
length,  leaving  his  favorite  island,  the  scene  of  tlie  most  dis- 
gusting debaucheries,  ho  stopped  at  a  country  house  near  the 
promontory  of  Micenum,  where,  on  the  16th  of  March,  37,  he 
sunk  into  a  lethargy,  in  which  he  appeared  dead;  and  Caligula 
was  preparing  with  a  numerous  escort  t(j  take  possession  of  the 
empire,  when  his  sudden  revival  threw  them  into  consterna- 
tion. At  this  critical  instant.  Macro,  the  pretorian  prefect, 
caused  him  to  be  suffocated  ivith  pillows.  Thus  expired  the 
emperor  Tiberius,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age,  and 
twenty-third  of  his  reign,   universally  execrated." 

"  The  prince  of  the  covenant "  unquestionably  refers  to 
Jesus  Christ,  "  the  Messiah  the  Prince,"  who  was  to  ''  con- 
firm the  covenant "  one  week  Avith  his  people.  Dan.  9:25- 
27.  The  prophet,  having  taken  us  down  to  the  death  of  Ti- 
berius, now  mentions  incidentally  an  event  to  trans])ire  in  his 
reign,  so  important  that  it  should  not  be  passed  over ;  namely, 
the  cutting  off  of  the  Prince  of  th(?  covenant,  or,  in  other 
words,  the  death  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  According  to  the 
prophecy,  this  took  place  in  the  reign  of  Tiberius.  Luke 
informs  us  (3:1-3)  that  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of 
Tiberius  Caesar,  John  the  Baptist  commenced  his  ministry. 
The  reign  of  Tiberius  is  to  be  reckoned,  according  to  Prideaux, 
Dr.  Llales,  Lardner,  and  others,  from  his  elevation  to  the 
throne  to  reign  jointly  with  Augustus,  his  step-fatlier,  in  Au- 
gust, A.  D.  12.  His  fifteenth  year  would  therefore  be  from 
August,  A.  D.  26,  to  August,  a.  d.  27.  Christ  was  six  months 
younger  than  John,  and  is  supposed  to  have  commenced  his 
ministry  six  months  later,  both,  according  to  the  law  of  the 
priesthood,  entering  u]ion  their  work  when  they  Avere  thirty 
years  of  age.  Tf  John  commenced  in  the  spring,  in  the  latter 
portion  of  Tiberius's  fifteenth  year,  it  would  bring  the  com- 
mencement of  Christ's  ministry  in  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  27 ; 
and  right  here  the  best  authorities  place  the  l)a])tism  of  Christ, 
it  being  the  exact  point  where  the  -183  years  from  b.  c.  457, 
which  were  to  extend  to  the  Messiah  the  Prince,  terminated ; 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  22,  2S  305 

and  Christ  went  forth  ])roehiiniing  that  the  time  was  fultilied. 
Jb'rom  this  point  we  go  forward  three  years  and  a  half  to  lind 
tlie  date  of  the  crucitixion ;  for  Christ  attended  but  four  Pass- 
overs, and  was  crucilied  at  the  last  one.  Three  and  a  half 
years  from  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  27  brings  us  to  the  spring  of 
A.  D.  31.  The  death  of  Tiberius  is  placed  but  six  years  later, 
in  A.  D.  37.      (See  on  chapter  9  :  25  -  27.) 

Verse  23.  And  after  the  league  made  with  him  he  shall  work  de- 
ceitfully :  for  he  shall  come  up,  and  shall  become  strong  with  a  small 
people. 

The  "  him  "  with  whom  the  league  here  spoken  of  is  made, 
must  be  the  same  power  which  has  been  the  subject  of  the 
prophecy  from  the  14th  verse ;  and  that  tliis  is  the  Roman 
power  is  shown  beyond  controversy  in  the  fulfilment  of  the 
proi)hecy  in  three  individuals,  as  already  noticed,  who  succes- 
sively ruled  over  the  Roman  enij)ire ;  namely,  Julius,  Augus- 
tus, and  Tiberius  Ca?sar.  The  first,  on  returning  to  the  fort  of 
his  own  land  in  triumjDli,  stumbled  and  fell,  and  was  not  found. 
Verse  19.  The  second  was  a  raiser  of  taxes;  and  he  reigned 
in  the  glory  of  the  kingdom,  and  died  neither  in  anger  nor  in 
battle,  but  peacefully  in  his  own  bed.  Verse  20.  The  third 
was  a  dissembler,  and  one  of  the  vilest  of  characters.  He 
entered  upon  the  kingdom  peaceably,  but  both  his  reign  and 
life  were  ended  by  violence.  And  in  his  reign  the  Prince  of 
the  covenant,  Jesus  of  Xazareth,  was  put  to  death  upon  the 
cross.  Verses  21,  22.  Christ  can  never  be  broken  or  put  to 
death  again ;  hence  in  no  other  government,  and  at  no  other 
time,  can  we  find  a  fulfilment  of  these  events.  Some  attempt 
to  apply  these  verses  to  Antiochus,  and  make  one  of  the  Jew- 
ish high  priests  the  prince  of  the  covenant,  though  they  are 
never  called  such.  This  is  the  same  kind  of  reasoning  which 
endeavors  to  make  the  reign  of  Antiochus  a  fulfilment  of  the 
little  horn  of  Daniel  8 ;  and  it  is  offered  for  the  same  purpose; 
namely,  to  break  the  great  chain  of  evidence  by  which  it  is 
shown  that  the  Advent  doctrine  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible, 
and  tliat  Christ  is  now  at  the  door.  But  the  evidence  cannot 
be  overthrown;  the  chain  cann(>[  be  broken. 


30G  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Having  taken  us  down  through  the  secuhir  events  of  the 
empire  to  the  end  of  the  seventy  weeks,  the  prophet,  in  verse 
23,  takes  us  back  to  the  time  when  the  Romans  became  directly 
connected  with  the  people  of  God  by  the  Jewish  league,  b.  c. 
IGl ;  from  which  point  Ave  are  then  taken  down  in  a  direct 
lino  of  CA'ents  to  the  final  triumph  of  the  church,  and  the  set- 
ting up  of  God's  everlasting  kingdom.  The  Jews,  being  griev- 
ously oppressed  by  the  Syrian  kings,  sent  an  embassy  to  Rome, 
to  solicit  the  aid  of  the  Romans,  and  to  join  themselves  in  "  a 
league  of  amity  and  confederacy  with  them."  1  j\Iac.  8 ; 
Prideaux,  II,  234;  Josephus's  Antiquities,  book  12,  chap.  10, 
sec.  6.  The  Romans  listened  to  the  request  of  the  Jews,  and 
granted  them  a  decree,  couched  in  these  words : — 

"  The  decree  of  the  senate  concerning  a  league  of  assistance 
and  friendship  with  the  nation  of  the  Jews.  It  shall  not  be 
lawful  for  any  that  are  subject  to  the  Romans,  to  make  w^ar 
with  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  nor  to  assist  those  that  do  so, 
either  by  sending  them  corn,  or  ships,  or  money;  and  if  any 
attack  be  made  upon  the  Jews,  the  Romans  shall  assist  them 
as  far  as  they  are  able ;  and  again,  if  any  attack  be  made  upon 
the  Romans,  the  Jews  shall  assist  them.  And  if  the  Jews 
have  a  mind  to  add  to,  or  to  take  from,  this  league  of  assist- 
ance, that  shall  be  done  with  the  common  consent  of  the  Ro- 
mans. And  whatever  addition  shall  thus  be  made,  it  shall  be 
of  force."  "  This  decree,"  says  Josephus,  "  Avas  written  by 
Eupolemus,  the  son  of  John,  and  by  Jason,  the  son  of  Eleazer, 
when  Judas  was  high  priest  of  the  nation,  and  Simon,  his 
brother,  Avas  general  of  the  army.  And  this  Avas  the  first 
league  that  the  Romans  made  Avith  the  Jews,  and  Avas  man- 
aged after  this  manner." 

At  this  time  the  Romans  Avere  a  small  people,  and  began  to 
work  deceitfully,  or  Avith  cunning,  as  the  Avord  signifies.  And 
from  this  point  they  rose  by  a  steady  and  rapid  ascent  to  the 
height  of  poAver  Avhich  they  afterAvard  attained. 

Vkrse  24.  He  shall  enter  peacefully  even  upon  the  fattest  places 
of  the  provincp;  and  he  shall  do  that  which  his  fathers  have  not  done, 
nor  his  fathers'  fathers;  he  shall  scatter  amonp:  them  the  prey,  and 
spoil,  and  riches :  yea,  and  he  shall  forecast  his  devices  against  the 
strongholds,  even  for  ;i  time. 


CHAPTER  n,  VERSES  2k,  25  30!) 

The  usual  manner  in  which  nations  had,  before  the  days  of 
Rome,  entered  upon  valuable  provinces  and  rich  territory,  was 
by  war  and  conquest.  lionie  was  now  to  do  what  had  not 
been  done  by  the  fathers  or  the  fathers'  fathers;  namely,  re- 
ceive these  acquisitions  through  peaceful  means.  The  custom, 
before  unheard  of,  was  now  inaugurated,  of  kings'  leaving  by 
legacy  their  kingdoms  to  the  Ilomans.  Rome  came  into  pos- 
session of  large  provinces  in  this  manner. 

And  those  who  thus  came  under  the  dominion  of  Rome  de- 
rived no  small  advantage  therefrom.  They  were  treated  with 
kindness  and  leniency.  It  was  like  having  the  prey  and  spoil 
distributed  among  them.  Tliey  were  protected  from  their  ene- 
mies, and  rested  in  peace  and  safety  under  the  ?egis  of  the 
Roman  power. 

To  the  latter  portion  of  this  Averse,  Bishop  Xewton  gives  the 
idea  of  forecasting  devices  from  strongholds,  instead  of  againsl 
them.  This  the  Romans  did  from  the  strong  fortress  of  their 
seven-hilhid  city.  "  Even  for  a  time ;  "  doubtless  a  prophetic 
time,  360  years.  From  what  point  are  these  years  to  be 
dated  ?  Probably  from  the  event  brought  to  view  in  the  fol- 
lowing verse. 

Verse  25.  And  he  sliall  stir  up  liis  power  and  his  courage  against 
the  king  of  the  south  with  a  great  army;  and  the  king  of  the  south 
shall  be  stirred  up  to  battle  with  a  very  great  and  mighty  army;  but 
he  shall  not  stand :  for  they  shall  forecast  devices  against  him. 

By  verses  23  and  24  we  are  brought  down  this  side  of  the 
league  between  the  Jews  and  the  Romans,  b.  c.  161,  to  the 
time  when  Rome  had  acquired  universal  dominion.  The  verse 
now  before  us  brings  to  view^  a  vigorous  campaign  against  the 
king  of  the  soutli,  Egypt,  and  the  occurrence  of  a  notable  battle 
between  great  and  mighty  armies.  Did  such  events  as  these 
transpire  in  the  history  of  Rome  about  this  time?  —  They  did. 
The  war  vvas  the  war  between  Egypt  and  Rome ;  and  the  battle 
was  the  battle  of  Actium.  Let  us  take  a  brief  view  of  the  cir- 
cumstances that  led  to  this  conflict. 

Mark  Antony,  Augustus  Ttpsar,  and  Le])idus  constituted 
the  triumvirate  which  had  sworn  to  avenge  the  death  of  Julius 
Csesar.  This  Antony  became  the  brother-in-law  of  Augustus 
20  ' 


310  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

by  marrying  his  sister,  Octavia.  Antony  was  sent  into  Egypt 
on  government  business,  but  fell  a  victim  to  the  arts  and 
cliarms  of  Cleopatra,  Egypt's  dissolute  queen.  So  strong  Avas 
the  passion  he  conceived  for  her,  that  he  finally  espoused  the 
Egyptian  interests,  rejected  his  wife,  Octavia,  to  please  Cleo- 
patra, bestowed  province  after  province  upon  the  latter  to  grat- 
ify her  avarice,  celebrated  a  triumph  at  Alexandria  instead 
of  Rome,  and  otherwise  so  affronted  the  Roman  2)eoj)le  that 
Augustus  had  no  difficulty  in  leading  them  to  engage  heartily 
in  a  war  against  this  enemy  of  their  country.  This  war  was 
ostensibly  against  Egypt  and  Cleopatra;  but  it  was  really 
against  Antony,  Avho  now  stood  at  the  head  of  Egyptian '  af- 
fairs. And  the  true  cause  of  their  controversy  was,  says 
Prideaux,  that  neither  of  them  could  be  content  with  only  half 
of  the  Roman  empire ;  for  Lepidus  having  been  dej)Osed  from 
the  triumvirate,  it  now  lay  between  them,  and  each  being 
determined  to  possess  the  whole,  they  cast  the  die  of  war  for 
its  possession. 

Antony  assembled  his  fleet  at  Samos.  Five  hundred  shii)s 
of  war,  of  extraoidinary  size  and  structure,  having  se\'eral 
decks  one  above  another,  with  towers  upon  the  head  and  stern, 
made  an  imposing  and  formidable  array.  These  ships  carried 
two  hundred  thousand  foot,  and  twelve  thousand  horse.  The 
kings  of  Libya,  Cilicia,  Cappadocia,  Paphlagonia,  Comagena, 
and  Thrace,  were  there  in  person ;  and  those  of  Pontus,  Judea, 
Lycaonia,  Galatia,  and  Media,  had  sent  their  troops.  A  more 
splendid  and  gorgeous  military  spectacle  than  this  fleet  of  bat- 
tle ships,  as  they  spread  their  sails,  and  moved  out  upon  the 
bosom  of  the  sea,  the  world  has  rarely  seen.  Surpassing  all 
in  magnificence  came  the  galley  of  Cleopatra,  floating  like  a 
palace  of  gold  benoatli  a  cloud  of  purple  sails.  Its  flags  and 
streamers  fluttered  in  the  wind,  and  trumpets  and  other  instru- 
ments of  war  made  the  heavens  resound  with  notes  of  joy  and 
triumph.  Antony  followed  close  after  in  a  galley  of  almost 
e([ual  magnificence.  And  the  giddy  queen,  intoxicated  with 
the  sight  of  the  warlike  array,  short-sighted  and  vainglorious, 
at  the  head  of  lier  infamous  troop  of  eunuchs,  foolishly  threat- 
ened the  Roman  capital  with  approaching  ruin. 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  25  ;]ii 

Csesar  Augustus,  on  the  other  hand,  disphiyed  less  pomp 
but  more  utility.  He  had  but  half  as  many  ships  as  Antony, 
and  only  eighty  thousand  foot.  But  all  his  troops  were  chosen 
men,  and  on  board  his  fleet  were  none  but  experienced  seamen ; 
whereas  Antony,  not  finding  mariners  sufficient,  had  been 
obliged  to  man  his  vessels  with  artisans  of  every  class,  men 
inexperienced,  and  better  calculated  to  cause  trouble  than  to 
do  real  service  in  time  of  battle.  The  season  being  far  con- 
sumed in  these  preparations,  C?esar  made  his  rendezvous  at 
J^rundusium,  and  Antony  at  Corcyra,  till  the  following  year. 

As  soon  as  the  season  permitted,  both  armies  were  put  in 
motion  on  both  land  and  sea.  The  fleets  at  length  entered  the 
Ambracian  Gulf  in  Epirus,  and  the  land  forces  were  drawn  up 
on  either  shore  in  plain  view.  Antony's  most  experienced 
generals  advised  him  not  to  hazard  a  battle  by  sea  with  his 
inexperienced  mariners,  but  send  Cleopatra  back  to  Egypt, 
and  hasten  at  once  into  Thrace  or  Macedonia,  and  trust  the 
issue  to  his  land  forces,  who  were  composed  of  veteran  troo2)s. 
But  he,  illustrating  the  old  adage.  Quern  Deus  vuU  perdere, 
prills  dctncntat  (whom  God  wishes  to  destroy,  he  first  makes 
mad),  infatuated  by  Cleopatra,  seemed  only  desirous  of  pleas- 
ing her ;  and  she,  trusting  to  appearances  only,  deemed  her 
fleet  invincible,  and  advised  immediate  action. 

The  battle  was  fought  Sept.  2,  b.  c.  31,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  gulf  of  Ainbracia,  near  the  city  of  Actium.  The  world 
was  the  stake  for  which  these  stern  warriors,  Antony  and 
Csesar,  now  played.  The  contest,  long  doubtful,  was  at  length 
decided  by  the  course  which  Cleopatra  pursued ;  for  she,  fright- 
ened at  the  din  of  battle,  took  to  flight  when  there  was  no 
danger,  and  drew  after  her  the  whole  Egyptian  fleet.  Antony, 
beholding  this  movement,  and  lost  to  everything  but  his  blind 
passion  for  her,  precipitately  followed,  and  yielded  a  victory 
to  Caesar,  which,  had  his  Egyptian  forces  proved  true  to  him, 
and  had  he  proved  true  to  his  own  manhood,  he  might  have 
gained. 

This  battle  doubtless  marks  the  commencement  of  the 
"  time  "  mentioned  in  verse  24.  And  as  during  this  "  time  " 
devices  were  to  be  forecast  from  the  stronghold,  or  Rome,  we 


312  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

should  conclude  that  at  the  end  of  that  period  western  suprem- 
acy would  cease,  or  such  a  change  take  place  in  the  empire 
that  that  city  woidd  no  longer  be  considered  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment. From  B.  c.  ol,  a  prophetic  time,  or  3G0  years, 
would  bring  us  to  a.  d.  330.  And  it  hence  becomes  a  note- 
worthy fact  that  the  seat  of  empire  was  removed  from  Rome 
to  Constantinople  by  Constantine  the  Great  in  that  very  year. 
(See   Encyclopedia   Americana,   art.    Constantinople.) 

Verse  26.  Yea,  they  that  feed  of  the  portion  of  his  meat  shall 
destroy  him,  and  his  army  shall  overflow :  and  many  shall  fall  down 
slain. 

The  cause  of  Antony's  overthrow  was  the  desertion  of  his 
allies  and  friends,  those  that  fed  of  the  portion  of  his  meat. 
First,  Cleopatra,  as  already  described,  suddenly  withdrew  from 
the  battle,  taking  sixty  ships  of  the  line  with  her.  Secondly, 
the  land  army,  disgusted  with  the  infatuation  of  Antony,  went 
over  to  Cfesar,  who  received  them  with  open  arms.  Thirdly, 
when  Antony  arrived  at  Libya,  he  found  that  the  forces  which 
he  had  there  left  under  Scarpus  to  guard  the  frontier,  had  de- 
clared for  Csesar.  Fourthly,  being  followed  by  Csesar  into 
Egypt,  he  was  betrayed  by  Cleopatra,  and  his  forces  sur- 
rendered to  Caesar.  Hereupon,  in  rage  and  despair,  he  took 
his  own  life. 

Verse  27.  And  both  these  kings'  hearts  shall  he  to  do  mischief, 
and  they  shall  speak  lies  at  one  table;  but  it  shall  not  prosper:  for 
yet  the  end  shall  be  at  the  time  appointed. 

Antony  and  Ca?sar  Avore  formerly  in  alliance.  Yet  under 
the  garb  of  friendship,  they  Avere  both  aspiring  and  intriguing 
for  universal  dominion.  Their  protestations  of  deference  to, 
;iii(l  friendship  for,  each  other,  were  the  utterances  of  hy]io- 
crites.  They  spoke  lies  at  one  tabl(\  Octavia,  the  wife  of 
Antony  and  sister  of  Ca'sar,  declared  to  the  people  of  Rome 
at  th(^  time  Antony  divorced  her,  that  she  had  consented  to 
marry  him  solely  with  the  hope  that  it  Avould  prove  a  jiledge 
of  union  between  Caesar  and  Antony.  Rut  that  counsel  did 
not  prosper.  'V\\o  rn]iture  cinuc;  ami  in  the  conflict  that  en- 
sued, Ca'sar  came  oil"  entirely  \-irtorioiis. 


CHAPTER  11,  VER8E  28  315 

Verse  2S.  Then  shall  he  return  into  his  land  witli  great  riches; 
and  liis  heart  shall  he  against  the  holy  covenant;  and  he  shall  do 
exploits,  and  return  to  his  own  land. 

Two  returning's  from  foreign  conquest  are  here  brought  to 
view;  the  first,  after  the  events  narrated  in  verses  20,  27; 
and  the  second,  after  this  power  had  had  indignation  against 
the  holy  covenant,  and  had  performed  exploits.  The  first  was 
fulfilled  in  the  rettirn  of  Cii'sar  after  his  expedition  against 
Egypt  and  Antony.  lie  returned  to  lionie  with  abundant 
honor  and  riches;  for,  says  Prideaux  (II,  556),  "At  this  time 
such  vast  riches  were  brought' to  Kome  from  Egypt  on  the  re- 
dttcing  of  that  country,  and  the  rettirn  of  Octavianus  [Caesar] 
and  his  army  from  thence,  that  the  value  of  money  fell  one 
half,  and  the  prices  of  provisions  and  all  vendible  wares  was 
doubled  thereon."  Ca?sar  celebrated  his  victories  in  a  three- 
days'  triumph, —  a  triumph  which  Cleopatra  herself  would 
have  graced,  as  one  of  the  royal  captives,  had  she  not  art- 
ftdly  caused  herself  to  be  bitten  by  the  fatal  asp. 

The  next  great  enterprise  of  the  Romans  after  the  over- 
throw of  Egypt,  was  the  expedition  against  Judea,  and  the 
capture  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  holy  covenant  is 
doubtless  the  covenant  Avhich  God  has  maintained  with  his 
people,  under  different  forms,  in  different  ages  of  the  world, 
that  is,  with  all  believers  in  him.  The  Jews  rejected  Christ; 
and,  according  to  the  prophecy  that  all  who  would  not  hear 
that  prophet  should  be  cttt  off,  they  were  destroyed  out  of 
their  own  land,  and  scattered  to  every  nation  under  heaven. 
And  while  Jews  and  Christians  alike  suffered  under  the  op- 
pressive hands  of  the  Romans,  it  was  doubtless  in  the  reduc- 
tion of  Judea  especially,  that  the  exploits  mentioned  in  the 
text   were   exhibited. 

Under  Vespasian  the  Romans  invaded  Jtidoa,  and  took  the 
cities  of  Galilee,  Chorazin,  Bethsaida,  and  Capernaum,  where 
Christ  had  been  rejected.  They  destroyed  the  inhabitants, 
and  left  nothing  bttt  ruin  and  desolation.  Titus  besieged  Je- 
rtisalem.  He  drcAV  a  trench  around  it,  according  to  the  pre- 
diction of  the  Saviour.  A  terrible  famine  ensued,  the  equal 
of  which  the  world  has,  perhaps,   at  no  other  time  witnessed. 


31G  PBOPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Moses  had  predicted  that  iu  the  terrible  calamities  to  come 
upon  the  Jews  if  they  dei3arted  from  God,  even  the  tender 
and  delicate  woman  should  eat  her  own  children  in  the  strait- 
ness  of  the  siege  wherewith  their  enemies  should  distress  them. 
Under  the  siege  oi  Jerusalem  by  Titus,  a  literal  fulfilment 
of  this  prediction  occurred;  and  he,  hearing  of  the  inhuman 
deed,  but  forgetting  that  he  was  the  one  who  was  driving  them 
to  such  direful  extremities,  swore  the  eternal  extirpation  of 
the  accursed  city  and  people. 

Jerusalem  fell  in  a.  d.'  70.  As  an  honor  to  himself,  the 
Roman  commander  had  determined  to  save  the  temple;  but 
the  Lord  had  said  that  there  should  not  remain  one  stone  upon 
another  AN'hich  should  not  be  thrown  down.  A  Roman  soldier 
seized  a  brand  of  fire,  and,  climbing  upon  the  shoulders  of  his 
comrades,  thrust  it  into  one  of  the  windoAvs  of  the  beautiful 
structure.  It  was  soon  in  the  arms  of  the  devouring  element. 
The  frantic  efforts  of  the  Jews  to  extinguish  the  flames  were 
seconded  by  Titus  himself,  but  all  in  vain.  Seeing  that  the 
temple  must  perish,  Titus  rushed  in,  and  bore  away  the  golden 
candlestick,  the  table  of  show-bread,  and  the  volume  of  the 
law,  wrapped  in  golden  tissue.  The  candlestick  was  afterward 
deposited  in  Vespasian's  Temple  of  Peace,  and  copied  on  the 
triumphal  arch  of  Titus,  where  its  mutilated  image  is  yet  to 
be  seen. 

The  siege  of  Jerusalem  lasted  five  months.  In  that  siege 
eleven  hundred  thousand  Jcavs  perished,  and  ninety-scA^en  thou- 
sand Avere  taken  prisoners.  The  city  Avas  so  amazingly  strong 
that  Titus  exclaimed,  AAdien  A^cAving  the  ruins,  "  We  liaA^e  fought 
with  the  assistance  of  God ;  "  but  it  Avas  completely  IcA-eled, 
and  the  foundations  of  the  temple  Avere  ploAA^ed  up  by  Taren- 
tius  Rufus.  The  duration  of  the  Avhole  Avar  Avas  scA^en  years, 
and  one  million  four  hundred  and  sixty-tAA^o  thousand  (1,462,- 
000)  persons  are  said  to  luiA-e  fallen  A'ictims  to  its  aAvfid  horrors. 

Thus  this  poAver  performed  great  ('X})loits,  and  a.<!;ain  re- 
turned to  his  OAvn  land. 

Verse  29.  At  the  time  appointed  he  shall  return,  and  come  toward 
the  south;  but  it  shall  not  be  as  the  former,  or  as  the  latter. 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  29,  30  317 

The  time  appointed  i.s  prubably  the  prophetic  time  of  verse 
24,  which  has  been  pro\-iuusly  mentioned.  It  closed,  as  al- 
ready shoAvn,  in  a.  d.  330,  at  which  time  this  power  was  to 
return  and  come  again  toward  the  south,  but  not  as  on  the 
former  occasion,  when  it  went  to  Egypt,  nor  as  the  latter, 
when  it  went  to  Judea.  Those  were  expeditions  which  re- 
sulted in  conquest  and  glory.  This  one  led  to  demoralization 
and  ruin.  The  removal  of  the  seat  of  empire  to  Constanti- 
nople was  the  signal  for  the  downfall  of  the  empire.  Rome 
then  lost  its  prestige.  The  western  division  was  exposed  to 
the  incursions  of  foreign  enemies.  On  the  death  of  Constan- 
tine,  the  Roman  empire  was  divided  into  three  parts,  between 
his  three  sons,  Constantius,  Constantine  II,  and  Constans. 
Constantine  II  and  Constans  quarreled,  and  Constans,  being 
victor,  gained  the  supremacy  of  the  whole  West.  He  was 
soon  slain  by  one  of  his  commanders,  who,  in  turn,  was  shortly 
after  defeated  by  the  surviving  emperor,  and  in  despair  ended 
his  o^^^l  days,  a.  d.  353.  The  barbarians  of  the  Xorth  now 
began  their  incursions,  and  extended  their  conquests  till  the 
imperial  power  of  the  West  expired  in  a.   d.   4TG. 

This  was  indeed  different  from  the  two  former  movements 
brought  to  view  in  the  prophecy ;  and  to  this  the  fatal  step 
of  removing  the  seat  of  empire  from  Rome  to  Constantinople 
directly  led. 

Verse  30.  For  the  ships  of  Chittim  shall  come  ag-ainst  him : 
therefore  he  shall  be  grieved,  and  return,  and  have  indignation 
against  the  holy  covenant :  so  shall  he  do ;  he  shall  even  return,  and 
have  intelligence  with  them  that  forsake  the  holy  covenant. 

The  prophetic  narrative  still  has  reference  to  the  power 
which  has  been  the  subject  of  the  prophecy  from  the  sixteenth 
verse;  namely,  Rome.  What  were  the  ships  of  Chittim  that 
came  again^  this  power,  and  when  was  this  movement  made  ? 
W^hat  country  or  power  is  meant  by  Chittim  ?  Dr.  A.  Clarke, 
on  Isa.  23:  1,  has  this  note:  "From  the  land  of  Chittim  it  is 
revealed  to  them.  The  news  of  the  destruction  of  Tyre  by 
Nebuchadnezzar  is  said  to  be  brought  to  them  from  Chittim, 
the  islands  and  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean ;  for  the  Tyrians, 
savs  Jerome,   on  verse   6,   when   thev  saw  thev  had  no   other 


3 IS  FROPllEGY  OF  DANIEL 

means  of  escape,  fled  in  their  ships,  and  took  refnge  in  Car- 
thago, and  in  the  ishmds  of  the  Ionian  and  ^Egean  Seas.  So 
also  Jochri  on  the  same  place."  Kitto  gives  the  same  locality 
to  Chittim ;  namely,  the  coast  and  islands  of  the  Mediterranean ; 
and  the  mind  is  carried  hy  the  testimony  of  Jerome  to  a  definite 
and  celehrated  city  situated  in  that  land ;  that  is,  Carthage. 

Was  ever  a  naval  warfare  with  Carthage  as  a  base  of 
operations,  waged  against  the  Roman  empire?  We  have  hnt 
to  think  of  the  terrible  onslaught  of  the  Vandals  n^^on  Rome 
under  the  fierce  Genseric,  to  answer  readily  in  the  aflirmative. 
Sallying  every  spring  from  the  port  of  Carthage  at  the  head 
of  his  numerous  and  w^ell-disciplined  naval  forces,  he  spread 
consternation  through  all  the  maritime  provinces  of  the  empire. 
That  this  is  the  work  brought  to  view  is  further  evident  when 
we  consider  that  we  are  brought  down  in  the  prophecy  to  this 
very  time.  In  verse  29,  the  transfer  of  empire  to  Constan- 
tinople we  understood  to  be  mentioned.  Following  in  due 
course  of  time,  as  the  next  remarkable  revolution,  came  the 
irruptions  of  the  barbarians  of  the  ^orth,  prominent  among 
which  was  the  Vandal  war  already  mentioned.  The  years 
A.  D.   428-468  mark  the  career  of  Genseric. 

"  He  shall  be  grieved  and  return."  This  may  have  refer- 
ence to  the  desperate  efforts  which  were  made  to  dispossess 
Genseric  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  seas,  the  first  by  Majorian, 
the  second  by  Leo,  both  of  which  proved  to  be  utter  failures; 
and  Rome  was  obliged  to  submit  to  the  humiliation  of  seeing 
its  provinces  ravaged,  and  its  "  eternal  city  "  pillaged  by  the 
enemy.       (See  on  Rev.   8:8.) 

"  Indignation  against  the  covenant ;  "  that  is,  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  the  book  of  the  covenant.  A  revolution  of  this 
nature  was  accomplished  in  Rome.  The  Heruli,  Goths,  and 
Vandals,  who  conquered  Rome,  embraced  the  Arian  faith,  and 
became  enemies  of  the  Catholic  Church.  It  was  especially  for 
the  purpose  of  exterminating  this  heresy  that  Justinian  decreed 
the  pope  to  be  the  head  of  the  church  and  the  corrector  of 
heretics.  The  Bible  soon  came  to  be  regarded  as  a  dangerous 
book  that  should  not  1)(>  read  by  the  common  people,  but  all 
questions  in  dispute  were  to  be  submitted  to  the  pope.      Thus 


CH AFTER  11,  VERSES  SO,  SI  319 

was  indignity  lieaped  ui^on  God's  word.  And  the  emperors  of 
Konie,  the  eastern  division  of  ^vhich  still  continued,  had  intelli- 
gence, or  connived  with  the  Church  of  Rome,  which  had  for- 
saken the  covenant,  and  constituted  the  great  apostasy,  for  the 
purpose  of  putting  down  "  heresy."  The  man  of  sin  was 
raised  to  his  presumptuous  throne  by  the  defeat  of  the  Arian 
Goths,  who  then  held  f)ossession  of  Rome,   in  a.   d.   538. 

Verse  31.  And  arms  shall  stand  on  his  part,  and  they  shall  pollute 
the  sanctuary  of  strength,  and  shall  take  away  the  daily  sacrifice,  and 
they  shall  place  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate. 

The  power  of  the  empire  was  committed  to  the  carrying  on 
of  the  work  before  mentioned.  ''And  they  shall  pollute  the 
sanctuary  of  strength,"  or  Rome.  If  this  applies  to  the  bar- 
barians, it  was  literally  fulfilled ;  for  Rome  was  sacked  by  the 
Goths  and  Vandals,  and  the  imperial  power  of  the  West  ceased 
through  the  conquest  of  Rome  by  Odoacer.  Or  if  it  refers 
to  those  rulers  of  the  empire  who  were  working  in  behalf  of 
the  papacy  against  the  pagan  and  all  other  opposing  religions, 
it  would  signify  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  empire  from  Rome 
to  Constantinople,  which  contributed  its  measure  of  influence 
to  the  downfall  of  Rome.  The  passage  would  then  be  parallel 
to  Dan.  8:11  and  Rev.  13:  2. 

"And  they  shall  take  away  the  daily  sacrifice."  It  was 
shown,  on  Dan.  8:13,  that  sacrifice  is  a  word  erroneously 
supplied;  that  it  should  be  desolation;  and  that  the  expression 
denotes  a  desolating  power,  of  which  the  abomination  of  deso- 
lation is  but  the  counterpart,  and  to  which  it  succeeds  in  point 
of  time.  The  "  daily  "  desolation  was  paganism,  the  "  abomi- 
nation of  desolation  "  is  the  pajiacy.  But  it  may  be  asked  how 
this  can  be  the  papacy ;  since  Christ  spoke  of  it  in  connection 
with  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  And  the  answer  is,  Christ 
evidently  referred  to  the  ninth  of  Daniel,  which  is  a  prediction 
of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  not  to  this  verse  of  chap- 
ter 11,  which  does  not  refer  to  that  event.  Daniel,  in  the  ninth 
chapter,  speaks  of  desolations  and  abominations,  plural.  JMore 
than  one  abomination,  therefore,  treads  down  the  church  ;  that 
is,  so  far  as  the  church  is  concerned,  both  paganism  and  the 


320  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

papacy  are  abominations.  \h\t  as  distinguished  from  each 
other,  the  language  is  restricted,  and  one  is  the  "'  daily  "  deso- 
lation, and  the  other  is  pre-eminently  the  transgression  or 
"  abomination  "  of  desolation. 

How  was  the  daily,  or  paganism,  taken  away  ?  As  this  is 
spoken  of  in  connection  with  the  placing  or  setting  up  of  the 
abomination  of  desolation,  or  the  papacy,  it  must  denote,  not 
merely  the  nominal  change  of  the  religion  of  the  empire  from 
paganism  to  Christianity,  as  on  the  conversion,  so-called,  of 
Constantino,  but  such  an  eradication  of  paganism  from  all  the 
elements  of  the  empire,  that  the  way  would  be  all  open  for  tlio 
papal  abomination  to  arise  and  assert  its  arrogant  claims. 
Such  a  revolution  as  this,  plainly  defined,  was  accomplished; 
but  not  for  nearly  two  hundred  years  after  the  death  of  Con- 
stantino. 

As  we  approach  the  year  a.  d.  508,  we  behold  a  grand 
crisis  ripening  between  Catholicism  and  the  pagan  influences 
still  existing  in  the  empire.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  conversion 
of  Clovis,  king  of  France,  a.  d.  40 G,  the  French  and  other 
nations  of  AYestern  Rome  were  pagan ;  but  subsequently  to 
that  event,  the  efforts  to  convert  idolaters  to  Romanism  were 
crowned  with  great  success.  The  conversion  of  Clovis  is  said 
to  have  l)een  the  occasion  of  bestowing  upon  the  French  mon- 
arch the  titles  of  "  Most  Christian  Majesty  "  and  "  Eldest  Son 
of  the  Church."  Between  that  time  and  a.  d.  508,  by  alli- 
ances, capitulations,  and  conquests,  the  Arborici,  the  R(mian 
garrisons  in  tlie  West,  Rrittany,  the  Ihirgundians,  and  the 
Visigoths,   were   brought   into   subjection. 

From  the  time  when  these  successes  were  fully  accom- 
plished; namely,  508,  the  papacy  was  triumjihant  so  far  as 
paganism  was  concerned ;  for  though  the  latter  doubtless  re- 
tarded the  progress  of  the  Catholic  faith,  yet  it  had  not  the 
power,  if  it  had  the  disposition,  to  suppress  the  faith,  and 
hinder  the  encroachments  of  the  Roman  pontiff.  AMien  the 
prominent  powers  of  Europe  gave  up  their  attachment  to  \)i\- 
ganism,  it  was  only  to  perpetuate  its  abominations  in  anotluM- 
form;  for  Christianity,  as  exhibited  in  the  Catholic  Church, 
was,  and  is,  only  paganism  baptized. 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  31  ;321 

In  England,  Arthur,  the  first  Christian  king,  foundod  the 
Christian  worship  on  the  ruins  of  the  pagan.  Rapin  (book.  2, 
p.  I-!),  who  chiinis  to  he  exact  in  the  chronok)gv  of  events, 
states  that  he  was  elected  monarch  of  Britain  in  508. 

The  condition  of  the  See  of  Rome  was  also  peculiar  at  this 
time.  In  498,  Synnnachus  ascended  the  pontifical  throne  as  a 
recent  convert  from  paganism.  He  reigned  to  a.  d.  511.  He 
found  his  way  to  the  papal  chair,  says  l)u  Pin,  by  striving 
with  his  competitor  even  unto  blood.  He  received  adulation 
as  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  and  struck  the  key-note  of  papal 
assumption  by  presuming  to  excommunicate  the  emperor  An- 
astasius.  The  most  ser\'ile  flatterers  of  the  pope  now  began  to 
maintain  that  he  was  constituted  judge  in  the  place  of  God, 
and  that  he  was  the  vicegerent  of  the  Most  High. 

Such  was  the  direction  in  which  events  were  tending  in  the 
West.  AVhat  posture  did  affairs  at  the  same  time  assume  in 
the  East  ?  A  strong  papal  party  now  existed  in  all  parts  of  the 
empire.  The  adherents  of  this  cause  in  Constantinople,  en- 
couraged by  the  success  of  their  brethren  in  the  West,  deemed 
it  safe  to  conuiience  open  hostilities  in  behalf  of  their  master 
at  Rome.  In  508  their  partisan  zeal  culminated  in  a  whirl- 
wind of  fanaticism  and  civil  war,  which  swept  in  fire  and  bl(»od 
through  the  streets  of  the  eastern  capital.  Gibbon,  under  the 
years  508  -  518,  speaking  of  the  commotions  in  Constantinople, 
says : — 

'^  The  statues  of  the  emperor  were  broken,  and  his  person 
M'as  concealed  in  a  suburb,  till,  at  the  end  of  three  days,  he 
(hired  to  implore  the  mercy  of  his  subjects.  Without  his  dia- 
dem, and  in  the  posture  of  a  suppliant,  Anastasius  appeared 
on  the  throne  of  the  circus.  The  Catholics,  before  his  face, 
rehearsed  their  genuine  Trisagion ;  they  exulted  in  the  oifer 
which  he  proclaimed  by  the  voice  of  a  herald  of  abdicating  the 
purple ;  they  listened  to  the  admonition  that,  since  all  could 
not  reign,  they  should  previously  agree  in  the  choice  of  a  sover- 
eign ;  and  they  accepted  the  blood  of  two  unpopular  ministers, 
whom  their  master,  without  hestitation,  condemned  to  the  lions. 
These  furious  but  transient  seditions  were  encouraged  by  the 
success  of  Vitalian,  who,  with   an   army  of   Ilims  and  l^ulga- 


322  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

rians,  for  the  most  part  idolaters,  declared  himself  the  cliam- 
])ion  of  the  Catholic  faith.  In  this  pious  rebellion  he  depopu- 
lated Thrace,  besieged  Constantinople,  exterminated  sixty-five 
thousand  of  his  fellow  Christians,  till  he  obtained  the  recall  of 
the  bishops,  the  satisfaction  of  the  pope,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  an  orthodox  treaty,  reluctantly 
signed  by  the  dying  Anastasius,  and  more  faithfully  performed 
by  the  uncle  of  Justinian.  And  such  was  the  event  of  the  first 
of  the  religious  wars  which  have  been  waged  in  the  name,  and 
by  the  disciples,  of  the  God  of  Peace."  —  Decline  and  Fall, 
Vol.    IV,  p.   526. 

Let  it  be  marked  that  in  this  year,  5US,  paganism  had  so 
far  declined,  and  Catholicism  had  so  far  relatively  increased  in 
strength,  that  the  Catholic  Church  for  the  first  time  waged  a 
successful  war  against  both  the  civil  authority  of  the  empire 
and  the  church  of  the  East,  which  had  for  the  most  part  em- 
braced the  Monophysite  doctrine.  The  extermination  of 
()5,000  heretics  was  the  result. 

With  the  following  extract,  we  close  the  testimony  on  this 
point : — 

"  AYe  now  invite  our  modern  Gamaliels  to  take  a  position 
with  us  in  the  place  of  the  sanctuary  of  paganism  (since  claimed 
as  the  '  patrimony  of  St.  Peter  ')  in  508.  We  look  a  few  years 
into  the  past,  and  the  rude  paganism  of  the  northern  barbarians 
is  pouring  down  upon  the  nominally  Christian  empire  of  West- 
ern Rome,  triumphing  everywhere,  and  its  triumphs  everywhere 
distinguished  by  the  most  savage  cruelty.  .  .  .  The  empire 
falls,  and  is  broken  into  fragments.  One  by  one  the  lords  and 
rulers  of  these  fragments  abandon  their  paganism,  and  profess 
the  Christian  faith.  In  religion  the  conquerors  are  yielding 
to  the  conquered.  But  still  paganism  is  triumphant.  Among 
its  supporters  there  is  one  stern  and  successful  conqueror 
(Clovis)  ;  but  soon  ho  also  bows  before  the  power  of  the  new 
faith,  and  becomes  its  champion.  He  is  still  triumphant,  but, 
as  a  hero  and  conqueror,  reaches  the  zenith  at  the  point  we 
occupy,  A.  D.  508. 

"  Jn  or  near  the  same  year,  the  last  inqvtrtant  sulxlivision 


CIIAPTEE  11,  VERSE  31  ;}23 

of  the  fallen  empire  is  publicly  and  Ly  the  coronation  of  its 
triumphant   '  monarch/    Christianized. 

"  The  pontiff  for  the  jicriod  on  which  Ave  stand,  is  a  recently 
converted  pagan.  The  bloody  contest  Avhieh  placed  him  in  the 
chair  was  decided  by  the  interposition  of  an  Arian  kiug.  lie 
is  bowed  to  and  saluted  as  filling  '  the  place  of  God  on  earth.' 
The  senate  is  so  far  under  his  power  that  on  suspicion  that  the 
interests  of  the  See  of  Home  demand  it,  they  excommunicate 
the  emperor,  ...  In  508  the  mine  is  sprung  beneath  the 
throne  of  the  Eastern  Empire.  The  result  of  the  confusion 
and  strife  it  occasions  is  the  humiliation  of  its  rightful  lord. 
XoAV  the  question  is,  At  wliat  time  was  paganism  so  far  sup- 
pressed as  to  make  room  for  its  substitute  and  successor,  the 
papal  ahomination?  "\Mien  was  this  abomination  placed  in  a 
position  to  start  on  its  career  of  blasphemy  and  blood  ?  Is 
there  any  other  date  for  its  heinr/  ^placed/  or  'set  up/  in  the 
room  of  paganism,  hut  50S?  If  the  mysterious  enchantress 
has  not  now  brought  all  her  victims  within  her  power,  she  has 
taken  her  position,  and  some  have  yielded  to  the  fascination. 
The  others  are  at  length  subdued ;  '  and  kings,  and  peoples, 
and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues  '  are  brought  under 
the  spell  which  prepares  them,  even  while  ^  drunken  with  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus,'  to  '  think  they  are  doing  God 
service,'  and  to  fancy  themselves  the  exclusive  favorites  of 
Heaven  while  becoming  an  easier  and  richer  prey  for  the 
damnation  of  hell."- — Second  Advent  Manual,  pp.   70 -SI. 

From  these  evidences  we  think  it  clear  that  the  daily,  or 
jjaganism,  was  taken  away  in  a.  d.  508.  This  was  prepara- 
tory to  the  setting  up,  or  establishment  of  the  papacy,  whicli 
was  a  separate  and  subsequent  event.  Of  tliis  the  prophetic 
narrative  now  leads  us  to  speak. 

"x\nd  they  shall  place  the  abomination  that  maketh  deso- 
late." Having  shown  quite  fully  what  constituted  the  takiug 
away  of  the  daily,  or  paganism,  we  now  inquire,  When  was 
the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate,  or  the  papacy,  placed, 
or  set  up  ?  The  little  horn  that  had  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  man 
■was  not  slow  to  see  when  the  way  was  open  for  his  ad\'ance- 


32-1:  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

iiient  and  elevation.  From  the  year  50S  liis  progress  toward 
universal  .supremacy  was  without  a  parallel. 

When  Justinian  was  about  to  commence  the  Vandal  war, 
A.  D.  idoo,  an  enterprise  of  no  small  magnitude  and  difficulty, 
he  wished  to  secure  the  inflnence  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  who 
had  then  attained  a  position  in  which  his  opinion  had  great 
weight  throughout  a  large  portion  of  Christendom.  Justinian 
therefore  took  it  npon  himself  to  decide  the  contest  which  had 
long  existed  between  the  sees  of  Rome  and  Constantinople  as 
to  which  should  have  the  precedence,  by  giving  the  preference 
to  Rome,  and  declaring,  in  the  fullest  and  most  unequivocal 
terms,  that  the  bishop  of  that  city  should  be  chief  of  the 
whole  ecclesiastical  body  of  the  emi:)ire.  A  work  on  the  Apoca- 
lypse, by  Rev,  George  Croly,  of  England,  published  in  1827, 
])resents  a  detailed  account  of  the  events  by  which  the  su- 
j)reniacy  of  the  jxjpe  of  Rome  was  secured.  He  gives  the 
following  as  the  terms  in  which  the  letter  of  Justinian  was 
expressed : — 

"  Justinian,  pious,  fortunate,  renowned,  triumphant,  em- 
l)eror,  consul,  etc.,  to  John,  the  most  holy  archbishop  of  our 
city  of  Rome,  and  patriarch. 

''  Rendering  honor  to  the  apostolic  chair  and  to  your  holi- 
ness, as  has  been  always,  and  is,  our  wish,  and  honoring  your 
blessedness  as  a  father,  we  have  hastened  to  bring  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  your  holiness  all  matters  relating  to  the  state  of  the 
churches;  it  having  been  at  all  times  our  great  desire  to  pre- 
serve the  unity  of  your  apostolic  chair,  and  the  constitution 
of  the  holy  churches  of  God,  which  has  obtained  hitherto,  and 
still  obtains. 

"  Therefore  we  have  made  no  delay  in  subjecting  and  unit- 
iiKj  fo  j/om-  holiness  all  fJie  priests  of  the  whole  East.  .  .  .  We 
cannot  suffer  that  anything  which  relates  to  the  state  of  the 
church,  however  manifest  and  un(|uestionable,  should  be  moved 
without  the  knowledge  of  your  Imlincss,  who  is  the  TIead  of 
Ai,L  THE  Holy  Churches;  for  in  all  things,  as  we  have  al- 
rea<ly  declared,  we  are  anxious  to  increase  the  honor  and  au- 
thority of  your   apostolic   chair."— r/j-o///,   pp.    llJf,    115. 

"  The  emperor's  letter,'"  continues  Mr.  Croly,  "must  have 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  SI  325 

been  sent  before  the  25tli  of  March,  533  ;  for  in  his  letter  of 
that  date  to  Epii^hanius,  he  sjieaks  of  its  having  been  already 
dispatched,  and  rej^eats  his  decision  that  all  affairs  touching 
the  church  shall  be  referred  to  the  poj)e,  '  liead  of  all  bishops, 
and  the  true  and  eifective  corrector  of  heretics.'  " 

The  poj)e,  in  his  answer,  returned  the  same  month  of  the 
following  year,  53-i,  observes  that  among  the  virtues  of  Jus- 
tinian, "  one  shines  as  a  star, —  his  reverence  for  the  apostolic 
chair,  to  which  he  has  subjected  and  united  all  the  churches, 
it  being  truly  the  head  of  all." 

The  "  ^Novelise  "  of  the  Justinian  code  give  unanswerable 
proof  of  the  authenticity  of  the  title.  The  preamble  of  the  9th 
states  that  "  as  the  elder  Rome  was  the  founder  of  the  laws,  so 
was  it  not  to  be  questioned  that  in  her  was  the  supremacy  of 
the  Pontificate."  The  131st,  on  the  ecclesiastical  titles  and 
jDrivileges,  chapter  2,  states:  'MVe  therefore  decree  that  the 
most  holy  j^ope  of  the  elder  Rome  is  the  first  of  all  the  priest- 
hood, and  that  the  most  blessed  archbisliop  of  Constantinople, 
the  new  Rome,  shall  hold  the  second  rank  after  the  holy  apos- 
tolic chair  of  the.  elder  Rome." 

Toward  the  close  of  the  sixth  century,  John  of  Constanti- 
nople denied  the  Roman  supremacy,  and  assumed  for  himself 
the  title  of  universal  bishoj:);  whereupon  Gregory  the  great, 
indignant  at  the  usurpation,  denounced  John,  and  declared, 
with  unconscious  truth,  that  he  who  would  assume  the  title  of 
universal  bishop  was  Antichrist.  Phocas,  in  606,  suppressed 
the  claim  of  the  bishop  of  Constantinople,  and  vindicated  that 
of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  But  Phocas  was  not  the  founder  of 
papal  supremacy.  Says  Croly,  "  That  Phocas  repressed  the 
claim  of  the  bishop  of  Constantinople  is  beyond  a  doubt.  But 
the  highest  authorities  among  the  civilians  and  annalists  of 
Rome,  spurn  the  idea  that  Phocas  Avas  the  founder  of  the 
supremacy  of  Rome ;  they  ascend  to  Justinian  as  the  only 
legitimate  source,  and  rightly  date  the  title  from  the  memo- 
rable year  533."  Again  he  says:  "  On  reference  to  Baronius, 
the  established  authority  among  the  Roman  Catholic  annalists, 
I  found  the  whole  detail  of  Justinian's  grants  of  supremacy  to 
the  pope  formally  given.  The  entire  transaction  was  of  the 
21 


320  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

most  aiitlieiitic  and  regular  kind,  and  suitable  to  the  impor- 
tance of  the  transfer."  —  Apocalypse,  p.  8. 

Such  were  the  circumstances  attending  the  decree  of  Jus- 
tinian. But  the  provisions  of  this  decree  could  not  at  once  be 
carried  into  effect ;  for  Eome  and  Italy  were  held  by  the  Os- 
trogoths, who  were  Arians  in  faith,  and  strongly  opposed  to 
the  religion  of  Justinian  and  the  pope.  It  was  therefore  evi- 
dent that  the  Ostrogoths  must  be  rooted  out  of  Rome  before 
the  poj^e  could  exercise  the  power  with  which  he  had  been 
clothed.  To  accomplish  this  object,  the  Italian  war  was  com- 
menced in  5o4.  The  management  of  the  campaign  was  en- 
trusted to  Belisarius.  On  his  approach  toward  Home,  several 
cities  forsook  Vitijes,  their  Gothic  and  heretical  sovereign,  and 
joined  the  armies  of  the  Catholic  emperor.  The  Goths,  decid- 
ing to  delay  offensive  operations  till  spring,  allowed  Belisarius 
to  enter  Rome  without  opposition.  ''  The  deputies  of  the  pope 
and  clergy,  of  the  senate  and  people,  invited  the  lieutenant  of 
Justinian  to  accept  their  voluntary  allegiance." 

Belisarius  entered  Rome  Dec.  10,  53G.  But  this  was  not 
an  end  of  the  struggle ;  for  the  Goths,  rallying  their  forces,  re- 
solved to  dispute  his  possession  of  the  city  by  a  regular  siege. 
They  commenced  in  March,  537.  Belisarius  feared  despair 
and  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  people.  Several  senators,  and 
Pope  Sylverius,  on  proof  or  suspicion  of  treason,  were  sent 
into  exile.  The  emperor  commanded  the  clergy  to  elect  a  new 
bisliop.  After  solemnly  invoking  the  Holy  Ghost,  says  Gib- 
l)()n,  they  elected  the  deacon  ^''igilius,  who,  by  a  bribe  of  two 
luuuh'ed  ])ounds   of  gold,  had  ])urchased  the   honor. 

The  whole  nation  of  the  Ostrogoths  had  been  assembled  for 
the  siege  of  Rome;  but  success  did  not  attend  their  efforts. 
Their  hosts  melted  away  in  frecpient  and  bloody  combats  under 
the  city  walls;  and  the  year  and  nine  days  during  which  the 
siege  lasted,  witnessed  almost  the  entire  consuiii])ti()n  of  the 
whole  nation.  In  the  nioiitli  of  .March,  538,  dangers  begin- 
ning to  threaten  them  from  otlicr  (juarters,  they  raised  the 
siege,  l)urned  their  tents,  and  retire(l  in  tumult  and  confusion 
from  llie  city,  with  numl»ers  scarcely  sufficient  to  preserve 
their  existence  as  a  nation  or  their  identity  as  a  people. 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  SI  -  SJ^  320 

Thus  the  Gothic  horn,  the  h^st  of  the  three,  was  plucked  up 
before  the,  little  horn  of  Daniel  7.  Nothing  now  stood  in  the 
way  of  the  pojDe  to  prevent  his  exercising  the  power  conferred 
upon  him  by  Justinian  five  years  before.  The  saints,  times, 
and  laws  were  noAV  in  his  hands,  not  in  purpose  only,  but  in 
fact.  And  this  must  therefore  be  taken  as  the  year  when  this 
abomination  was  i:)laced,  or  set  up,  and  as  the  point  from 
which  to  date  the  predicted  1200  years  of  its  supremacy. 

Verse  32.  And  such  as  do  wickedly  against  the  covenant  shall  he 
corrupt  by  flatteries :  but  the  people  that  do  know  their  God  shall 
be  strong,  and  do  exploits. 

Those  that  forsake  the  covenant,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
think  more  of  the  decrees  of  popes  and  the  decisions  of  councils 
than  they  do  of  the  word  of  God, —  these  shall  he,  the  pope, 
corrupt  by  flatteries ;  that  is,  lead  them  on  in  their  partisan 
zeal  for  himself  by  the  bestowment  of  wealth,  position,  and 
lionors. 

At  the  same  time  a  people  shall  exist  wdio  know  their  God ; 
and  these  shall  be  strong,  and  do  exploits.  These  were  those 
who  kept  pure  religion  alive  in  the  earth  during  the  dark  ages 
of  papal  tyranny,  and  performed  marvelous  acts  of  self-sacrifice 
and  religious  heroism  in  behalf  of  their  faith.  Prominent 
among  these  stand  the  Waldenses,  ^Vlbigenses,  Huguenots,  etc. 

Verse  33.  And  they  that  understand  among  the  people  shall  in- 
struct nianj^;  yet  they  shall  fall  by  the  sword,  and  by  flame,  by  cap- 
tivity, and  by  spoil,  many  days. 

The  long  period  of  papal  persecution  against  those  who 
were  struggling  to  maintain  the  truth  and  instruct  their  fellow 
men  in  ways  of  righteousness,  is  here  brought  to  view.  The 
nundier  of  the  days  during  which  they  were  thus  to  fall  is 
given  in  Dan.  7:  25;  12:  7^  Rev.  12:  6,  14;  13:  5.  The  pe- 
riod is  called,  "  a  time,  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time;  "  "  a 
time,  times,  and  a  half;  "  "  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three- 
score'days;"  and  "forty  and  two  months."  It  is  the  1200 
years  of  papal  supremacy. 

Verse  34.  Now  when  they  shall  fall,  they  shall  be  holpen  with  a 
little  help;   but  many  shall  cleave  to   them  with  flatteries. 


330  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

In  Revelation  12,  where  this  same  papal  persecution  is 
brought  to  view,  we  read  that  the  earth  helped  the  woman  by 
opening  her  mouth,  and  swallowing  up  the  Hood  which  the 
dragon  cast  out  after  her.  The  great  Iveformation  by  Luther 
and  his  co-workers  furnished  the  help  here  foretold.  The  Ger- 
man states  espoused  the  Protestant  cause,  protected  the  reform- 
ers, and  restrained  the  work  of  persecution  so  furiously  carried 
on  by  the  j^apal  church.  But  when  they  should  be  helped,  and 
the  cause  begin  to  become  popular,  many  were  to  cleave  unto 
them  with  flatteries,  or  embrace  the  cause  from  unworthy 
motives,  be  insincere,  hollow-hearted,  and  speak  smooth  and 
friendly  words   through   a    policy   of   self-interest. 

Verse  35.  And  some  of  them  of  understanding  shall  fall,  to  try 
them,  and  to  purge,  and  to  make  them  white,  even  to  the  time  of  the 
end :  because  it  is  yet  for  a  time  appointed. 

Though  restrained,  the  spirit  of  persecution  was  not  de- 
stroyed. It  broke  out  whenever  there  was  opportunity.  Espe- 
cially was  this  the  case  in  England.  The  religious  state  of 
that  kingdom  was  fluctuating,  it  being  sometimes  under  Prot- 
estant, and  sometimes  papal  jurisdiction,  according  to  the  re- 
ligion of  the  ruling  house.  The  bloody  Queen  Mary  was  a 
mortal  enemy  to  the  Protestant  cause,  and  multitudes  fell 
victims  to  her  relentless  persecutions.  And  this  condition  of 
affairs  was  to  last  more  or  less  to  the  time  of  the  end.  The 
natural  conclusion  would  be  that  when  the  time  of  the  end 
should  come,  this  power  which  tlie  CMiureh  of  Rome  had  pos- 
sessed to  punish  heretics,  which  had  been  the  cause  of  so  much 
persecution,  and  which  for  a  time  had  been  restrained,  would 
now  be  taken  entirely  away ;  and  the  conclusion  would  be 
equally  evident  that  this  taking  away  of  tlie  papal  su})renu\cv 
would  nuirk  the  commencement  of  the  jieriod  here  called  the 
"  time  of  tlie  end."  If  this  a])])lication  is  correct,  the  time  of 
the  end  commenced  in  ITOS;  for  there,  as  already  noticed,  the 
papacy  was  overthrown  ])y  the  French,  and  has  never  since 
1)0011  a])le  to  wield  the  ]:)ower  it  liefore  possessed.  That  the 
oppression  of  the  church  by  the  ])apacy  is  what  is  here  referred 
to,  is  evident,  because  that  is  the  onlv  one,  with  the  possible 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  So,  36  331 

exception  of  Rev.  2  :  10,  connected  with  a  "  time  appointed," 
or  a  prophetic  period. 

Verse  36.  And  the  king  shall  do  according  to  his  will;  and  he 
shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify  himself  above  every  god,  and  shall 
speak  marvelous  things  against  the  God  of  gods,  and  shall  prosper  till 
the  indignation  be  accomplished;  for  that  that  is  determined  shall 
be  done. 

The  king  here  introduced  cannot  denote  the  same  power 
which  was  last  noticed;  namely,  the  papal  ])()\ver;  for  the 
specifications  will  not  hold  good  if  applied  to  that  power. 

Take  a  declaration  in  the  next  verse :  "  Nor  regard  any 
god."  This  has  never  been  true  of  the  papacy.  God  and 
Christ,  tliongli  often  placed  in  a  false  jDosition,  have  never  been 
professedly  set  aside  and  rejected  from  that  system  of  religion. 
The  only  difficulty  in  applying  it  to  a  new  power  lies  in  the 
definite  article  tJie;  for,  it  is  urged,  the  expression  "  the  king  " 
would  identify  this  as  one  last  spoken  of.  If  it  could  be 
properly  translated  a  king,  there  would  be  no  difficulty;  and  it 
is  said  that  some  of  the  best  Biblical  critics  give  it  this  render- 
ing, Mode,  Wintle,  Boothroyd,  and  others  translating  the  pas- 
sage, "A  certain  king  sliall  do  according  to  his  will,"  thus 
clearly  introducing  a  new  power  upon  the  stage  of  action. 

Three  peculiar  features  must  appear  in  the  power  which 
fulfils  this  prophecy:  (1)  It  must  assume  the  character  here 
delineated  near  the  commencement  of  the  time  of  the  end,  to 
which  we  were  brought  do^\'n  in  the  preceding  verse;  (2)  it 
must  be  a  wilful  power;  (3)  it  must  be  an  atheistical  power; 
or  perhaps  the  two  latter  specifications  might  be  united  by 
saying  that  its  wilfulness  would  l)e  manifested  in  the  direction 
of  atheism.  A  revolution  exactly  answering  to  this  description 
did  take  place  in  France  at  the  time  indicated  in  the  prophecy. 
Voltaire  had  sowed  the  seeds  which  bore  their  legitimate  and 
baleful  fruit.  That  boastful  infidel,  in  his  pompous  Init  impo- 
tent self-conceit,  had  said,  "  I  am  weary  of  hearing  people 
repeat  that  twelve  men  established  the  Christian  religion.  I 
will  prove  that  one  man  may  suffice  to  overthrow  it."  Asso- 
ciating with  himself  such  men  as  Kousseau,  D'Alembert,  Dide- 
rot, and  others,  he  undertook  the  work.       They  sowed  to  the 


332  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

^vind,  and  reaped  the  whirlwind.  Their  efforts  culminated 
in  the  revolution  of  1793,  when  the  Bible  was  discarded,  and 
the  existence  of  the  Deity  denied,  as  the  voice  of  the  nation. 
The  historian  thus  describes  this  great  religious  change: — 
"  It  was  not  enough,  they  said,  for  a  regenerate  nation  to 
have  dethroned  earthly  kings,  unless  she  stretched  out  the  arm 
of  defiance  toward  those  powers  which  superstition  had  repre- 
sented as  reigning  over  boundless  space."  —  Scott's  Napoleon, 
Vol.   L  p.   172. 

Again  he  says: — 

"  The  constitutional  bishop  of  Paris  was  brought  forward  to 
play  the  principal  part  in  the  most  impudent  and  scandalous 
farce  ever  enacted  in  the  face  of  a  national  representation.  .  .  . 
He  was  brought  forward  in  full  procession,  to  declare  to  the 
convention  that  the  religion  which  he  had  taught  so  many  years 
was,  in  every  respect,  a  piece  of  priestcraft,  which  had  no 
foundation  either  in  history  or  sacred  truth.  He  disowned,  in 
solemn  and  explicit  terms,  the  existein^ce  of  the  Deity,  to 
whose  Avorship  he  had  been  consecrated,  and  devoted  himself 
in  future  to  the  homage  of  Liberty,  Equality,  Virtue,  and  Mo- 
rality. He  then  laid  on  the  table  his  episcopal  decorations, 
and  received  a  fraternal  embrace  from  the  president  of  the 
convention.  Several  apostate  priests  followed  the  example  of 
this  prelate.  .  .  .  The  Avorld,  for  the  first  time,  heard  an 
assembly  of  men,  born  and  educated  in  civilization,  and  as- 
suming the  right  to  govern  one  of  the  finest  of  the  European 
nations,  uplift  their  united  voice  to  deny  the  most  solemn  truth 
Avhich  man's  soul  receives,  and  renounce  UlSrA^N^IMOUSTA" 
THE  BELIEF  AIs^D  WOESHIP  OF  DEITY."  —  Id.,  Vol. 
I,  p.  17 S. 

A  writer  some  years  ago  in  Blacliwood's  Magazine  said: — 
"  France  is  the  only  nation  in  the  w^orld  concerning  which 
the  authentic  record  survives,  that  as  a  nation  she  lifted  her 
hand  in  open  rebellion  against  the  Author  of  the  universe. 
Plenty  of  blasphemers,  plenty  of  infidels,  there  have  been,  and 
still  continue  to  be,  in  England,  Germany,  Spain,  and  else- 
where; but  France  stands  apart  in  the  world's  history  as  the 


CHAPTEE  11.  VERSES  36,  S7  333 

single  state  wliicli,  by  the  decree  of  lier  legislative  assembly, 
prunouiiced  that  there  was  no  God,  and  of  which  the  entire 
jiopnlation  of  the  capital,  and  a  vast  majority  elsewhere,  women 
as  well  as  men,  danced  and  sang  with  joy  in  accepting  the 
announcement." 

But  there  are  other  and  still  more  striking  specifications 
which   were   fulfilled   in   this   power. 

Verse  37.  Neither  shall  he  regard  the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the 
desire  of  women,  nor  regard  any  god :  for  he  shall  magnify  himself 
above   all. 

The  HebreM'  word  for  woman  is  also  translated  wife;  and 
Bishop  Xewton  observes  that  this  passage  would  be  more  prop- 
erly rendered  "  the  desire  of  wives."  This  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  this  government,  at  the  same  time  it  declared 
that  God  did  not  exist,  would  trample  under  foot  the  law 
which  God  had  given  to  regulate  the  marriage  institution. 
And  we  find  that  the  historian  has,  unconsciously  perhaps,  and 
if  so  all  the  more  significantly,  coupled  together  the  atheism 
and  licentiousness  of  this  government  in  the  same  order  in 
which  they  are  presented  in  the  prophecy.      He  says : — 

-'"  Intimately  connected  with  these  laws  affectinj^  religion 
was  that  which  reduced  the  union  of  marriage  —  the  most 
sacred  engagements  which  human  beings  can  form,  and  the 
permanence  of  which  leads  most  strongly  to  the  consolidation 
of  society  —  to  the  state  of  a  mere  civil  contract  of  a  transi- 
tory character,  which  any  two  persons  might  engage  in  and 
cast  loose  at  pleasure,  when  their  taste  was  changed  or  their 
appetite  gratified.  If  fiends  had  set  themselves  at  Avork  to 
discover  a  mode  of  most  effectually  destroying  whatever  is 
venerable,  graceful,  or  permanent  in  domestic  life,  and  obtain- 
ing at  the  same  time  an  assurance  that  the  mischief  which  it 
was  their  object  to  create  should  be  perpetuated  from  one  gener- 
ation to  another,  they  could  not  have  invented  a  more  effectual 
plan  than  the  degradation  of  marriage  into  a  state  of  mere 
occasional  cohabitation  ^  ■  licensed  concubinag:.  Sophie  Ar- 
noult,  an  actress  famous  for  the  vritty  things  she  said,  described 
the  republican  marriage  as  the  sacrament  of  adultery.      These 


334  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

anti-religious  and  anti-social  regulations  did  not  answer  the  pur- 
l^ose  of  the  frantic  and  inconsiderate  zealots  by  whom  they  had 
been  urged  forward."- — Scott's  Napoleon,  Vol.  I,  p.  173. 

"  ]S"or  regard  any  god."  In  addition  to  the  testimony  al- 
ready presented  to  show  the  utter  atheism  of  the  nation  at  this 
time,  the  following  fearful  language  of  madness  and  presump- 
tion is  to  be  recorded : — 

"  The  fear  of  God  is  so  far  from  being  the  beginning  of 
wisdom  that  it  is  the  beginning  of  folly.  Modesty  is  only  the 
invention  of  refined  voluptuousness.  The  Supreme  King,  the 
God  of  the  Jews  and  the  Christians,  is  hut  a  phantom.  Jesus 
Christ  is  an  impostor." 

Another  writer  says : — 

^'Aug  26,  1792,  an  open  confession  of  atheism  was  made 
by  the  jSTational  Convention ;  and  corresponding  societies  and 
atheistical  clubs  were  everywhere  fearlessly  held  in  the  French 
nation.  Massacres  and  the  reign  of  terror  became  the  most 
liorrid."  —  Smith's  Key  to  Bevelation,  p.   323. 

"  TIebert,  Chaumette,  and  their  associates  appeared  at  the 
bar,  and  declared  that  God  did  not  exist."  —  Alison,  Vol.  I, 
p.    150. 

At  this  juncture  all  religious  worship  was  prohibited  ex- 
cept that  of  liberty  and  the  country.  The  gold  and  silver 
plate  of  the  churches  was  seized  upon  and  desecrated.  The 
churches  were  closed.  The  bells  were  broken  and  cast  into 
cannon.  The  Bible  was  publicly  burned.  The  sacramental 
vessels  were  paraded  through  the  streets  on  an  ass,  in  token 
of  contempt.  A  week  of  ten  days  instead  of  seven  was 
established,  and  death  was  declared,  in  conspicuous  letters 
posted  over  their  burial  places,  to  be  an  eternal  sleep.  But 
the  crowning  blasphemy,  if  these  orgies  of  hell  admit  of  de- 
grees, remained  to  be  performed  by  the  comedian  Monvel, 
who,   as   a  priest  of   Tlluminism,   said:- — ■ 

'■  God,  if  you  exist,  avenge  your  injured  name.  I  bid  you 
defiance !  You  remain  silent.  You  dare  not  launch  your 
thunders!  Who,  after  this,  will  believe  in  your  existence? 
The  whole  ecclesiastical  establishment  was  destroyed." — -Scott's 
Napoleon,  Vol.  I,  p.  173. 


STORMING     OF     THE     TUILLERIES 


CHAPTER  Ih  VERSES  37,  38  337 

Behold  what  man  is  when  left  to  himself,  and  what  infidel- 
ity is  when  the  restraints  of  law  are  thrown  off,  and  it  has  the 
power  in  its  own  hands!  Can  it  be  doubted  that  these  scenes 
are  what  the  omniscient  One  foresaw,  and  noted  on  the  sacred 
page,  when  he  pointed  out  a  kingdom  to  arise  which  should 
exalt  itself  above  every  god,  and  disregard  them  all  ? 

Verse  38.  But  in  his  estate  shall'  he  honor  the  God  of  forces :  and 
a  god  whom  his  fathers  knew  not  shall  he  honor  with  gold,  and  silver, 
and  with  precious  stones,  and  pleasant  things. 

We  meet  a  seeming  contradiction  in  this  verse.  How  can 
a  nation  disregard  every  god,  and  yet  honor  the  god  of  forces  ? 
It  could  not  at  one  and  the  same  time  hold  both  these  posi- 
tions; but  it  might  for  a  time  disregard  all  gods,  and  then 
subsequently  introduce  another  worship  and  regard  the  god  of 
forces.  Did  such  a  change  occur  in  France  at  this  time  ?  —  It 
did.  The  attempt  to  make  France  a  godless  nation  produced 
such  anarchy  that  the  rulers  feared  the  power  would  pass  en- 
tirely out  of  their  hands,  and  therefore  perceived  that,  as  a 
political  necessity,  some  kind  of  worship  must  be  introduced ; 
but  they  did  not  intend  to  introduce  any  movement  which  would 
increase  devotion,  or  develop  any  true  spiritual  character  among 
the  j)eople,  but  only  such  as  would  keep  themselves  in  power, 
and  give  them  control  of  the  national  forces.  A  few  extracts 
from  history  will  show  this.  Liberty  and  country  were  at  first 
the  objects  of  adoration.  "  Liberty,  equality,  virtue,  and  mo- 
rality," the  very  opposites  of  anything  they  possessed  in  fact 
or  exhibited  in  practice,  were  words  which  they  set  forth  as 
describing  the  deity  of  the  nation.  In  1794  the  worship  of 
the  Goddess  of  Reason  was  introduced,  and  is  thus  described 
by  the  historian: — • 

"  One  of  the  cpremonies  of  this  insane  tinue  stands  unrivaled 
fr>r  absurdity  combined  with  impiety.  The  doors  of  the  con- 
vention were  throAvn  open  to  a  band  of  musicians,  preceded  by 
whom,  the  members  of  the  municipal  body  entered  in  solemn 
procession,  singing  a  hymn  in  praise  of  liberty,  and  escorting, 
as  the  object  of  their  future  worship,  a  vailed  female  whom 
thev  termed  the  Goddess   of  Reason.       BeiuG;  brouirht    within 


338  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

the  bar,  she  was  iin\'ailed  with  great  form,  and  phiced  on  the 
right  hand  of  tlie  president,  when  she  was  generally  recognized 
as  a  dancing  girl  of  the  opera,  with  whose  charms  most  of  the 
persons  j? resent  were  acquainted  from  her  appearance  on  the 
stage,  while  the  experience  of  individuals  was  further  extended. 
To  this  person,  as  the  littest  representative  of  that  reason  whom 
the_y  worshiped,  the  National  Convention  of  France  rendered 
public  homage.  This  impious  and  ridiculous  mummery  had  a 
certain  fashion ;  and  the  installation  of  the  Goddess  of  Reason 
was  renewed  and  imitated  throughout  the  nation,  in  such  places 
where  the  inhabitants  desired  to  show  themselves  equal  to  all 
the  heights  of  the  Revolution."  —  Scott's  Life  of  Napoleon. 

In  introducing  the  worship  of  Reason,  in  1794,  Chaumette 
said :- — ■ 

"  '  Legislative  fanaticism  has  lost  its  hold ;  it  has  given  place 
to  reason.  We  have  left  its  temples ;  they  are  regenerated. 
To-day  an  immense  multitude  are  assembled  under  its  Gothic 
roofs,  which,  for  the  first  time,  will  re-echo  the  voice  of  truth. 
There  the  French  will  celebrate  their  true  worship  ■ — ■  that  of 
Liberty  and  Reason.  There  we  will  form  new  vows  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  armies  of  the  Republic ;  there  we  will  abandon 
the  worship  of  inanimate  idols  for  that  of  Reason  —  this  ani- 
mated image,  the  masterpiece  of  creation.' 

'"A  vailed  female,  arrayed  in  blue  drapery,  was  brought 
into  the  convention ;  and  Chaumette,  taking  her  by  the  hand, — 

'^  '  Mortals,'  said  he,  '  cease  to  tremble  before  the  powerless 
thunders  of  a  God  whom  your  fears  have  created.  Henceforth 
icknowledge  no  divinity  but  Reason.  I  offer  you  its  noblest 
and  purest  image;  if  you  must  have  idols,  sacrifice  only  to  such 
as  this.  .  .  .  Fall  before  the  august  Senate  of  Freedom,  Vail 
of  Reason.' 

''At  the  same  time  the  goddess  appeared,  personified  by  a 
celebrated  beauty,  Madame  Millard,  of  the  opera,  known  in 
more  than  one  character  to  most  of  the  convention.  The  god- 
dess, after  being  embraced  by  the  i^resident,  was  mounted  on 
a  magnificent  car,  and  conducted,  amidst  an  imnienso  crowd, 
to  the  cathedral  of  Xotre  Dame,  to  ial'c  the  place  of  the  Deiti/. 
There  she  was  elevated  on  the  high  altar,  and  received  the 
adoration  of  all  present. 


THE     GODDESS    OT     REASON 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  S8,  39  3  41 

"  On  the  11th  of  Xovcmbcr,  the  popuhii*  society  of  the 
museum  entered  the  hall  of  the  municipality,  exclaiming, 
'  ^'ire  la  Raisonl'  and  carrying  on  the  top  of  a  pole  the  half- 
burned  remains  of  several  books,  among  others  the  breviaries 
and  the  Old  and  j^ew  Testaments,  which  '  expiated  in  a  great 
fire,'  said  the  president,  '  all  the  fooleries  -which  they  have  made 
the  human  race  commit.' 

"  The  most  sacred  relations  of  life  were  at  the  same  period 
placed  on  a  new  footing  suited  to  the  extravagant  ideas  of  the 
times.  ]\Iarriage  was  declared  a  civil  contract,  binding  only 
during  the  pleasure  of  the  contracting  parties.  Mademoiselle 
Arnoult,  a  celebrated  comedian,  expressed  the  public  feeling 
when  she  called  '  marriage  the  sacrament  of  adultery.'  " —  Id. 

Truly  this  was  a  strange  god,  whom  the  fathers  of  that 
generation  knew  not.  Xo  such  deity  had  ever  before  been  set 
up  as  an  object  of  adoration.  And  Avell  might  it  be  called  the 
god  of  forces ;  for  the  object  of  the  movement  was  to  cause 
the  people  to  renew  their  covenant  and  repeat  their  vows  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  armies  of  France.  Read  again  a  few 
lines  from  the  extract  already  given : — 

"  We  have  left  its  temples ;  they  are  regenerated.  To-day  an 
immense  multitude  is  assembled  under  its  Gothic  roofs,  which 
for  the  first  time,  will  re-echo  the  voice  of  truth.  There  the 
French  will  celebrate  their  true  worship, —  that  of  Liberty  and 
Reason.  There  Ave  will  form  new  voivs  for  the  prospei'ity  of 
the  armies  of  the  BepuhVic."  * 

Verse  39.  Thus  shall  he  do  in  the  most  strong  holds  with  a 
strange  god,  whom  he  shall  acknowledge  and  increase  with  glory :  and 
he  shall  cause  them  to  rule  over  many,  and  shall  divide  the  land 
for  gain. 

The  system  of  paganism  which  had  been  introduced  into 
France,  as  exemplified  in  the  worship  of  the  idol  set  up  in  the 
person  of  the  Goddess  of  Reason,  and  regulated  by  a  heathen 

*  During  the  time  while  the  fatitastic  worship  of  reason  was  the  national  craze, 
the  leaders  of  the  revolution  are  known  to  history  as  "  the  atheists."  But  it  was 
soon  perceived  that  a  religion  with  more  powerful  sanctions  than  the  one  then  in 
vogue  must  be  instituted  to  hold  the  people.  A  form  of  worship  therefore  followed 
in  which  the  object  of  adoration  was  the  "  Supreme  Being."  It  was  equally  hollow 
so  far  as  any  reformation  of  life  and  vital  godliness  were  concerned,  but^^  it  took 
hold  upon  the  supernatural.  And  while  the  Goddess  of  Reason  was  indeed  a  "  strange 
god,"  the  statement  in  regard  to  honoring  the  "  God  of  forces,"  may  perhaps  more 
appropriately   be    referred    to   this    latter    phase.       See    Thiers's    "  French    Revolution. 

22 


342  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

ritual  which  had  been  enacted  by  the  I^ational  Assembly  for 
the  use  of  the  French  people,  continued  in  force  till  the 
appointment  of  Napoleon  to  the  provisional  consulate  of 
France  in  ITUU.  The  adherents  of  this  strange  religion  occu- 
pied the  fortified  places,  the  strongholds  of  the  nation,  as 
expressed  in  this  verse. 

]]ut  that  which  serves  to  identify  the  application  of  this 
prophecy  to  France,  perha2:»s  as  clearly  as  any  other  particular, 
is  the  statement  made  in  the  last  clause  of  the  verse;  namely, 
that  they  should  "  divide  the  land  for  gain,"  Previous  to  the 
Revolution,  the  landed  proj)erty  of  France  was  owned  by  a  few- 
landlords  in  immense  estates.  These  estates  were  required  by 
the  law  to  remain  undivided,  so  that  no  heirs  or  creditors 
could  partition  them.  But  revolution  knows  no  law ;  and  in 
the  anarchv  that  now  reianed,  as  noted  also  in  the  eleventh  of 
Revelation,  the  titles  of  the  nobility  were  abolished,  and  their 
lands  disposed  of  in  small  parcels  for  the  benefit  of  the  public 
exchequer.  The  government  was  in  need  of  funds,  and  these 
large  landed  estates  were  confiscated,  and  sold  at  auction  in 
parcels  to  suit  purchasers.  The  historian  thus  records  this 
unique  transaction : — 

''  The  confiscation  of  two  thirds  f>f  the  landed  property  of 
the  kingdom,  which  arose  from  the  decrees  of  the  convention 
against  the  emigrants,  clergy,  and  persons  convicted  at  the 
Revolutionary  Tribunals,  .  .  .  placed  funds  worth  above 
£700,000,000  sterling  at  the  disposal  of  the  government."  — - 
Alison,   Vol.   IV ,  p.   151. 

AMien  did  ever  an  event  transpire,  and  in  what  country, 
fulfilling  a  prophecy  more  completely  than  this  ^  As  the  nation 
began  to  come  to  itself,  a  more  rational  religion  was  demanded, 
and  the  heathen  ritual  was  abolished.  The  historian  thus  de- 
scribes that  event : — 

"A  third  and  l)ol(I('r  measure  was  the  discarding  of  the 
heatlion  ritual,  and  re-opening  the  churches  for  Christian  wor- 
slii]);  and  of  this  the  credit  was  wholly  Napoleon's,  who  had 
to  contend  with  the  ]ihil<)so]ihie  ]irejudices  of  almost  all  his  col- 
leagues. He,  in  his  conversation  with  them,  made  no  attem]its 
to  represent  himself  a  believer  in  Christianity,  but  stood  only 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  39,  1,0  343 

on  the  necessity  of  jjrovidinij,-  the  people  with  the  regnlar  means 
of  worship  wherever  it  is  meant  to  have  a  state  of  tranquillity. 
The  priests  who  chose  to  take  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  govern- 
ment Avere  readmitted  to  their  functions ;  and  this  wise  meas- 
ure was  followed  by  the  adherence  of  not  less  than  20,000  of 
these  ministers  of  religion,  who  had  hitherto  languished  in  the 
prisons  of  France."  —  Locliliart's  Life  0^  Nanoleon,  Vol.  I, 
p.  154. 

Thus  terminated  the  Eeign  of  Terror  and  the  Infidel  Revo- 
lution. Out  of  the  ruins  rose  Bonaparte,  to  guide  the  tumult 
to  his  own  elevation,  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Frencli 
government,    and   strike  terror  to  the   hearts   of  nations. 

Verse  40.  And  at  the  time  of  the  end  shall  the  'king'  of  the  south 
push  at  him :  and  the  king  of  the  north  shall  come  against  him  like  a 
whirlwind,  with  chariots,  and  with  horsemen,  and  with  many  ships: 
and  he  shall  enter  into  the  countries,  and  shall  overflow  and  pass  over. 

After  a  long  interval,  the  king  of  the  south  and  the  kino; 
of  the  north  again  appear  on  the  stage  of  action.  We  have 
met  Avith  nothing  to  indicate  that  Ave  are  to  look  to  any  local- 
ities for  these  poAA^ers  other  than  those  Avhich,  shortly  after  the 
death  of  Alexander,  constituted  respectively  the  southern  and 
northern  divisions  of  his  empire.  The  king  of  the  south  was 
at  that  time  EgA^pt,  a.nd  the  king  of  the  north  Avas  Syria,  in- 
cluding Thrace  and  Asia  Minor.  Egypt  is  still,  hy  common 
agreement,  the  king  of  the  south,  Avhile  the  territory  Avhich  at 
first  constituted  the  king  of  the  north,  has  been  for  the  past 
four  hundred  years  Avholly  included  Avithin  the  dominions  of 
the  sultan  of  Turkey.  To  EgApt  and  Turkey,  then,  in  connec- 
tion Avith  the  poAA'er  last  under  consideration,  Ave  must  look  for 
a  fulfilment  of  the  Averse  before  us. 

This  application  of  the  prophecy  calls  for  a  conflict  to  spring 
up  betAveen  Egypt  and  France,  and  Turkey  and  France,  in 
1798,  AA'hlch  year,  as  Ave  haA'e  seen,  marked  the  beginning  of 
the  time  of  the  end ;  and  if  history  testifies  that  such  a  tri- 
angular Avar  did  break  out  in  that  year,  it  Avill  be  conclusiA'e 
proof  of  the  correctness  of  the   application. 

We  inquire,  therefore,  Is  it  a  fact  that  at  the  time  of  the 
end,  Egypt  did  "  push,"  or  make  a  comparatively  feeble  resist- 


344  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

aiice,  while  Turkey  did  come  like  a  resistless  "  whirlwind," 
against  "  him/'  that  is,  the  government  of  France  (  We  have 
already  produced  some  evidence  that  the  time  of  the  end  com- 
menced in  179S;  and  no  reader  of  history  need  be  informed 
that  in  that  very  year  a  state  of  open  hostility  between  France 
and  Egypt  was  inaugurated. 

To  what  extent  this  conflict  owed  its  origin  to  the  dreams 
of  glory  deliriously  cherished  in  the  ambitious  brain  of  Xapo- 
leon  Bonaparte,  the  historian  will  form  his  own  opinion ;  but 
the  French,  or  J^apoleon  at  least,  contrived  to  make  Egypt  the 
aggressor.  Thus,  when  in  the  invasion  of  that  country  he  had 
secured  his  first  foothold  in  Alexandria,  he  declared  that  "  he 
had  not  come  to  ravage  the  country  or  to  wrest  it  from  the 
Grand  Seignior,  but  merely  to  deliver  it  from  the  domination 
of  the  Mamelukes,  and  to  revenge  the  outrages  ivhich  they  had 
committed  against  France/' —  Thiers' s  French  Revotution,  Vol. 
IV,  p.  2GS. 

xVgain  the  historian  says:  "Besides,  he  [Bonaparte]  had 
strong  reasons  to  urge  against  them  [the  Mamelukes]  ;  for 
they  had  never  ceased  to  ill-treat  the  French."  —  Id.,  p.  273. 

The  beginning  of  the  year  1798  found  France  indulging  in 
innnense  projects  against  the  English.  The  T3irectory  desired 
Bonaparte  to  undertake  at  once  a  descent  upon  England ;  but 
he  saw  that  no  direct  operations  of  that  kind  could  be  judi- 
ciously -undertaken  before  the  fall,  and  he  was  unwilling  to 
hazard  his  growing  reputation  by  spending  the  sunnner  in  idle- 
ness. "  But,"  says  the  historian,  "  he  saw  a  far-off  land, 
where  a  glory  was  to  be  won  which  would  gain  a  new  charm 
in  the  eyes  of  his  countrymen  by  the  romance  and  mystery 
which  hung  upon  the  scene.  Egypt,  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs 
and  the  Ptolemies,  ■\\'ould  be  a  noble  field  for  new  triumphs." 
—  Wltite's  History  of  France,  p.  JfGO. 

But  while  still  broader  visions  of  glory  opened  before  the 
eyes  of  Bonaparte  in  those  Eastern  historic  lands,  covering  not 
Egypt  only,  but  Syria,  Persia,  Hindustan,  even  to  the  Ganges 
itself,  he  had  no  difficulty  in  persuading  the  Directory  that 
Egypt  was  the  vulncvn1ilo  point  through  M'hich  to  strike  at 
England   by   intercepting  hor   Eastern    trade.       Hence   on   the 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  W  345 

pretext  al)ove  mentioned,   the  Egyptian  campaign  was  nnder- 
taken. 

The  do-WTifall  of  tlie  papacy,  which  marked  the  termination 
of  tlie  1260  years,  and  according  to  verse  35  showed  the 
commencement  of  the  time  of  the  end,  oecnrred  on  the  10th 
of  Febrnary,  1798,  when  Eome  fell  into  the  hands  of  Berthier, 
the  general  of  the  French.  On  the  5th  of  ]\Iarch  following, 
Bonaparte  received  the  decree  of  the  Directory  relative  to  the 
expedition  against  Egvpt.  He  left  Paris  ]\ray  3,  and  set  sail 
from  Tonlon  the  19th,  with  a  large  naval  armament  consisting 
of  500  sail,  carrying  40,000  soldiers  and  10,000  sailors.  Jnly 
5,  Alexandria  was  taken,  and  immediately  fortified.  On  the 
23d.  the  decisive  battle  of  the  pyramids  was  fonght,  in  which 
the  Mamelnkes  contested  the  field  with  valor  and  desperation, 
bnt  were  no  match  for  the  disciplined  legions  of  the  French. 
Mnrad  Bey  lost  all  his  cannon,  400  camels,  and  3,000  men. 
The  loss  of  the  French  was  comparatively  slight.  On  the 
24th,  Bonaparte  entered  Cairo,  the  capital  of  Egypt,  and  only 
waited  the  snbsidence  of  the  floods  of  the  Xile  to  pnrsne  Murad 
Bey  to  Upper  Eg^^^t,  whither  he  had  retired  with  his  shattered 
cavalry,  and  so  make  a  conquest  of  the  whole  country.  Thus 
the  king  of  the  south  was  able  to  make  but  a  feeble  resistance. 

At  this  juncture,  however,  the  situation  of  Xapoleon  began 
to  grow  precarious.  The  French  fleet,  which  was  his  only 
channel  of  communication  with  France,  was  destroyed  by  the 
English  under  Xelson  at  Aboukir;  and  on  September  2  of  this 
same  year,  1798,  the  sultan  of  Turkey,  under  feelings  of  jeal- 
ousy against  France,  artfully  fostered  by  the  English  ambassa- 
dors at  Constantinople,  and  exasperated  that  Egypt,  so  long  a 
semi-dependency  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  should  be  transformed 
into  a  French  province,  declared  war  against  France.  Tims 
the  king  of  the  north  (Turkey)  came  against  him  (France)  in 
the  same  year  that  the  king  of  the  south  (Egvpt)  "pushed," 
and  both  "  at  the  time  of  the  end ;  "  which  is  another  conclu- 
sive proof  that  the  year  1798  is  the  year  which  begins  that 
period;  and  all  of  which  is  a  demonstration  that  this  appli- 
cation of  the  prophecy  is  correct;  for  so  many  events  meeting 
so  accurately  the  specifications  of  the  prophecy  could  not  take 


346  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

place  together,  and  not  constitute  a  fuliilnient  of  the  prophecy. 

Was  the  coming  of  the  king  of  the  north,  or  Turkey,  like 
a  whirlwind  in  comparison  w4th  the  pushing  of  Egypt?  Na- 
poleon had  crushed  the  armies  of  Egypt ;  he  assayed  to  do  the 
same  thing  with  the  armies  of  the  sultan,  who  were  menacing 
an  attack  from  the  side  of  Asia.  Feb.  27,  1799,  with  18,000 
men,  he  conunenced  his  march  from  Cairo  to  Syria.  He  first 
took  the  fort  of  El-Arish,  in  the  desert,  then  Jaffa  (the  Joppa 
of  the  Bible),  compiered  the  inhabitants  of  jSTaplous  at  Zeta, 
and  was  again  victorious  at  Jafet.  Meanwhile,  a  strong  body 
of  Turks  had  intrenched  themselves  at  St.  Jean  d'Acre,  while 
swarms  of  Mussulmans  gathered  in  the  mountains  of  Samaria, 
ready  to  swoop  down  upon  the  French  when  they  should  be- 
siege Acre.  Sir  Sidney  Smith  at  the  same  time  appeared 
before  St.  Jean  d'Acre  with  two  English  ships,  reinforced  the 
Turkish  garrison  of  that  place,  and  captured  the  apparatus  for 
the  siege,  which  Xapoleon  had  sent  across  by  sea  from  Alexan- 
dria. A  Turkish  fleet  soon  appeared  in  the  offing,  which,  with 
the  Russian  and  English  vessels  then  co-operating  with  them, 
constituted  the  ''  many  shij)S  "  of  the  king  of  the  north. 

On  the  18th  of  March  the  siege  commenced.  ]S^apoleon 
was  twice  called  away  to  save  some  French  divisions  from 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Mussulman  hordes  that  filled  the 
country.  Twice  also  a  breach  was  made  in  the  wall  of  the 
city ;  but  the  assailants  were  met  with  such  fury  by  the  gar- 
rison, that  they  were  obliged,  despite  their  best  efforts,  to  give 
over  the  struggle.  x\fter  a  continuance  of  sixty  days,  Napo- 
leon raised  the  siege,  sounded,  for  the  first  time  in  his  career, 
the  note  of  retreat,  and  on  the  21st  of  May,  1709,  commenced 
to  retrace  his  steps  to  Egypt. 

"And  he  shall  overflow  and  pass  over."  We  have  found 
events  which  furnish  a  very  striking  fulfilment  of  the  pushing 
of  the  king  of  the  south,  and  the  whirlwind  onset  of  the  king 
of  the  north  against  the  French  power.  Thus  far  there  is 
quite  a  general  agreement  in  the  application  of  the  prophecy. 
W^e  now  reach  a  point  where  the  views  of  expositors  begin  to 
diverge.  To  whom  do  the  words  he  "  sliall  overflow  and  pass 
over,"  refer  ?  —  to  France  or  to  the  king  of  the  north  'I      Tlie 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  '^0  .347 

application  of  the  remainder  of  this  chapter  depends  npon  the 
answer  to  this  question.  From  this  point  two  lines  of  inter- 
pretation are  maintained.  Some  appl_y  the  words  to  France, 
and  endeavor  to  find  a  fulfilment  in  the  career  of  Xapoleon. 
Others  apj)ly  them  to  the  king  of  the  nortli,  and  accordingly 
point  for  a  fulfilment  to  events  in  the  history  of  Turkey.  We 
speak  of  these  two  positions  only,  as  the  attempt  which  some 
make  to  bring  in  the  papacy  here  is  so  evidently  wide  of  the 
mark  that  its  consideration  need  not  detain  us.  If  neither  of 
these  positions  is  free  from  difficulty,  as  we  presume  no  one 
will  claim  that  it  is,  absolutely,  it  only  remains  that  we  take 
that  one  which  has  the  weight  of  evidence  in  its  favor.  And 
we  shall  find  one  in  favor  of  which  the  evidence  does  so  greatly 
preponderate,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others,  as  scarcely  to  leave 
any  room  for  donl)t  in  regard  to  the  view  here  mentioned. 

Tvespecting  the  application  of  this  portion  of  the  prophecy 
to  Xapoleon  or  to  France  under  his  leadership,  so  far  as  we 
are  acquainted  with  his  history,  we  do  not  find  events  which  we 
can  urge  with  any  degree  of  assurance  as  the  fulfilment  of 
the  remaining  portion  of  this  chapter,  and  hence  do  not  see 
how  it  can  be  thus  applied.  It  must,  then,  be  fulfilled  by 
Turkey,  unless  it  can  be  shown  (1)  that  the  expression  "king 
of  the  north"  does  not  apply  to  Tnrkey,  or  (2)  that  there  is 
some  other  power  besides  either  France  or  the  king  of  the 
north  wliich  fulfilled  this  part  of  the  prediction.  But  if  Tur- 
key, now  occupying  the  territory  which  constituted  the  north- 
ern division  of  Alexander's  empire,  is  not  tlie  king  of  the  north 
of  this  prophecy,  then  we  are  left  without  any  principle  to 
guide  us  in  the  interpretation ;  and  we  presume  all  will  agree 
that  there  is  no  room  for  the  introduction  of  any  other  power 
here.  The  French  king,  and  the  king  of  the  north,  are  the 
only  ones  to  whom  the  prediction  can  apply.  The  fulfilment 
must  lie  between  them. 

Some  considerations  certainly  favor  the  idea  that  there  is, 
in  the  latter  part  of  verse  40,  a  transfer  of  the  burden  of  the 
prophecy  from  the  French  power  to  the  king  of  the  north. 
The  king  of  the  north  is  introduced  just  before,  as  coming 
forth   like   a   whirlwind,    with   chariots,   horsemen,    and    many 


348  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

ships.  The  collision  between  this  power  and  the  J^rench  we 
have  already  noticed.  The  king  of  the  north,  with  the  aid  of 
his  allies,  gained  the  day  in  this  contest;  and  the  French, 
foiled  in  their  efforts,  were  driven  Lack  into  Egypt.  Now 
it  would  seem  to  be  the  more  natural  application  to  refer  the 
"■  overflowing  and  passing  over  "  to  that  power  which  emerged 
in  triumph  from  that  struggle;  and  that  power  was  Turkey. 
We  will  only  add  that  one  who  is  familiar  with  the  Hebrew 
assures  us  that  the  construction  of  this  passage  is  such  as  to 
make  it  necessary  to  refer  the  overflowing  and  passing  over 
to  the  king  of  the  north,  these  words  expressing  the  result  of 
that  movement  which  is  just  before  likened  to  the  fury  of  the 
whirlwind. 

Verse  41.  He  shall  enter  also  into  the  glorious  land,  and  many 
countries  shall  be  overthrown :  but  these  shall  escape  out  of  his  hand, 
even  Edom,  and  Moab,  and  the  chief  of  the  children  of  Amnion. 

The  facts  just  stated  relative  to  the  campaign  of  the  French 
against  Turkey,  and  the  repulse  of  the  former  at  St.  Jean 
d'Acre,  were  drawn  chiefly  from  the  Encyclopedia  Americana. 
From  the  same  source  we  gather  further  particulars  respecting 
the  retreat  of  the  French  into  Egypt,  and  the  additional  re- 
verses which  compelled  them  to  evacuate  that  country. 

Abandoning  a  campaign  in  which  one  third  of  the  army 
had  fallen  victims  to  war  and  the  plague,  the  French  retired 
from  St.  Jean  d'Acre,  and  after  a  fatiguing  march  of  twenty- 
six  days  re-entered  Cairo  in  Egypt.  They  thus  abandoned  all 
the  conquests  they  had  made  in  Judea ;  and  the  ''  glorious 
land,"  Palestine,  with  all  its  provinces,  here  called  ''  countries," 
fell  back  again  under  the  oppressive  rule  of  the  Turk.  Edom, 
Moab,  and  Ammon,  lying  outside  the  limits  of  Palestine,  south 
and  east  of  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  Jordan,  Avere  out  of  the  line 
of  march  of  the  Turks  from  Syria  to  Egypt,  and  so  escaped  the 
ravages  of  that  campaign.  On  this  passage,  Adam  Clarke  has 
the  following  note :  "  These  and  other  Arabians,  they  [the 
Turks]  have  never  been  able  to  subdue.  They  still  occupy  the 
deserts,  and  receive  a  yearly  pension  of  forty  thousand  crowns 
of  gold  from  the  Ottoman  emperors  to  permit  the  caravans 
with  the  pilgrims  for  Mecca  to  have  a  free  passage." 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  1^2  349 

Verse  42.  He  shall  stretch  forth  his  hand  also  upon  the  countries : 
and  the  land  of  Egypt  shall  not  escape. 

On  the  retreat  of  the  French  to  Egypt,  a  Turkish  fleet 
landed  18,000  men  at  Aboukir.  Xapoleon  immediately  at- 
tacked the  j)lace,  completely  routing  the  Turks,  and  re-estab- 
lishing his  authority  in  Egypt.  But  at  this  point,  severe 
reverses  to  the  French  arms  in  Europe  called  jSTapoleon  home 
to  look  after  the  interests  of  his  own  country.  The  command 
of  the  troops  in  Egypt  was  left  with  General  Kleber,  who,  after 
a  period  of  untiring  activity  for  the  benefit  of  the  army,  was 
murdered  by  a  Turk  in  Cairo,  and  the  command  was  left  with 
Abdallah  ]\Ienou.  With  an  army  which  could  not  be  recruited, 
every  loss  was  serious. 

Meanwhile,  the  English  government,  as  the  ally  of  the 
Turks,  had  resolved  to  wrest  Egypt  from  the  French.  March 
13,  ISOO,  an  English  fleet  disembarked  a  body  of  troops  at 
Aboukir.  The  French  gave  battle  the  next  day,  but  were 
forced  to  retire.  On  the  IStli  Aboukir  surrendered.  On  the 
28th  reinforcements  were  brought  by  a  Turkish  fleet,  and  the 
grand  vizier  approached  from  Syria  with  a  large  army.  The 
19th,  Rosetta  surrendered  to- the  combined  forces  of  the  En- 
glish and  Turks.  At  Ramanieh  a  French  corps  of  4,000  men 
was  defeated  by  8,000  English  and  6,000  Turks.  At  Elmen- 
ayer  5,000  French  Avere  obliged  to  retreat.  May  16,  by  the 
vizier,  who  was  pressing  forward  to  Cairo  with  20,000  men. 
The  whole  French  army  was  now  shut  up  in  Cairo  and  Alex- 
andria. Cairo  capitulated  June  27,  and  Alexandria,  Sep- 
tember 2.  Four  weeks  after,  Oct.  1,  1801,  the  preliminaries 
of  peace  were  signed  at  London. 

"  Egypt  shall  not  escape  "  were  the  words  of  the  prophecy. 
This  language  seems  to  imply  that  Egypt  would  be  brought 
into  subjection  to  some  power  from  whose  dominion  it  would 
desire  to  be  released.  As  between  the  French  and  Turks,  how 
did  this  question  stand  with  the  Egyptians  ?  —  They  preferred 
French  rule.  In  E.  R.  Madden's  Travels  in  Egypt,  ISTubia, 
Turkey,  and  Palestine  in  the  years  1824- -1827,  published  in 
London  in  1829,  it  is  stated  that  the  French  Avere  much  re- 
gretted by  the  Egyptians,   and  extolled   as  benefactors;   that 


350  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

'^  for  the  short  period  thej  remained,  they  left  traces  of  amelio- 
ration ;  "  and  that,  if  tliej  could  have  established  their  power, 
Egypt  would  no\\-  be  comparatively  civilized.  In  view  of  this 
testiinony,  the  language  would  not  be  appropriate  if  applied  to 
the  French;  the  Egyptians  did  not  desire  to  escape  out  of  their 
hands.  They  did  desire  to  escape  from  the  hands  of  the  Turks, 
but  could  not. 

Verse  43.  But  he  shall  have  power  over  the  treasures  of  gold  and 
of  silver,  and  over  all  the  precious  things  of  Egypt :  and  the  Libyans 
and  the  Ethiopians  shall  be  at  his  steps. 

In  illustration  of  this  verse  we  quote  the  following  from 
Historic  Echoes  of  the  Voice  of  God,  p.   49 : — 

'*  History  gives  the  following  facts :  When  the  French  were 
driven  out  of  Egypt,  and  the  Turks  took  possession,  the  sultan 
permitted  the  Egyptians  to  reorganize  their  government  as  it 
was  before  the  French  invasion.  He  asked  of  the  Egyptians 
neither  soldiers,  guns,  nor  fortifications,  but  left  them  to  man- 
age their  own  aifairs  independently,  Avith  the  important  excep- 
tion of  putting  the  nation  under  tribute  to  himself.  In  the 
articles  of  agreement  between  the  sultan  and  the  pasha  of 
Egy])t,  it  was  stipulated  that  the  Egyptians  should  pay  annu- 
ally to  the  Turkish  government  a  certain  amount  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  '  six  hundred  thousand  measures  of  corn,  and  four 
lumdred  thousand  of  barley.'  " 

"  The  Libyans  and  the  Ethiopians,"  "  the  Cuslilin,"  says 
Dr.  Clarke,  "  the  unconquered  Arabs,"  who  have  sought  the 
friendship  of  the  Turks,  and  many  of  whom  are  tributary  to 
them  at  the  present  time. 

Verse  44.  But  tidings  out  of  the  east  and  out  of  the  north  shall 
trouble  him :  therefore  he  shall  go  forth  with  great  fury  to  destroy, 
and  utterly  to  make  away  many. 

On  this  verse  Dr.  Clarke  has  a  note  which  is  worthy  of 
mention.  He  says:  ''  This  part  of  the  prophecy  is  alloAved  to 
be  yet  unfulfilled."  His  note  was  printed  in  1825.  In  an- 
other portion  of  liis  comment,  he  says:  "  If  the  Turkish  power 
be  understood,  as  in  the  preceding  verses,  it  may  mean  that  the 
Persians  on  the  cast,  and  the  Ilussians  on  the  north,  will   at 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  U,  1,5  351 

some  time  greatly  embarrass  the  Ottoman  government." 
Between  this  conjecture  of  Dr.  Clarke's,  written  in  1825, 
and  the  Crimean  War  of  1853  - 1850,  there  is  certainly  a 
striking  coincidence,  inasmnch  as  the  very  powers  he  men- 
tions, the  Persians  on  the  east  and  the  Russians  on  the  north, 
were  the  ones  which  instigated  that  conflict.  Tidings  from 
these  jDOwers  troubled  him  (Turkey).  Their  attitude  and 
movements  incited  the  sultan  to  anger  and  revenge.  Russia, 
being  the  more  aggressive  party,  was  the  object  of  attack. 
Turkey  declared  war  on  her  powerful  northern  neighbor  in 
1853.  The  world  looked  on  in  amazement  to  see  a  govern- 
ment which  had  long  been  called  "  the  Sick  Man  of  the  East," 
a  government  whose  army  was  dispirited  and  demoralized, 
whose  treasuries  were  empty,  whose  rulers  were  vile  and  imbe- 
cile, and  whose  subjects  were  rebellious  and  threatening  seces- 
sion, rush  with  such  impetuosity  into  the  conflict.  The  proph- 
ecy said  that  they  should  go  forth  with  "  great  fury ;  "  and 
when  they  thus  went  forth  in  the  war  aforesaid,  they  were 
described,  in  the  profane  vernacular  of  an  American  writer, 
as  "  fighting  like  devils."  England  and  France,  it  is  true, 
soon  came  to  the  hclj)  of  Turkey ;  but  she  went  forth  in  the 
manner  described,  and  as  is  reported,  gained  important  victo- 
ries before  receiving  the  assistance  of  these  powers. 

Verse  45.  And  he  shall  plant  the  tabernacles  of  his  palace  between 
the  seas  in  the  glorious  holy  mountain ;  yet  he  shall  come  to  his  end, 
and  none  shall  help  him. 

We  have  now  traced  the  prophecy  of  the  11th  of  Daniel 
down,  step  by  step,  and  have  thus  far  found  events  to  fulfil 
all  its  predictions.  It  has  all  been  wrought  out  into  history 
except  this  last  verse.  The  predictions  of  the  preceding  verse 
having  been  fulfilled  within  the  memory  of  the  generation  now 
living,  we  are  carried  by  this  one  past  our  own  day  into  the 
future ;  for  no  power  has  yet  performed  the  acts  here  described. 
But  it  is  to  be  fulfilled ;  and  its  fulfilment  must  be  accom- 
plished by  that  poAver  which  has  been  continuously  the  subject 
of  the  prophecy  from  the  40th  verse  down  to  this  45th  verse. 
If  tl)e  application  to  which  we  have  given  the  preference  in 


352  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

passing  over  these  verses,  is  correct,  we  must  look  to  Turkey 
to  make  the  move  here  indicated. 

And  let  it  be  noted  how  readily  this  could  be  done.  Pales- 
tine, which  contains  the  "  glorious  holy  mountain,"  the  moun- 
tain on  which  Jerusalem  stands,  "  between  the  seas,"  the  Dead 
Sea  and  the  Mediterranean,  is  a  Turkish  province;  and  if  the 
Turk  should  be  obliged  to  retire  hastily  from  Europe,  he  could 
easily  go  to  any  point  within  his  own  dominions  to  establish 
his  temjiorary  headquarters,  here  appropriately  described  as  the 
tabernacles,  movable  dwellings,  of  his  palace.;  but  he  could  not 
go  beyond  them.  The  most  notable  point  within  the  limit  of 
Turkey  in  Asia,  is  Jerusalem. 

And  mark,  also,  how  applicable  the  language  to  that  power : 
"  He  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none  shall  help  him."  This 
expression  plainly  implies  that  this  power  has  previously  re- 
ceived help.  And  M^hat  are  the  facts  ?  —  In  the  war  against 
France  in  1798  - 1801,  England  and  Russia  assisted  the  sultan. 
In  the  war  between  Turkey  and  Egypt  in  1838  - 1840,  England, 
Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia  intervened  in  behalf  of  Turkey. 
In  the  Crimean  War  in  1853  - 1856,  England,  France,  and 
Sardinia  supported  the  Turks.  And  in  the  last  Russo-Turkish 
War,  the  great  powers  of  Europe  interfered  to  arrest  the  prog- 
ress of  Russia.  And  without  the  help  received  in  all  these 
instances,  Turkey  would  probably  have  failed  to  maintain  her 
position.  And  it  is  a  notorious  fact  that  since  the  fall  of 
the  Ottoman  supremacy  in  1840,  the  empire  has  existed  only 
through  the  suiferance  of  the  great  powers  of  Europe.  With- 
out their  pledged  support,  she  would  not  be  long  able  to  main- 
tain even  a  nominal  existence;  and  when  that  is  withdrawn, 
she  must  come  to  the  ground.  So  the  prophecy  says  the  king 
comes  to  his  end  and  none  help  him;  and  he  comes  to  his  end, 
as  we  may  naturally  infer,  hccaiise  none  help' him, —  because 
the  support  previouslv  rendered  is  withdrawn. 

Have  we  any  indications  that  this  part  of  the  prophecy  is 
soon  to  be  fulfilled  ?  As  we  raise  this  inquiry,  we  look,  not  to 
dim  and  distant  ages  in  the  past,  whose  events,  so  long  ago 
transferred  to  the  page  of  history,  now  interest  only  the  few, 
l)ut   to   the  present  living,   moving  Avorld.       Are   the   nations 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  45  353 

which  are  now  on  the  stage  of  action,  with  their  disciplined 
armies  and  their  multiplied  weapons  of  war,  making  any  move- 
ment looking  to  this  end  ( 

All  eyes  are  now  tnrned  with  interest  toward  Turkey;  and 
the  unanimous  opinion  of  statesmen  is,  that  the  Turk  is  des- 
tined soon  to  he  driven  froiii  Europe.  Some  years  since,  a  cor- 
respondent of  the  Xew  York  Tribune,  writing  from  the  East, 
said :  "  Eussia  is  arming  to  the  teeth  ...  to  be  avenged  on 
Turkey.  .  .  .  Two  campaigns  of  the  Ilussian  army  will  drive 
the  Turls  out  of  Europe."  Carleton,  formerly  a  correspondent 
of  the  Boston  Journal,  writing  from  Paris  under  the  heading 
of  ^'  The  Eastern  Question,"  said : — 

"  The  theme  of  conversation  during  the  last  week  has  not 
]^een  concerning  the  Exposition,  but  the  '  Eastern  Question.' 
To  what  will  it  grow  ?  Will  there  be  war  ?  What  is  Russia 
going  to  do  ?  What  position  are  the  Western  powers  going  to 
take  ?  These  are  questions  discussed  not  only  in  the  cafes  and 
restaurants,  but  in  the  Corps  Legislatif.  Perhaps  I  cannot  ren- 
der better  service  at  the  present  time  than  to  group  together 
some  facts  in  regard  to  this  question,  which,  according  to  pres- 
ent indications,  are  to  engage  the  immediate  attention  of  the 
world.  "Wliat  is  the  '  Eastern  Question  '  ?  It  is  not  easy  to 
give  a  definition ;  for  to  Eussia  it  may  mean  one  thing,  to 
France  another,  and  to  Austria  still  another;  but  sifted  of 
every  side  issue,  it  may  be  reduced  to  this. —  the  driving  of 
THE  Turk  into  Asia,  and  a  scramble  for  his  territory." 
Again  he  says : — 

"  Surely  the  indications  are  that  the  sultan  is  destined  soon 
to  see  the  western  border  of  his  dominions  break  off,  piece  by 
piece.  But  what  will  follow  ?  Are  Eoumania,  Servia,  Bosnia, 
and  Albania  to  set  up  as  an  independent  sovereignty  together, 
and  take  position  among  the  nations  ?  or  is  there  to  be  a  grand 
rush  for  the  estate  of  the  Ottoman  ?  But  that  is  of  the  futui'o, 
a  future  not  far  distant." 

Shortly  after  the  foregoing  extracts  were  written,  an  as- 
tonishing revolution  took  place  in  Europe.  France,  one  of  the 
parties,  if  not  the  chief  one,  in  the  alliance  to  uphold  the  Otto- 
man throne,  was  crushed  by  Prussia  in  the  Franco-Prussian 


;354  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

war  of  1870.  Prussia,  anothor  party,  was  too  miicli  in  sym- 
pathy with  Russia  to  interfere  with  her  movements  against  the 
Turk.  England,  a  third,  in  an  embarrassed  condition  finan- 
cially, could  not  think  of  entering  into  any  contest  in  behalf  of 
Turkey  without  the  alliance  of  France.  Austria  had  not  re- 
co\'ered  from  the  blow  she  received  in  her  precedino;  war  with 
Prussia;  and  Italy  was  busy  wath  the  matter  of  stripping  the 
pope  of  his  temporal  power,  and  making  Rome  the  capital  of 
the  nation.  A  w^riter  in  the  New  York  Tribune  remarked  that 
if  Turkey  should  become  involved  in  difficulty  with  Russia,  she 
could  count  on  the  prompt  "  assistance  of  Austria,  France,  and 
England."  But  none  of  these  powers,  nor  any  others  who 
would  be  likely  to  assist  Turkey,  were  at  the  time  referred  to 
in  any  condition  to  do  so,  owing  principally  to  the  sudden  and 
unexpected  humiliation  of  the  French  nation,  as  stated  above. 

Russia  then  saw  that  her  opportunity  had  come.  She  ac- 
cordingly startled  all  the  powers  of  Europe  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  memorable  year,  1870,  by  stepping  forth  and  deliberately 
announcing  that  she  designed  to  regard  no  longer  the  stipula- 
tions of  the  treaty  of  1856.  This  treaty,  concluded  at  the 
termination  of  the  Crimean  war,  restricted  the  warlike  opera- 
tions of  Russia  in  the  Black  Sea.  But  Russia  must  have  the 
privilege  of  using  those  waters  for  military  purposes,  if  she 
would  carry  out  her  designs  against  Turkey ;  hence  her  deter- 
mination to  disregard  that  treaty  just  at  the  time  when  none  of 
the  powers  were  in  a  condition  to  enforce  it. 

The  ostensible  reason  urged  by  Russia  for  her  movements 
in  this  direction,  was,  that  she  might  have  a  sea  front  and  har- 
bors in  a  warmer  climate  than  the  shores  of  the  Baltic;  but 
the  real  design  was  against  Turkey.  Thus  the  Churchman,  of 
Hartford,  Conn.,  in  an  able  article  on  the  present  "  European 
Medley,"  states  that  Russia  in  her  encroachments  ujwn  Turkey, 
"  is  not  merely  seeking  a  sea  frontier,  and  harbors  lying  on 
the  great  highways  of  connnerce,  unclosed  by  arctic  winters,  but 
that,  witli  a  feeling  akin  to  that  which  inspired  the  Crusades, 
she  is  actuated  by  an  intense  desire  to  drive  the  Crescent  from 
the  soil  of  Europe." 

This  desire  on  the  part  <»f  Russia  has  been  dierishod  as  a 


PETER      THE      GR  EAT 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  45  357 

sacred  legacy  since  the  days  of  Peter  the  Great.  That  famous 
prince,  becoming  sole  emperor  of  Eussia  in  1688,  at  the  age  of 
sixteen,  enjoyed  a  prosperous  reign  of  thirty-seven  years,  to 
1725,  and  left  to  his  successors  a  celebrated  "  last  will  and 
testament,"  imparting  certain  important  instructions  for  their 
constant  observance.  The  0th  article  of  that  "  will  "  enjoined 
the  following  policy: — 

"  To  take  every  possible  means  of  gaining  Constantinople 
and  the  Indies  (for  he  who  rules  there  will  be  the  true  sover- 
eign of  the  world)  ;  excite  war  continually  in  Turkey  and 
Persia;  establish  fortresses  in  the  Black  Sea;  get  control  of 
the  sea  by  degrees,  and  also  of  the  Baltic,  which  is  a  double 
point,  necessary  to  the  realization  of  our  project ;  accelerate  as 
much  as  possible  the  decay  of  Persia  ;  penetrate  to  the  Persian 
Gulf;  re-establish,  if  possible,  by  the  way  of  Syria,  the  ancient 
commerce  of  the  Le\^ant ;  advance  to  the  Indies,  which  are  the 
great  depot  of  the  world.  Once  there,  we  can  do  without  the 
gold  of  England." 

The  eleventh  article  reads :  "  Interest  the  House  of  Austria 
in  the  expulsion  of  the  Turks  from  Europe,  and  quiet  their 
dissensions  at  the  moment  of  the  conquest  of  Constantinople 
(having  excited  war  among  the  old  states  of  Europe),  by  giv- 
ing to  Austria  a  portion  of  the  conquest,  which  afterward  will 
or  can  be  reclaimed." 

The  following  facts  in  Russian  history  will  show  how  per- 
sistently this  line  of  policy  has  been  followed: — 

"  In  1606,  Peter  the  Great  wrested  the  Sea  of  Azov  from 
the  Turks,  and  kept  it.  Kext,  Catherine  the  Great  won  the 
Crimea.  In  1S12,  by  the  peace  of  Bucharest,  Alexander  I 
obtained  l\roldavia,  and  the  prettily-named  province  of  Bess- 
arabia, with  its  apples,  peaches,  and  cherries.  Then  came  the 
great  N'icholas,  who  won  the  right  of  the  free  navigation  of  the 
Black  Sea,  the  Dardanelles,  and  the  Danube,  but  whose  inor- 
dinate greed  led  him  into  the  Crimean  war,  by  which  he  lost 
IMolda^'ia,  and  the  right  of  navigating  the  Danube,  and  the 
unrestricted  navigation  of  the  Black  Sea.  This  was  no  doubt  a 
severe  repulse  to  Russia,  but  it  did  not  extinguish  the  designs 
upon  the  Ottoman  power,  nor  did  it  contribute  in  anv  essential 
23 


358  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

degree  to  the  stability  of  the  Ottoman  empire.  Patieutlj  bid- 
ing her  time,  Russia  has  been  watching  and  waiting,  and  in 
1870,  when  all  the  AA'estern  nations  were  watching  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war,  she  announced  to  the  i)0Avers  that  she  would  be 
no  longer  bound  bv  the  treaty  of  185G,  which  restricted  her  use 
of  the  Black  Sea ;  and  since  that  time  that  sea  has  been,  as  it 
was  one  thousand  years  ago,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a 
mare  Eussicuni." —  San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

ISTapoleon  Bonaparte  well  understood  the  designs  of  Russia, 
and  the  imj^ortance  of  her  contemplated  movements.  While  a 
prisoner  on  the  island  of  St.  Helena,  in  conversation  with  his 
governor.  Sir  Hudson  Lowe,  he  gave  utterance  to  the  following 
opinion : — 

"  In  the  course  of  a  few  years,  Russia  will  have  Constanti- 
nople, part  of  Turkey,  and  all  of  Greece.  This  I  hold  to  be  as 
certain  as  if  it  had  already  taken  place.  All  the  cajolery  and 
flattery  that  Alexander  practiced  upon  me  was  to  gain  my  con- 
sent to  effect  that  object.  I  would  not  give  it,  foreseeing  that 
the  equilibrium  of  Europe  would  be  destroyed.  Once  mistress 
of  Constantinople,  Russia  gets  all  the  commerce  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, becomes  a  naval  power,  and  then  God  knows  what 
may  happen.  The  object  of  my  invasion  of  Russia  was  to  pre- 
vent this,  by  the  interposition  between  her  and  Turkey  of  a 
new  state,  which  I  meant  to  call  into  existence  as  a  barrier  to 
her  Eastern  encroachments." 

Kossuth,  also,  took  the  same  view  of  the  political  board, 
when  he  said,  "  In  Turkey  will  be  decided  the  fate  of  the 
world." 

The  words  of  Bonaparte,  quoted  above,  in  reference  to  the 
destruction  of  "  the  equilibrium  of  Europe,"  reveal  the  motive 
which  has  induced  the  great  powers  to  tolerate  so  long  the  ex- 
istence on  the  Continent  of  a  nation  which  is  false  in  religion, 
destitute  of  humanity,  and  a  disgrace  to  modern  civilization. 
Constantinople  is  regarded,  by  general  consent,  as  the  grand 
strategic  point  of  Europe;  and  the  poAvers  have  each  sagacity  or 
jealousy  enough  to  see,  or  think  they  see,  the  fact  that  if  any 
one  of  the  European  powers  gains  permanent  possession  of  that 
point,  as  Russia  desires  to  do,  that  power  will  be  able  to  dictate 


-      CHAPTER  11,  VERSE  45  359 

terms  to  the  rest  of  Europe.  This  position  no  one  of  tlie  powers 
is  willing  that  any  other  power  should  possess ;  and  the  only 
apparent  way  to  jDrevent  it  is  for  them  all  to  combine,  by  tacit 
or  express  agreement,  to  keep  each  other  out,  and  suffer  the 
unspeakable  Turk  to  drag  along  his  sickly  Asiatic  existence  on 
the  soil  of  Europe.  This  is  preserving  that  "  balance  of 
power  "  over  Avhich  they  are  all  so  sensitive.  But  this  cannot 
always  continue.  '"  Ho  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none  shall 
help  him."  The  sick  nmn  seems  determined  to  reduce  him- 
self most  speedily  to  such  a  degree  of  offensiveness  that  Europe 
M'ill  be  obliged  to  drive  him  into  Asia,  as  a  matter  of  safety 
to  its  own  civilization. 

A^Tlen  Russia,  in  1870,  announced  her  intention  to  disregard 
the  treaty  of  185 G,  the  other  powers,  though  incapable  of  doing 
anything,  nevertheless,  as  vas  becoming  their  ideas  of  their  own 
importance,  made  quite  a  show  of  oifended  dignity.  A  con- 
gress of  nations  was  demanded,  and  the  denumd  was  granted. 
The  congress  was  held,  and  proved,  as  everybody  expected  it 
would  prove,  simply  a  farce  so  far  as  restraining  Russia  was 
concerned.  The  San  Francisco  Chronicle  of  March,  1871,  had 
this  paragraph  touching  "  The  Eastern-Question  Congress:  " — 

"  It  is  (piite  evident  that,  as  far  as  directing  or  controlling 
the  action  of  the  Mnscovite  government  is  concerned,  the  con- 
gress is  little  better  than  a  farce.  England  originated  the  idea 
of  the  congress,  simply  because  it  afforded  her  an  opportunity 
of  abandoning,  without  actual  dishonor,  a  position  she  had  as- 
sumed rather  too  hastily,  and  Russia  was  complacent  enough 
to  join  in  the  '  little  game,'  feeling  satisfied  that  she  would  lose 
nothing  by  her  courtesy.  Turkey  is  the  only  aggrieved  party 
in  this  dexterous  arrangement.  She  is  left  face  to  face  with 
her  hereditary  and  implacable  enemy ;  for  the  nations  that  pre- 
viously assisted  her,  ostensibly  through  friendship  and  love  of 
justice,  but  really  through  motives  of  self-interest,  have  evaded 
the  challenge  so  openly  flung  into  the  arena  by  the  ISTorthern 
Colossus.  Tt  is  easy  to  foresee  the  end  of  this  conference. 
Russia  will  get  all  she  requires,  another  step  will  be  taken  to- 
ward the  realization  of  Peter  the  Great's  will,  and  the  sultan 


3 GO  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

will   receive  a  foretaste  of  liis   apparently  inevitable  doom  — 
expulsion   frorn   Europe." 

From  that  point  the  smoulder ing'  iires  of  the  "  Eastemi  Ques- 
tion "  continued  to  agitate  and  alarm  the  nations  of  Europe^  till 
in  1877  the  flames  burst  forth  anew.  On  the  S-ith  of  April  in 
that  year,  Russia  declared  war  against  Turkey,  ostensibly  to  de- 
fend the  Christians  against  the  inhuman  barbarity  of  the  Turks, 
really  to  make  another  trial  to  carry  out  her  long-cherished 
determination  to  drive  the  Turk  from  Europe.  The  events 
and  the  results  of  that  war  of  1877  - 1878,  are  of  such  recent 
date  that  the  general  reader  can  easily  recall  them.  It  was 
evident  from  the  first  that  Turkey  was  overmatched.  Russia 
pushed  her  ajiproaches  till  the  very  outposts  of  Constantinople 
were  occupied  by  her  forces.  But  diplomacy  on  the  part  of 
the  alarmed  nations  of  Europe  again  stepped  in  to  suspend  for 
awhile  the  contest.  The  Berlin  Congress  was  held  Jan.  25, 
1878.  Turkey  agreed  to  sigii  conditions  of  peace.  The  condi- 
tions were  that  the  straits  of  the  Dardanelles  should  be  open  to 
Russian  ships;  that  the  Russians  should  occupy  Batoum,  Kars, 
and  Erzeroum ;  that  Turkey  should  pay  Russia  £20,000,000 
sterling  (nearly  $100,000,000),  as  a  war  indemnity;  and  that 
the  treaty  should  be  signed  at  Constantinople.  In  making  this 
announcement,  the  Allegemeine  Zeitung  added:  "  The  eventual 
entry  of  the  Russians  into  Constantinople  cannot  longer  be  re- 
garded as  impracticable." 

The  Detroit  Evening  News  of  Feb.  20,  1878,  said: — 
''According  to  the  latest  version  of  the  peace  conditions, 
Turkey  —  besides  her  territorial  losses,  the  surrender  of  a  few 
ironclads,  the  repairs  of  the  mouth  of  the  Danube,  the  reim- 
bursement of  Russian  capital  invested  in  Turkish  securities,  the 
indemnity  to  Russian  subjects  in  Constantinople  for  war  losses, 
and  the  maintenance  of  about  100,000  prisoners  of  war  —  will 
have  to  pay  Russia,  in  round  figures,  a  sum  equivalent  to 
about  $552,000,000  in  our  money.  The  unestimated  items 
will  easily  increase  this  to  six  hundred  uiillion.  With  her  tax- 
able territory  reduced  almost  to  ])Overty-stricken  Asia  l\Iinor, 
and  with  her  finances  at  present  in  a  condition  of  absolute 
chaos,  it  is  difficult  to  sec  where  she  is  going  to  get  the  money, 


en  APT  E  Pi   n,  VERSE  Jfo  363 

however  ready  lu-r  present  rulers  may  be  to  sign  the  contract. 

"  The  proposition  amounts  to  giving  the  czar  a  permanent 
mortgage  on  the  whole  empire,  and  contains  an  implied  threat 
that  he  may  foreclose  at  any  time,  by  the  seizure  of  the  remain- 
der of  European  Turkey.  In  this  last  aspect  all  Europe  has 
a  vital  interest  in  the  matter,  and  particularly  England,  even 
if  the  conditions  were  not  in  themselves  calculated  to  drive 
English  creditors  crazy,  by  destroying  their  last  hope  of  ever 
getting  a  cent  of  their  large  investments  in  Turkish  bonds.  It 
nuikes  Russia  a  preferred  creditor  of  the  bankrupt  Porte,  with 
the  additional  advantage  of  being  assignee  in  possession,  leaving 
creditors  with  prior  claims  out  in  the  cold.'' 

The  following  paragraph  taken  from  the  Philadelphia  Pub- 
lic Ledger,  August,  1878,  sets  forth  an  instructive  and  very 
suggestive  exJiibit  of  the  shrinkage  of  Turkish  territory  within 
the  past  sixty  years,  and  especially  as  the  result  of  the  war 
of  1877:—  ' 

'•Any  one  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  look  at  a  map  of 
Turkey  in  Europe  dating  l)ack  about  sixty  years,  and  compare 
that  with  the  new  map  sketched  by  the  treaty  of  San  Stefano 
as  modified  by  the  Berlin  Congress,  will  be  al)le  to  form  a  judg- 
ment of  the  march  of  progress  that  is  pressing  the  Ottoman 
power  out  of  Europe.  Then,  the  northern  boundary  of  Turkey 
extended  to  the  Carpathian  ^Mountain's,  an<l  eastward  of  the 
River  Sereth  it  embraced  ^Moldavia  as  far  north  nearly  as  the 
47th  degree  of  north  latitude.  That  map  embraced  also  what  is 
now  the  kingdom  of  Greece.  It  covered,  all  of  Servia  and  Bos- 
nia. But  l)y  the  year  1830  the  northern  frontier  of  Turkey  was 
driven  back  from  the  Carpathians  to  the  south  bank  of  the 
Danube,  the  principalities  of  ^[oldavia  and  Wallachia  being 
emancipated  from  Turkish  dominion,  and  subject  only  to  the 
payment  of  an  annual  tribute  in  money  to  the  Porte.  South  of 
the  Danube,  the  Servians  had  won  a  similar  emancipation  for 
their  country.  Greece  also  had  been  enabled  to  estal>lish  her 
independence.  Then,  as  recently,  the  Turk  Avas  truculent  and 
obstinate.  Russia  and  Great  Britain  proposed  to  make  Greece 
a  tributary  state,  retaining  the  sovereignty  of  the  Porte.  This 
was  refused,   and  the  result  was  the  utter  destruction  of  the 


304  PROPHECY  OF  DAXIEL 

powerful  Turkish  fleet  at  Xavarino,  and  the  erection  of  the  in- 
dependent kingdom  of  Greece.  Thus  Turkey  in  Europe  was 
pressed  back  on  all  sides.  Xow,  the  northern  boundary,  which 
was  so  recently  at  the  Danube,  has  been  driven  south  to  the 
Balkans.  Eoumania  and  Servia  have  ceased  even  to  be  tribu- 
tary, and  have  taken  their  place  among  independent  states. 
Bosnia  has  gone  under  the  protection  of  Austria,  as  Roumania 
did  under  that  of  Russia  in  1829.  '  Rectified  '  boundaries  give 
Turkish  territory  to  Servia,  Montenegro,  and  Greece.  Bulgaria 
takes  the  place  of  Roumania  as  a  self-governing  principality, 
having  no  dependence  on  the  Porte,  and  paying  only  au  annual 
tribute.  Even  south  of  the  Balkans  the  power  of  the  Turk  is 
crippled,  for  Roumelia  is  to  have  '  home  rule '  under  a  Chris- 
tian governor.  And  so  again  the  frontier  of  Turkey  in  Europe 
is  pressed  back  on  all  sides,  until  the  territory  left  is  but  the 
shadow  of  what  it  was  sixty  years  ago.  To  produce  this  re- 
sult has  been  the  policy  and  the  battle  of  Russia  for  more  than 
half  a  century ;  for  nearly  that  space  of  time  it  has  been  the 
struggle  of  some  of  the  other  '  powers  '  to  maintain  the  '  integ- 
rity '  of  the  Turkish  empire.  Which  policy  has  succeeded,  and 
which  failed,  a  comparison  of  maps  at  intervals  of  twenty-five 
years  will  show.  Turkey  in  Europe  has  been  shriveled  up  in 
the  last  half  century.  It  is  shrinking  back  and  back  toward 
Asia,  and,  though  all  the  '  powers  '  but  Russia  should  unite 
their  forces  to  maintain  the  Ottoman  system  in  Europe,  there 
is  a  manifest  destiny  visible  in  the  history  of  the  last  fifty 
years  that  must  defeat  them." 

A  correspondent  of  the  Christian  Tnion,  writing  from  Con- 
stantinople under  date  of  Oct.  8,  1878,  said: — 

"  "When  we  consider  the  difiiculties  which  now  beset  this 
feeble  and  tottering  government,  tlic  only  wonder  is  that  it  can 
stand  for  a  day.  Aside  from  the  funded  debt  of  $1,000,000,- 
000  upon  which  it  pays  no  interest,  it  has  an  enormous  floating 
debt  representing  all  the  expenses  of  the  war ;  its  employees  are 
unpaid;  its  army  has  not  been  disbanded  or  even  reduced;  and 
its  paper  money  has  become  almost  worthless.  The  people 
have  lost  heart,  and  expect  every  day  some  new  revolution  or 


CHA-PTEH  11.  VERSE  JfO  365 

a  renewal  of  the  war.  The  governiiient  does  not  know  Avhich 
to  distrust  most,  its  friends  or  its  enemies." 

Since  1878  the  tendency  of  all  movements  in  the  East  has 
been  in  the  same  direction,  foreboding  greater  pressure  upon 
the  Turkish  government  in  the  direction  of  its  expulsion  from 
the  soil  of  Europe.  The  occupation  of  Egypt  by  the  English, 
which  took  place  in  1883,  is  another  step  toward  the  inevitable 
result,  and  furnishes  a  movement  which  the  Independent,  of 
jSTew  York,  ventures  to  call  "  the  beginning  of  the  end." 

In  1895  the  world  was  startled  by  the  report  of  the  terrible 
atrocities  inflicted  by  the  Turks  and  Kurds  upon  the  Arme- 
nians. Reliable  reports  show  that  many  thousands  have  been 
slaughtered,  with  every  circumstance  of  fiendish  cruelty.  The 
nations  through  their  ambassadors  protest  and  threaten ;  the 
sultan  promises,  but  does  nothing.  He  evidently  has  not  the 
disposition,  if  he  has  the  power,  to  stay  the  tide  of  blood. 
Fanatical  Moslems  seem  seized  Avith  a  frenzy  to  destroy  all  the 
Armenian  men  and  take  their  wives  and  children  to  slavery  or 
a  more  lamentable  fate.  Thousands  of  widows  and  orphans, 
left  to  wander  in  the  mountains  of  Armenia,  perished  of  cold 
and  hunger.  A  thrill  of  horror  ran  through  Christendom, 
and  a  cry  rose  from  all  lands.  Let  the  Turk  be  driven  out,  and 
come  to  his  end !  And  yet  the  selfishness  of  the  nations,  and 
their  jealousy  of  each  other,  restrained  their  hands  from  ar- 
resting this  carnival  of  slaughter  and  ruin,  by  unseating  the 
terrible  Turk.      How^  long,  O  Lord,  how  long? 

Thus  all  evidence  goes  to  show  that  the  Turk  must  soon  leave 
Europe.  Where  will  he  then  plant  the  tabernacles  of  his  palace  ? 
In  Jerusalem  ?  That  certainly  is  the  most  probable  point. 
!N"ewton  on  the  Prophecies,  p.  318,  says:  "  Between  the  seas  in 
the  glorious  holy  mountain  must  denote,  as  we  have  sho-wn, 
some  part  of  the  Holy  Land.  There  the  Turk  shall  encamp 
with  all  his  powers ;  yet  he  '  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none 
shall  help  him,' — shall  help  him  effectually,  or  deliver  him." 

Time  w'ill  soon  determine  this  matter;  and  it  may  be  but 
a  few  months.  And  when  this  takes  place,  what  follows  ?  — 
Events  of  the  most  momentous  interest  to  all  the  inhabitants 
of  this  world,  as  the  next  chapter  immediately  shows. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 


Verse  1.  And  at  tliat  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people:  and  there  shall  be  a 
time  of  ti'oiible,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation  even  to 
that  same  time :  and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be  delivered,  every 
one  that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book. 

A  DEFINITE  time  is  introduced  in  this  verse,  not  a 
time   revealed   in   names   or   figures   Avliicli   specify   any 

particular  year  or  month  or  day,  but  a  time  made 
definite  by  the  occurrence  of  a  certain  event  with  which  it 
stands  connected.  *^4.t  that  time."  ^^^lat  time  ?  —  The  time 
to  which  we  are  brought  by  the  closing  verse  of  the  preceding 
chaj)ter, —  the  time  when  the  king  of  the  north  shall  plant  the 
tabernacles  of  his  palace  in  the  glorious  holy  mountain;  or, 
in  other  words,  when  the  Turk,  driven  from  Europe,  shall 
hastily  make  Jerusalem  his  temporary  seat  of  government.  We 
noticed,  in  remarks  upon  the  latter  portion  of  the  preceding 
chapter,  some  of  the  agencies  already  in  operation  for  the  ac- 
com])lisl)mcnt  of  this  end,  and  some  of  the  indications  that  the 
Turk  will  very  soon  be  oldiged  to  make  tliis  move.  And  when 
this  event  takes  place,  he  is  to  come  to  his  end;  and  thru,  ac- 
cording to  this  verse,  we  look  for  the  standing  up  of  INIichael, 

(366) 


C II  APT  EH  ]J.   VEH.^E  1  3GT 

the  great  prince.  Tliis  movement  on  the  part  of  Turkey  is 
the  signal  for  the  standing  up  of  Michael;  that  is,  it  marks 
this  event  as  next  in  order.  And  to  guard  against  all  mis- 
understanding, let  the  reader  note  that  the  position  is  not  here 
taken  that  the  next  movement  against  the  Turks  will  drive 
them  from  Europe,  or  that  when  they  shall  establish  their  cap- 
ital at  Jerusalem,  Christ  begins  his  reign  without  the  lapse  of 
a  day  or  an  hour  of  time.  But  here  are  the  events,  to  come, 
as  we  believe,  in  the  following  order :  ( 1 )  Further  pressure 
brought  to  bear  in  some  way  upon  the  Turk;  (2)  His  retire- 
ment from  Europe;  (3)  His  final  stand  at  Jerusalem;  (4) 
The  standing  up  of  Michael,  or  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
Christ,  and  his  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  And  it  is 
not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  any  great  amount  of  time  will 
elapse  between  these  events. 

Who,  then,  is  Michael  ?  and  what  is  his  standing  up  ?  — 
Michael  is  called,  in  Jude  9,  the  "  archangel."  This  means 
the  chief  angel,  or  the  head  over  the  angels.  There  is  but  one. 
AMio  is  he  ?  - — ■  He  is  the  one  whose  voice  is  heard  from  heaven 
when  the  dead  are  raised.  1  Thess.  4:  16.  And  whose  voice 
is  heard  in  connection  with  that  event  ?  —  The  voice  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  John  5 :  2S.  Tracing  back  the  evidence 
with  this  fact  as  a  basis,  we  reach  the  following  conclusions: 
The  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  is  the  voice  of  the  archangel ; 
the  archangel,  then,  is  the  Son  of  God,  but  the  archangel  is 
Michael;  hence  also  Michael  is  the  Son  of  God.  The  expres- 
sion of  Daniel,  "  The  great  prince  which  standeth  for  the  chil- 
dren of  thy  people,"  is  alone  sufficient  to  identify  the  one  here 
spoken  of  as  the  Saviour  of  men.  He  is  the  Prince  of  life 
(Acts  3:  15)  ;  and  God  hath  exalted  him  to  be  a  "  Prince  and 
a  Saviour."  Acts  5:31.  He  is  the  great  Prince.  There  is 
no  one  greater,  save  the  sovereign  Father. 

And  he  "  standeth  for  the  cliildren  of  thy  people."  He 
condescends  to  take  the  servants  of  God  in  this  poor  mortal 
state,  and  redeem  them  for  the  subjects  of  his  future  kingdom. 
He  stands  for  us.  His  people  are  essential  to  his  future  pur- 
poses, an  inseparable  part  of  the  purchased  inheritance ;  and 
they  are  to  be  the  chief  agents  of  that  joy  in  view  of  which 


368  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Christ  endured  all  the  sacrifice  and  suffering  which  have 
marked  his  intervention  in  behalf  of  the  fallen  race.  Amaz- 
ing honor  I  Be  everlasting  gTatitude  repaid  him  for  his  con- 
descension and  mercy  unto  us !  Be  his  the  kingdom,  power, 
and  glory,  forever  and  ever! 

We  now  come  to  the  second  question.  What  is  the  standing 
up  of  Michael  ?  The  key  to  the  interpretation  of  this  expres- 
sion is  furnished  us  in  verses  2  and  3  of  chapter  11 :  "  There 
shall  stand  up  yet  three  kings  in  Persia ;  "  ''A  mighty  king 
shall  stand  up,  that  shall  rule  with  great  dominion."  There 
can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of  these  expressions  in  these 
instances.  They  signify  to  take  the  kingdom,  to  reign.  The 
same  expression  in  the  verse  under  consideration  must  mean 
the  same.  At  that  time,  Michael  shall  stand  up,  shall  take 
the  kingdom,  shall  commence  to  reign. 

But  is  not  Christ  reigning  now  'I  —  Yes,  associated  with  his 
Father  on  the  throne  of  universal  dominion.  Eph.  1 :  20  -  22  ; 
Kev.  3:  21.  But  this  throne,  or  kingdom,  he  gives  up  at  the 
end  of  this  dispensation  (1  Cor.  15:24);  and  then  he  com- 
mences his  reign  brought  to  view  in  the  text,  when  he  stands 
up,  or  takes  his  own  kingdom,  the  long-promised  throne  of  his 
father  David,  and  establishes  a  dominion  of  which  there  shall 
be  no  end.      Luke  1 :  32,  33. 

An  examination  of  all  the  events  that  constitute,  or  are  in- 
separably connected  with,  this  change  in  the  position  of  our 
Lord,  does  not  come  within  the  scope  of  this  work.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  then  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  king- 
dom "  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ."  His  priestly  robes  are 
laid  aside  for  royal  vesture.  The  wort,  of  mercy  is  done,  and 
the  probation  of  our  race  is  ended.  Then  he  that  is  filthy  is 
beyond  hope  of  recovery;  and  he  that  is  holy  is -beyond  the 
danger  of  falling.  All  cases  are  decided.  And  from  that 
time  on,  till  the  terrified  nations  behold  the  majestic  form  of 
their  insulted  King  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  the  nations  are 
broken  as  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  dashed  in  pieces  like  a  pot- 
ter's vessel,  by  a  time  of  trouble  such  as  never  was,  a  series 
of  judgnnents  unparalleled  in  the  world's  history,  culminating 
in  the  revelation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  heaven  in  flam- 


en  AFTER  l..\  VERSE  1  3tj9 

ing  lire,  to  take  vengeance  (ni  tlicni  tliaf  know  not  God,  and 
obey  not  the  go.spel.      2  Tliess.  1 :  7,  8  ;  Eev.  11 :  15  ;  22  :  11,  12. 

Thus  momentous  are  the  events  introduced  by  the  standing 
up  of  ]\lichaeL  And  he  thus  stands  up,  or  takes  the  kingdom, 
]narking  the  introduction  of  this  decisive  period  in  human  his- 
tory, for  some  length  of  time  before  he  returns  personally  to 
this  earth.  How  important,  then,  that  we  have  a  knowledge 
of  his  position,  that  we  may  be  able  to  trace  tlie  progress  of 
his  work,  and  understand  when  that  thrilling  moment  draws 
near  which  ends  his  intercession  in  behalf  of  mankind,  and 
fixes  the  destiny  of  all  forever. 

But  how  are  we  to  know  this  ^  How  are  we  to  determine 
what  is  transpiring  in  the  far-off  heaven  of  heavens,  in  the 
sanctuary  aljo\'e  ?  ■ — ■  God  has  been  so  good  as  to  place  the 
means  of  knowing  this  is  our  hands.  ^Mien  certain  great 
events  take  place  on  earth,  he  has  told  us  what  events  synchro- 
nizing Avith  them  occur  in  heaven.  By  things  wliich  are  seen, 
Ave  thus  learn  of  things  that  are  unseen.  As  Ave  "  look  through 
nature  up  to  nature's  God,"  so  through  terrestrial  phenomena 
and  events  Ave  trace  gTcat  movements  in  the  heavenly  Avorld. 
When  the  king  of  the  north  plants  the  tabernacles  of  his  pal- 
ace betAveen  the  seas  in  the  glorious  holy  mountain,  a  movement 
for  Avhicli  Ave  already  behold  the  initial  steps,  then  Michael, 
our  Lord,  stands  up,  or  receiA^es  from  his  Father  the  kingdom, 
preparatory  to  his  return  to  this  earth.  Or  it  might  haA'e 
been  expressed  in  Avords  like  these :  Then  our  Lord  ceases  his 
Avork  as  our  great  High  Priest,  and  the  probation  of  the  Avorld 
is  finished.  The  great  prophecy  of  the  2300  days  giA'es  us 
definitely  the  commencement  of  the  final  division  of  the  AA'ork 
in  the  sanctuary  in  heaven.  The  verse  before  us  giA'es  us  data 
AA'hereby  Ave  can  discover  approximately  the  time  of  its  close. 

In  connection  Avitli  the  standing  up  of  Michael,  there  occurs 
a  time  of  troul)le  such  as  ncA^er  Avas.  Li  Matt.  24:  21  Ave  read 
of  a  period  of  tribulation  such  as  never  Avas  before  it,  nor 
should  be  after  it.  This  tribulation,  fulfilled  in  the  oppression 
and  slaughter  of  the  church  by  the  papal  poAA^er,  is  already 
past;  AAdiile  the  time  of  trouble  of  Dan.  12:  1,  is,  according  to 
the  vieAV  AA^e  take,  still  future.      Hoav  can  there  be  tAvo  times  of 


370  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

trouble,  manv  years  apart,  cacli  of  them  greater  than  anv  that 
had  been  before  it,  or  should  be  after  it  I  To  avoid  difficulty 
here,  let  this  distinction  be  carefully  noticed:  The  tribulation 
spoken  of  in  Matthew  is  tribulation  upon  the  church.  Christ 
is  there  speaking  to  his  disciples,  and  of  his  disciples  in  com- 
ing time.  They  were  the  ones  involved,  and  for  their  sake  the 
days  of  tribulation  were  to  be  shortened.  Verse  22.  Whereas, 
the  time  of  trouble  mentioned  in  Daniel  is  not  a  time  of  relig' 
ious  persecution,  but  of  national  calamity.  There  has  been 
nothing  like  it  since  there  was  - — ■  not  a  church,  but  — ■  a  nation. 
This  comes  upon  the  world.  This  is  the  last  trouble  to  come 
upon  the  world  in  its  present  state.  In  ]\[attliew  there  is  refer- 
ence made  to  time  beyond  that  tribulation ;  for  after  that  was 
past,  there  was  never  to  be  any  like  it  upon  the  people  of  God. 
But  there  is  no  reference  here  in  Daniel  to  future  time  after 
the  trouble  here  mentioned ;  for  this  closes  i»p  this  world's  his- 
tory. It  includes  the  seven  last  plagues  of  Revelation  IG,  and 
culminates  in  the  revelation  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  coming  upon 
his  pathway  of  clouds  in  flaming  Are,  to  visit  destruction  upon 
his  enemies  who  would  not  have  him  to  reign  over  them.  But 
out  of  tliis  tribulation  every  one  shall  be  delivered  who  shall  be 
found  written  in  the  book  —  the  book  of  life;  "for  in  ]\lount 
Zion  .  .  .  shall  be  deliverance,  as  the  Lord  hath  said,  and  in 
the  renmant  wliom  the  Lord  shall  call."       Joel  2:32. 

Verse  2.  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth 
shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt. 

This  verse  also  shows  how  momentous  a  period  is  intro- 
duced by  the  standing  up  of  ]\Iichael,  or  the  commencement  of 
the  reign  of  Christ,  as  set  forth  in  the  first  verse  of  this  chap- 
ter; for  the  event  here  described  in  explicit  terms  is  a  resur- 
rection of  the  dead.  Is  this  the  general  resurrection  which 
takes  place  at  the  second  coming  of  Clirist  ?  or  is  there  to  inter- 
vene between  Christ's  reception  of  tlie  kingdom  and  his  revela- 
tion to  earth  in  all  his  advent  glory  (Luke  21  :  27)  a  special 
resurrection  answering  to  the  description  here  given  ?  One  of 
these  it  must  be;  for  every  declaration  of  Scripture  will  be 
fulfilled. 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSE  2  371 

W'lij  may  it  not  be  the  former,  or  the  resurrection  which 
occurs  at  the  hist  trump  i  Answer :  Because  only  tlie  right- 
eous, to  the  exclusion  of  all  the  wicked,  have  part  in  that 
resurrection.  Those  who  sleep  in  Christ  then  come  forth ;  but 
they  only,  for  the  rest  of  the  dead  live  not  again  for  a  thou- 
sand years.  Rev.  20:  5.  So,  then,  the  general  resurrection  of 
the  whole  race  is  comprised  in  two  grand  divisions,  first,  of  the 
righteous  exclusiv'ely,  at  the  coming  of  Christ ;  secondly,  of  the 
wicked  exclusively,  a  thousand  years  thereafter.  The  general 
resurrection  is  not  a  mixed  resurrection.  The  righteous  and 
the  wicked  do  not  come  up  promiscuously  at  the  same  time. 
But  each  of  these  two  classes  is  set  off  by  itself,  and  the  time 
which  elapses  between  their  respective  resurrections  is  plainly 
stated  to  be  a  thousand  years. 

But  in  the  resurrection  brought  to  view  in  the  verse  before 
us,  many  of  both  righteous  and  wicked  come  up  together.  It 
cannot  therefore  be  the  first  resurrection,  which  includes  the 
righteous  only,  nor  the  second  resurrection,  which  is  as  dis- 
tinctly confined  to  the  wicked.  If  the  text  read.  Many  of  them 
that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake  to  everlasting- 
life,  then  the  "  many  "  might  be  interpreted  as  including  all 
the  righteous,  and  the  resurrection  be  that  of  the  just  at  the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  But  the  fact  that  some  of  the  many 
are  wicked,  and  rise  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt,  bars 
the  way  to  such  an  application. 

It  may  be  objected  that  this  text  does  not  affirm  the  awak- 
ening of  any  but  the  righteous,  according  to  the  translation  of 
Bush  and  AMiiting;  namely,  "And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in 
the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  these  to  everlasting  life,  and 
those  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  It  will  be  noticed, 
first  of  all,  that  this  translation  (which  is  not  by  any  means 
above  criticism)  proves  nothing  till  the  evident  ellipsis  is  sup- 
plied. This  ellipsis  some  therefore  undertake  to  supply  as 
follows:  "And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the 
earth  shall  aAvake,  these  [the  awakened  ones]  to  everlasting 
life,  and  those  [the  unawakened  ones]  to  shame  and  everlasting 
contempt."  It  will  be  noticed,  again,  that  this  does  not  supply 
the  ellipses,  but  only  adds  a  comment,  which  is  a  very  different 


372  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

thing.  To  supply  the  elipsis  is  simply  to  insert  those  words 
^\•hieh  are  necessary  to  complete  the  sentence.  "  Many  of 
them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,"  is  a 
complete  sentence.  The  subject  and  predicate  are  both  ex- 
pressed. The  next  member,  "  Some  [or  these]  to  everlasting 
life,"  is  not  complete.  What  is  wanted  to  complete  it  ?  Not  a 
comment,  giving  some  one's  opinion  as  to  who  are  intended  by 
'^  these,"  but  a  verb  of  which  these  shall  be  the  subject.  What 
verb  shall  it  be  ?  This  must  be  determined  by  the  preceding 
portion  of  the  sentence,  which  is  complete,  where  the  verb  shall 
awake  is.  used.  This,  then,  is  the  predicate  to  be  supplied: 
''  Some  [or  these]  shall  awake  to  everlasting  life."  Aj)plying 
the  same  rule  to  the  next  member,  "  Some  [or  those]  to  shame 
and  everlasting  contempt,"  which  is  not  in  itself  a  complete 
sentence,  we  find  ourselves  obliged  to  supply  the  same  words, 
and  read  it,  "  Some  [or  those]  shall  awake  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt."  Anything  less  than  this  will  not  complete 
the  sense,  and  anything  different  will  pervert  the  text ;  for  a 
predicate  to  be  suj^plied  cannot  go  beyond  one  already  ex- 
pressed. The  affirmation  made  in  the  text  pertains  only  to 
the  many  who  awake.  Xothing  is  affirmed  of  the  rest  who  do 
not  then  awake.  And  to  say  that  the  expression  "  to  shame 
and  everlasting  contempt  "  applies  to  them,  when  nothing  is 
affirmed  of  them,  is  not  only  to  outrage  the  sense  of  the  pas- 
sage, but  the  laws  of  language  as  well.  And  of  the  many  who 
awake,  some  come  forth  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame 
and  everlasting  contempt,  which  further  proves  a  resurrection 
to  consciousness  for  these  also ;  for  while  contempt  may  be  felt 
and  manifested  by  others  toward  those  who  are  guilty,  shame 
can  be  felt  and  manifested  only  by  the  guilty  parties  them- 
selves. This  resurrection,  therefore,  as  already  shown,  com- 
prises some  of  both  righteous  and  wicked,  and  cannot  be  the 
general  resurrection  at  the  last  day. 

Is  there,  then,  any  place  for  a  si:)ecial  or  limited  resurrec- 
tion, or  elsewhere  any  intimation  of  such  an  event,  before  the 
Lord  appears  ?  The  resurrection  here  predicted  takes  place 
when  God's  people  are  delivered  from  the  great  time  of  trouble 
with  Avhich  the  liistorv  of  this  world  terminates;  and  it  seems 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSE  2  373 

from  Rev.  22 :  11  that  this  deliverauce  is  given  before  the  l^ord 
appears.  The  awful  moment  arrives  when  he  that  is  filthy  and 
unjust  is  pronounced  unjust  still,  and  he  that  is  righteous 
and  holy  is  jironounced  holy  still.  Then  the  cases  of  all  are 
forever  decided.  And  when  this  sentence  is  pronounced  upon 
the  righteous,  it  must  be  deliverance  to  them ;  for  then  they  are 
placed  beyond  all  reach  of  danger  or  fear  of  evil.  But  the 
Lord  has  not  at  that  time  made  his  appearance ;  for  he  imme- 
diately adds,  "And,  behold,  I  come  quickly."  The  utterance 
of  this  solemn  fiat  which  seals  the  righteous  to  everlasting  life, 
and  the  wicked  to  eternal  death,  is  supposed  to  be  synchronous 
with  the  great  voice  which  is  heard  from  the  throne  in  the  tem- 
ple of  heaven,  saying,  "  It  is  done!  "  Rev.  16:  17.  x\nd  this 
is  evidently  the  voice  of  God,  so  often  alluded  to  in  descriptions 
of  the  scenes  connected  with  the  last  day.  Joel  speaks  of  it, 
and  says  (chapter  3 :  16)  :  "  The  Lord  also  shall  roar  out  of 
Zion,  and  utter  his  voice  from  Jerusalem;  and  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  shall  shake :  but  the  Lord  will  be  the  hope  of  his 
people,  and  the  strength  of  the  children  of  Israel."  The  mar- 
gin reads  instead  of  "  hope,"  "  place  of  repair,  or  harbor." 
Then  at  this  time,  when  God's  voice  is  heard  from  heaven 
just  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  God  is  a  harbor 
for  his  people,  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  provides  them  de- 
liverance. Here,  then,  at  the  voice  of  God,  when  the  deci- 
sions of  eternity  are  pronounced  upon  the  race,  and  the  last 
stupendous  scene  is  just  to  open  upon  a  doomed  world,  God 
gives  to  the  astonished  nations  another  evidence  and  pledge  of 
his  power,  and  raises  from  the  dead  a  multitude  who  have  long 
slept  in  the  dust  of  the  earth. 

Thus  we  see  that  there  is  a  time  and  place  for  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Dan.  12 :  2.  "We  now  add  that  a  passage  in  the  book  of 
Revelation  makes  it  necessary  to-  suppose  a  resurrection  of  this 
kind  to  take  place.  Rev.  1 :  7  reads :  "  Behold,  he  cometh  with 
clouds  [this  is  unquestionably  the  second  advent]  ;  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him  [of  the  nations  then  living  on  the  earth],  and 
they  also  which  pierced  him  [those  who  took  an  active  part  in 
the  terrible  work  of  his  crucifixion]  ;  and  all  kindreds  of  the 
earth  shall  wail  because  of  him."      Those  who  crucified  the 


374  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

Lord,  would,  unless  there  was  an  exception  made  in  their  cases, 
remain  in  their  gra\'es  till  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  and 
come  up  in  the  general  assembly  of  the  wicked  at  that  time. 
Jjut  here  it  is  stated  that  they  behold  the  Lord  at  his  second 
advent.  They  must  therefore  have  a  special  resurrection  for 
that  purpose. 

And  it  is  certainly  most  appropriate  that  some  who  were 
eminent  in  holiness,  who  labored  and  suffered  for  their  hope 
of  a  coming  Saviour,  but  died  without  the  sight,  should  be 
raised  a  little  before,  to  witness  the  scenes  attending  his  glo- 
rious epiphany ;  as,  in  like  manner,  a  goodly  company  came  out 
of  their  graves  at  his  resurrection  to  behold  his  risen  glory 
(Matt.  27:  52,  53),  and  to  escort  him  in  triumph  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  throne  of  the  majesty  on  high  (Eph.  4:8,  mar- 
gin) ;  and  also  that  some,  eminent  in  wickedness,  who  have 
done  most  to  reproach  the  name  of  Christ  and  injure  his  cause, 
and  especially  those  who  secured  his  cruel  death  upon  the  cross, 
and  mocked  and  derided  him  in  his  dying  agonies,  should  be 
raised,  as  part  of  their  judicial  punishment,  to  behold  his  re- 
turn in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  a  celestial  victor,  in,  to  them, 
unendurable  majesty  and   splendor. 

One  more  remark  upon  this  text  before  passing  on.  What 
is  here  said  is  supposed  by  some  to  furnish  good  evidence  of 
the  eternal  conscious  suffering  of  the  wicked,  because  those  of 
this  character  who  are  spoken  of  come  forth  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt.  How  can  they  forever  suffer  these,  unless 
they  are  forever  conscious  ?  It  has  already  been  stated  that 
shame  implies  their  consciousness ;  but  it  will  be  noticed  that 
this  is  not  said  to  be  everlasting.  This  qualifying  word  is  not 
inserted  till  we  come  to  the  contempt,  which  is  an  emotion  felt 
l)y  others  toward  the  guilty  parties,  and  does  not  render  nec- 
essary the  consciousness  of  those  against  whom  it  is  directed. 
And  so  some  read  the  passage:  "  Some  to  shame,  and  the  ever- 
lasting contempt  of  their  companions."  And  so  it  will  boj 
Shame  for  their  Avickedness  and  corruption  will  burn  into  their 
very  sonls,  so  long  as  they  have  conscious  being.  And  when 
they  pass  away,  consumed  for  their  inicpiities,  their  loathsome 
cliaracters  and  their  guilty  deeds  excite  only  contempt  on  the 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSES  2,  3  375 

part  of  all  the  righteous,  unmodified  and  unabated  so  long  as 
they  hold  them  in  remembrance  at  all.  The  text  therefore  fur- 
nishes no  proof  of  the  eternal  suffering  of  the  Avicked. 

Verse  3.  And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the 
stars  forever  and  ever. 

The  margin  reads  ""  teachers  "  in  place  of  "  wise."  And 
they  that  be  teachers  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment; that  is,  of  course,  those  who  teach  the  truth,  and  lead 
others  to  a  knowledge  of  it,  just  previous  to  the  time  when  the 
events  recorded  in  the  foregoing  verses  are  to  be  fulfilled. 
And  as  the  world  estimates  loss  and  profit,  it  costs  something 
to  be  teachers  of  these  things  in  these  days.  It  costs  repu- 
tation, ease,  comfort,  and  often  property ;  it  involves  lal)ors, 
crosses,  sacrifices,  loss  of  friendship,  ridicule,  and,  not  infre- 
quently, jDersecution.  And  the  question  is  often  asked,  How 
can  you  afford  it  ?  How  can  you  afford  to  keej:)  the  Sabbath, 
and  perhaps  lose  a  situation,  reduce  your  income,  or  it  may 
be  "even  hazard  your  means  of  suj)port  ?  O  blind,  deluded, 
sordid  question !  O  what  shortsightedness,  to  make  obedience 
to  what  God  requires  a  matter  of  pecuniary  consideration ! 
How  unlike  is  this  to  the  noble  martyrs,  who  loved  not  their 
lives  unto  the  death !  'No ;  the  affording  is  all  on  the  other 
side.  When  God  commands,  we  cannot  afford  to  disobey. 
And  if  we  are  asked.  How  can  you  afford  to  keep  the  Sabbath, 
and  do  other  duties  involved  in  rendering  obedience  to  the 
truth  ?  we  have  only  to  ask  in  reply.  How  can  you  afford  vot  to 
do  them  ?  And  in  the  coming  day,  when  those  who  have  sought 
to  save  their  lives  shall  lose  them,  and  those  who  have  been 
Avilling  to  hazard  all  for  the  sake  of  the  truth  and  its  divine 
Lord,  shall  receive  the  glorious  reward  promised  in  the  text, 
and  be  raised  up  to  shine  as  the  firmament,  and  as  the  imper- 
ishable stars  forever  and  ever,  it  will  then  be  seen  who  have 
been  wise,  and  who,  on  the  contrary,  have  made  the  choice  of 
blindness  and  folly.  The  wicked  and  worldly  now  look  upon 
Christians  as  fools  and  madmen,  and  congratulate  themselves 
upon  their  superior  shrewdness  in  shunning  what  they  call  their 
24 


376  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

folly,  and  avoiding  their  losses.  We  need  make  no  response; 
for  those  who  now  render  this  decision  will  soon  themselves 
reverse  it,  and  that  with  terrible  though  unavailing  earnestness. 

Meanwhile,  it  is  the  Christian's  privilege  to  revel  in  the 
consolations  of  this  marvelous  promise.  A  conception  of  its 
magnitude  can  be  gathered  only  from  the  stellar  worlds  them- 
selves. What  are  these  stars,  in  the  likeness  of  Avhich  the 
teachers  of  righteousness  are  to  shine  forever  and  ever  ?  How 
much  of  brightness,  and  majesty,  and  length  of  days,  is  in- 
volved in  this  comparison  ? 

The  sun  of  our  own  solar  system  is  one  of  these  stars. 
If  we  compare  it  ^\'itli  this  globe  upon  which  we  live  ((>ur 
handiest  standard  of  measurement),  we  find  it  an  orb  of  no 
small  magnitude  and  magnificence.  Our  earth  is  8,000  miles 
in  diameter;  but  the  sun's  diameter  is  885,680  miles.  In  size 
it  is-  one  and  a  half  million  times  larger  than  our  globe ;  and 
in  the  matter  of  its  substance,  it  would  balance  three  hundred 
and  fifty-two  thousand  worlds  like  ours.  What  immensity 
is  this ! 

Yet  this  is  far  from  being  the  largest  or  the  brightest  of 
the  orbs  which  drive  their  shining  chariots  in  myriads  through 
the  heavens.  His  proximity  (he  being  only  some  ninety-five 
million  miles  from  us)  gives  him  with  us  a  controlling  pres- 
ence and  influence.  But  far  away  in  the  depths  of  space, 
so  far  that  they  appear  like  mere  points  of  light,  blaze  other 
orbs  of  vaster  size  and  greater  glory.  The  nearest  fixed  star. 
Alpha  Centauri,  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  is  found,  by  the 
accuracy  and  efiiciency  of  modern  instruments,  to  be  nineteen 
thousand  million  miles  away;  but  the  polo-star  system  is  fif- 
teen times  as  remote,  or  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  thou- 
sand million  miles;  and  it  shines  with  a  luster  equal  to  that 
of  eighty-six  of  our  suns;  others  are  still  larger,  as,  for  in- 
stance, Vega,  which  emits  the  light  of  three  hundred  and 
forty-four  of  our  suns;  Capella,  four  hundred  and  thirty; 
Arcturus,  five  hundred  and  sixteen;  and  so  on,  till  at  last 
we  reach  the  great  star  Alcyone,  in  the  constellation  of  the 
Pleiades,  which  floods  the  celestial  spaces  with  a  brilliancy 
twelve  thousand  times  that  of  the  ponderous  orb  which  lights 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSE  S  377 

and  controls  our  solar  system !  AVhy,  then,  does  it  not  appear 
more  luminous  to  us  i  —  Ah !  its  distance  is  twenty-live  million 
diameters  of  the  earth's  orbit;  and  the  latter  is  one  hundred 
and  ninety  million  miles  I  Figures  are  weak  to  express  such 
distances.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  say  that  its  glowing  light 
must  traverse  space  as  only  light  travels, — 192,000  miles  a 
second, —  for  a  period  of  more  than  seven  hundred  years,  be- 
fore it  reaches  this  distant  world  of  ours! 

Some  of  these  monarchs  of  the  skies  rule  singly,  like  our 
own  sun.  Some  are  double ;  that  is,  what  appears  to  us  like 
one  star  is  found  to  consist  of  two  stars  —  two  suns  with  their 
retinue  of  .planets,  revolving  around  each  other;  others  are 
triple,  some  are  quadruple ;  and  one,-  at  least,  is  sextuple. 

Besides  this,  they  show  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 
Some  systems  are  white,  some  blue,  some  red,  some  yellow, 
some  ffreen ;  and  this  means  diiferent-colored  davs  for  the 
planets  of  those  systems.  Castor  gives  his  planets  green  days. 
The  double  pole-star  gives  his  yellow.  In  some,  the  different 
suns  belonging  to  the  same  system  are  variously  colored.  Says 
Dr.  Burr,  in  his  Ecce  Coelum,  p.  136:  '^\nd,  as  if  to  make 
that  Southern  Cross  the  fairest  object  in  all  the  heayens,  we 
find  in  it  a  group  of  more  than  a  hundred  variously  colored 
red,  green,  blue,  and  bluish-green  suns,  so  closely  thronged 
together  as  to  appear  in  a  powerful  telescope  like  a  superb 
bouquet,  or  piece  of  fancy  jewelry." 

And  what  of  the  age  of  these  glorious  bodies  ?  A  few  years 
pass  away,  and  all  things  earthly  gather  the  mold  of  age,  and 
the  odor  of  decay.  How  much  in  this  world  has  perished 
entirely !  But  the  stars  shine  on  as  fresh  as  in  the  beginning. 
Centuries  and  cycles  have  gone  by,  kingdoms  have  arisen  and 
slowly  passed  away ;  we  go  back  beyond  the  dim  and  shadowy 
horizon  of  history,  go  back  even  to  the  earliest  moment  intro- 
duced by  revelation,  when  order  was  evoked  out  of  chaos,  and 
the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy  —  even  then  the  stars  w^ere  on  their  stately  marches, 
and  how  long  before  this  we  know  not;  for  astronomers  tell  us 
of  nebulae  lying  on  the  farthest  outposts  of  telescopic  vision, 
whose  light  in  its  never-ceasing  flight  would  consume  five  mil- 


378        •  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

lion  years  in  reaching  this  planet.  So  ancient  are  these  stellar 
orbs.  Yet  their  brightness  is  not  dimmed,  nor  their  force 
abated.  The  dew  of  yonth  still  seems  fresh  npon  them.  No 
broken  outline  shows  the  foothold  of  decay ;  no  faltering  mo- 
tion reveals  the  decrepitude  of  age.  Of  all  things  visible,  these 
stand  next  to  the  Ancient  of  days ;  and  their  undiminished 
glory  is  a  jjrophecy  of  eternity. 

And  thus  shall  they  who  turn  many  to  righteousness  shine 
in  a  glory  that  shall  bring  joy  even  to  the  heart  of  the  Re- 
deemer ;   and  thus  shall  their  years  roll  on  forever  and  ever. 

Verse  4.  But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words,  and  seal  the 
book,  e^'en  to  the  time  of  the  end :  many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and 
knowledge  shall  be  increased. 

The  "  words  "  and  "  book  "  here  spoken  of  doubtless  refer 
to  the  things  which  had  been  revealed  to  Daniel  in  this  proph- 
ecy. These  things  were  to  be  shut  up  and  sealed  until  the 
time  of  the  end;  that  is,  they  were  not  to  be  specially  studied, 
or  to  any  great  extent  understood,  till  that  time.  The  time 
of  the  end,  as  has  already  been  shown,  commenced  in  1798. 
As  the  book  Avas  closed  up  and  sealed  to  that  time,  the  plain 
inference  is  that  at  that  time,  or  from  that  point,  the  book 
would  be  unsealed ;  that  is,  people  would  l^e  better  able  to  un- 
derstand it,  and  would  have  their  attention  specially  called  to 
this  part  of  the  inspired  word.  Of  what  has  been  done  on  the 
subject  of  prophecy  since  that  time,  it  is  unnecessary  to  remind 
the  reader.  The  prophecies,  especially  Daniel's  prophecy,  have 
been  under  examination  by  all  students  of  the  word  wherever 
civilization  has  spread  abroad  its  light  upon  the  earth.  And 
so  the  remainder  of  the  verse,  being  a  prediction  of  what  should 
take  place  after  the  time  of  the  end  commenced,  says,  "  ^fany 
shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased." 
Whether  this  running  to  and  fro  refers  to  the  passing  of  peo- 
ple from  place  to  ]daee,  and  the  great  improvements  in  the 
facilities  for  transportation  and  travel  made  within  the  present 
century,  or  whether  it  means,  as  some  understand  it,  a  tnrning 
to  and  fro  in  the  ]>rophecies,  that  is,  a  diligent  and  earnest 
search    into   j)rophetic   truth,    the   fulfilment    is   certainly   and 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSE  J,  379- 

surely  before  our  eyes.  It  must  have  its  application  in  one 
of  these  two  ways;  and  in  both  of  these  directions  the  present 
age  is  very  strongly  marked. 

So  of  the  increase  of  knowledge.  It  must  refer  either  to 
the  increase  of  knowledge  in  general,  the  development  of  tae 
arts  and  sciences,  or  an  increase  of  knowledge  in  reference  to 
those  things  revealed  to  Daniel,  which  were  closed  \ip  and 
sealed  to  the  time  of  the  end.  Here,  again,  apply  it  which 
way  we  wall,  the  fulfilment  is  most  marked  and  complete. 
Look  at  the  marvelous  achievements  of  the  lumian  mind,  and 
the  cunning  works  of  men's  hands,  rivaling  the  magician's 
wildest  dreams,  which  have  been  accomplished  within  the  last 
hundred  years.  It  was  recently  stated  in  the  Scientific  Ameri- 
can that  within  this  time  more  advancement  has  been  made  in 
all  scientific  attainments,  and  more  progTess  in  all  that  tends 
to  domestic  comfort,  the  rapid  transaction  of  business  among 
men,  the  transmission  of  intelligence  from  one  to  another,  and 
the  means  of  rapid  transit  from  place  to  place  and  even  from 
continent  to  continent,  than  all  that  was  done  for  three  thou- 
sand years  previous,  put  together. 

By  a  series  of  vignettes  the  artist  has  given  us  in  the  ac- 
companying plates  a  bird's-eye  view  of  some  of  the  most 
wonderful  discoveries  and  marvelous  scientific  and  mechanical 
achievements  of  the  present  age.      They  represent, — 

1.  The  Suspension  Bridge. —  The  first  suspension  bridge 
of  note  in  this  country  was  built  across  the  x^iagara  River  in 
1S55.      The  famous  Brooklyn  bridge  was  completed  in  1883. 

2.  Electric  Lighting. —  This  system  of  lighting  was  per- 
fected and  brought  into  use  in  the  last  twenty  years  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  Only  two  electric  lighting  exhibits  were 
to  be  seen  at  the  Centennial  Exposition  in  Philadelphia  in 
1876.  At  the  Paris  Exposition,  twenty-four  years  later,  there 
were  tw^o  hundred  such  exhibits. 

3.  Modern  Artillery. —  At  Sandy  Hook,  guarding  the  en- 
trance to  New  York  harbor,  is  a  monster  breech-loading  can- 
non 49  feet  in  length,  w^eighing  180  tons,  capable  of  throwing 
a  projectile  over  five  feet  in  length  and  weighing  2,400  pounds, 
a  distance  of  twenty  miles. 


380  PROPHECY  OF' DANIEL 

4.  The  Automobile. —  Only  a  few  years  ago  this  machine 
was  entirely  unknown.  Now  automobiles  are  common  in  everv 
section  of  the  country,  and  bid  fair  to  almost  entirely  super- 
sede the  horse  carriage  as  a  means  of  locomotion.  Read,  in 
connection  with  descriptions  of  the  automobile  and  the  rail- 
way train,  the  prophecy  of  IsTahum  2:3,  4. 

5.  The  Modern  Printing-press. —  Presses  now  used  in  the 
large  newspaper  offices  consume  in  an  hour  280  miles  of  paper 
of  newspaper  Avidth,  and  turn  out  in  the  same  time  96,000 
papers  of  16  pages,  folded,  pasted,  and  counted.  Contrast 
this  with  the  hand  printing-j)ress  of  Benjamin  Franklin. 

6.  The  Telegraph. —  This  was  first  put  into  operation  in 
1844. 

7.  The  Trolley  Car. —  The  first  .practicable  electric  rail- 
way line  was  constructed  and  operated  at  the  Berlin  Inter- 
national Exposition,  in  1879.  Interurban  travel  by  trolley 
car  in  many  places  now  nearly  equals  in  speed  and  excels  in 
comfort  the  best  steam  railway  service.  It  is  generally  be- 
lieved, in  fact,  that  electricity  is  about  to  conquer  steam  on 
all  railway  lines. 

8.  The  Telephone. —  The  first  patent  on  the  telephone 
was  granted  to  Alexander  Graham  Bell  in  1876. 

9.  The  Steam  Railway. —  The  first  American-built  loco- 
motive was  made  in  Philadelphia  in  1832.  The  use  of  the 
steam  engine  for  locomotion  has  made  it  possible  to  travel 
around   the   world   in   about    sixty   days. 

10.  Ocean  Steamships. —  Early  in  the  last  century  the  ap- 
]dication  of  steam  power  to  ships  revolutionized  ocean  travel. 
Two  ships  now  being  built  for  the  Cunard  line  are  760  feet 
in  length,  have  engines  of  60,000  horse-power,  and  are  of 
double  the  tonnage  of  the  famous   Great  Eastern. 

11.  Modern  Battleships. —  A  single  battleship  of  the  pres- 
ent day  could  easily  overcome  the  combined  naval  fleets  of  the 
world  as  they  were  at  the  middle  of  the  last  centurv. 

12.  The  Typewriter. —  The  first  model  of  the  modern  type- 
writer was  put  on  the  market  in   1874. 

13.  The  Combination  Reaper  and  Thresher., —  Compare 
the   harvesting   methods   of    the    present    day,    when   grain    is 


MANY  SHALL   RUN   TO  AND   FRO,  AND 


KNOWLEDGE     SHALL     BE     INCREASED." 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSE  4  335 

not  only  cut  and  gathered,  but  at  the  same  time  threshed  and 
collected  in  bags  ready  for  the  market,  by  one  machine,  with 
the  old  method  of  hand  reajjing,  which  was  in  use  in  the  days 
of  our  grandfathers. 

14.  The  Type-setting  Machine. —  This  machine  has  worked 
a  revolution  in  the  art  of  printing.  The  first  Mergenthaler 
machine  was  made  in  1884. 

15.  Oil  Wells. —  The  discovery  of  petroleum  in  the  last 
century  revolutionized  domestic  lighting,  also  affording  such 
indispensable  products  as  benzine   and  gasoline. 

16.  The  Phonograph. —  The  first  Edison  phonograph  was 
constructed  in  1877. 

17.  The  Photographic  Camera. —  The  first  sunlight  picture 
of  a  human  face  was  made  by  Professor  Draper  of  Xew  York 
in   1840. 

18.  Wireless  Telegraphy. —  The  first  apparatus  capable  of 
transmitting  wireless  messages  over  long  distances  was  made 
by  Marconi  in  1896.  Almost  every  large  steamship  is  now 
provided  with  this  apparatus,  and  conversations  can  be  car- 
ried on  by  people  on  the  ocean  hundreds  of  miles  apart.  A 
daily  paper  is  published  on  transatlantic  liners,  giving  each 
day's  news  of  world  events,  sent  out  by  wireless  telegraphy 
to  the  ship  from  the  shores  of  America  or  of  Europe. 

19.  The  Air-ship. —  The  long-studied  problem  of  air  navi- 
gation seems  now,  through  discoveries  recently  made,  to  bo 
on  the  verge  of  solution.  The  picture  shows  a  dirigible  bal- 
loon, which  has  been  operated  with  success ;  but  experiments 
now  being  made  with  the  aeroplane  type  of  air-ship  promise 
a  practical  solution  of  the  problem  of  air  travel  at  no  distant 
date. 

Many  other  things  might  be  spoken  of,  such  as  submarine 
armor  for  divers,  submarine  boats  for  exploring  the  depths  of 
the  sea,  and  for  use  in  naval  warfare,  power  spinning-machines, 
and  anesthetics  to  prevent  pain  in  surgery,  etc.,  etc. 

AMiat  a  galaxy  of  wonders  to  originate  in  a  single  age ! 
How  marvelous  the  scientific  attainments  of  the  present  day, 
upon  which  all  these  discoveries    and    achievements    concen- 


386  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

trate  their  light!  Truly,  viewed  from  this  standpoint,  we 
have  reached  the  age  of  the  increase  of  knowledge. 

And  to  the  honor  of  Christianity  let  it  he  noted  in  what 
lands,  and  hy  whom,  all  these  discoveries  have  been  made,  and 
so  much  done  to  add  to  the  facilities  and  comforts  of  life.  It 
is  in  C^hristian  lands,  among  Christian  men,  since  the  great 
Reformation.  Xot  in  the  Dark  Ages,  which  furnished  only  a 
travesty  of  Christianity;  not  to  pagans,  who  in  their  ignorance 
know  not  God,  nor  to  those  who  in  Christian  lands  deny  him, 
is  the  credit  of  this  progress  due.  Indeed,  it  is  the  very  spirit 
of  equality  and  individual  liberty  inculcated  in  the  gospel  of 
Christ  when  preached  in  its  purity,  which  unshackles  human 
limbs,  unfetters  human  minds,  invites  them  to  the  highest  use 
of  their  powers,  and  makes  possible  such  an  age  of  free  thought 
and  action,  in  which  these  wonders  can  be  achieved. 

Of  the  marvelous  character  of  the  present  age,  Victor  Hugo 
speaks  as  follows : — 

"  In  science  it  works  all  miracles ;  it  makes  saltpeter  out  of 
cotton,  a  horse  out  of  steam,  a  laborer  out  of  the  voltaic  pile, 
a  courier  out  of  the  electric  fluid,  and  a  painter  of  the  sun ;  it 
bathes  itself  in  the  subterranean  waters,  while  it  is  warmed  with 
the  central  fires;  it  opens  upon  the  two  infinities  those  two 
windows, —  the  telescope  on  the  infinitely  great,  the  microscope 
on  the  infinitely  little,  and  it  finds  in  the  first  abyss  the  stars 
of  heaven,  and  in  the  second  abyss  the  insects,  which  prove  the 
existence  of  a  God.  It  annihilates  time,  it  annihilates  distance, 
it  annihilates  suffering;  it  writes  a  letter  from  Paris  to  London, 
and  has  the  answer  back  in  ten  minutes;  it  cuts  off  the  leg  of 
a  man  —  the  man  sings  and  smiles." — Le  Petit  Napoleon. 

But  if  we  take  the  other  standpoint,  and  refer  the  increase 
of  knowledge  to  an  increase  of  Biblical  knowledge,  we  have 
only  to  look  at  the  wonderful  light  which,  within  the  past  sixty 
years,  has  shone  upon  the  Scriptures.  The  fulfilment  of  jn-oph- 
ecy  has  been  revealed  in  the  light  of  history.  The  use  of  a 
Ijetter  principle  of  interpretation  has  led  to  conclusions  show- 
ing, beyond  dispute,  that  the  end  of  all  things  is  near.  Truly 
tlie  seal  has  been  taken  from  the  book,  and  knowledge  res]ioct- 
iug   what   God   has   revealed   in   his   word,   is   wonderfully    in- 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSES  J^-l  387 

creased.  We  think  it  is  in  this  respect  that  the  prophecy  is 
more  especially  fulfilled,  but  only  in  an  age  like  the  present 
could  the  prophecy,  even  in  this  direction,  be  accomplished. 

That  we  are  in  the  time  of  the  end,  v.dien  the  book  of  this 
prophecy  should  be  no  longer  sealed,  but  be  open  and  under- 
stood, is  shown  by  Rev.  10 :  1,  2,  where  a  mighty  angel  is  seen 
to  come  down  from  heaven  with  a  little  book  in  his  hand  open. 
For  proof  that  the  little  book,  there  said  to  be  open,  is  the  book 
here  closed  up  and  sealed,  and  that  that  angel  delivers  his  mes- 
sage in  this  generation,  see  on  Rev.   10 :  2. 

Verse  5.  Then  I  Daniel  looked,  and,  behold,  there  stood  other  two, 
the  one  ou  this  side  of  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  other  on  that 
side  of  the  bank  of  the  river.  6.  And  one  said  to  the  man  clothed  in 
linen,  which  was  upon  the  waters  of  the  river,  How  long  shall  it  be 
to  the  end  of  these  wonders  ?  7.  And  I  heard  the  man  clothed  in 
linen,  which  was  upon  the  waters  of  the  river,  when  he  held  up  his 
right  hand  and  his  left  hand  unto  heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that  liv- 
eth  forever  that  it  shall  be  for  a  time,  times,  and  a  half;  and  when  he 
shall  have  accomplished  to  scatter  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all 
these  things  shall  be  finished. 

The  question,  "  How  long  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these 
wonders  ?  "  undoubtedly  has  reference  to  all  that  has  previously 
been  mentioned,  including  the  standing  w])  of  Michael,  the  time 
of  trouble,  the  deliverance  of  God's  people,  and  the  special  and 
antecedent  resurrection  of  verse  2.  And  the  answer  seems  to 
be  given  in  two  divisions :  First,  a  specific  prophetic  period  is 
marked  off;  and,  secondly,  an  indefinite  period  follows  before 
the  conclusion  of  all  these  things  is  reached ;  just  as  we  have  it 
in  chapter  8 :  13,  Id.  When  the  question  was  asked,  "  How 
long  the  vision  ...  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host 
to  be  trodden  under  foot  ?  "  the  answer  mentioned  a  definite 
period  of  2300  days,  and  then  an  indefinite  period  of  the 
cleansing  of  the  sanctuary.  So  in  the  text  before  us,  there  is 
given  the  period  of  a  time,  times,  and  a  half,  or  1260  years, 
and  then  an  indefinite  period  for  the  continuance  of  the  scatter- 
ing of  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  before  the  consummation. 

The  1260  years  mark  the  period  of  papal  supremacy.  Why 
is  this  period  here  introduced?  —  Probably  because  this  power 
is  the  one  Avhich  does  more  than  any  other  in  the  world's  his- 


388  'PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

tor  J  toward  scattering  the  power  of  the  holj  people,  or  oppress- 
ing the  church  of  God.  But  what  shall  we  understand  by  the 
expression,  "  Shall  have  accomplished  to  scatter  the  power  of 
the  holy  people  "  ?  A  literal  translation  of  the  Septuagint 
seems  to  present  it  in  a  clearer  light :  "  When  he  shall  have 
finished  the  scattering  of  the  power  of  the  holy  people."  To 
whom  does  the  pronoun  he  refer  ?  According  to  the  wording 
of  this  scripture,  the  antecedent  would  at  first  sight  seem  to  be 
"  Him  that  liveth  forever,"  or  Jehovah ;  but,  as  an  eminent 
expositor  of  the  prophecies  judiciously  remarks,  in  considering 
the  pronouns  of  the  Bible  we  are  to  interpret  them  according 
to  the  facts  of  the  case;  and  hence  must  frequently  refer  them 
to  an  antecedent  understood,  rather  than  to  some  noun  which 
is  expressed.  So,  here,  the  little  horn,  or  man  of  sin,  having 
been  introduced  by  the  particidar  mention  of  the  time  of  his 
supremacy,  namely,  1260  years,  may  be  the  power  referred  to 
by  the  pronoun  lie.  For  1260  years  he  had  grievously  op- 
pressed the  church,  or  scattered  its  power.  After  his  suprem- 
acy is  taken  away,  his  disposition  toward  the  truth  and  its 
advocates  still  remains,  and  his  power  is  still  felt  to  a  certain 
extent,  and  he  continues  his  work  of  oppression  just  as  far  as 
he  is  able,  till  —  when  ?  —  Till  the  last  of  the  events  brought 
to  view  in  verse  1,  the  deliverance  of  God's  people,  every  one 
that  is  found  written  in  the  book.  Being  thus  delivered,  per- 
secuting powers  are  no  longer  able  to  oppress  them ;  their  power 
is  no  longer  scattered ;  the  end  of  the  wonders  brought  to  view 
in  this  great  prophecy  is  reached ;  and  all  its  predictions  are 
accomplished. 

Or,  we  may,  without  particularly  altering  the  sense,  refer 
tlie  pronoun  lie  to  the  one  mentioned  in  the  oath  of  verse  7, 
as  "Him  that  liveth  forever;  "  that  is,  God,  since  he  employs 
the  agency  of  earthly  powers  in  chastising  and  disciplining  his 
people,  and  in  that  sense  may  be  said  himself  to  scatter  their 
power.  By  his  prophet  he  said  concerning  the  kingdom  of 
Israel,  "  I  will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn  it,  .  .  .  until  lie 
come  whose  right  it  is."  Eze.  21 :  27.  And  again,  "  »Teru- 
salem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled."      Luke  21 :  24.      Of  like  import 


CHAPTER  m,  VERSES  5  - 10  389 

is  the  prophecy  of  Dan.  8 :  13 :  ''  How  long  the  vision  .  .  . 
to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host  to  be  trodden  under 
foot  ?  "  Who  gives  them  to  this  condition  ?  —  God.  Why  i 
—  To  discipline ;  to  '"  jmrify  and  make  white  "  his  people. 
How  long  ?  —  Till   the   sanctuary   is   cleansed. 

Verse  8.  And  I  heard,  but  1  understood  not:  then  said  I,  O  my 
Lord,  what  shall  be  the  end  of  these  things  ?  9.  And  he  said,  Go  thy 
way,  Daniel :  for  the  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  time  of 
the  end.  10.  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and  tried;  but 
the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly :  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  under- 
stand ;  but  the  wise  shall  understand. 

How  forcibly  are  we  reminded,  by  Daniel's  solicitude  to 
understand  fully  all  that  had  been  shown  him,  of  Peter's  words 
where  he  speaks  of  the  prophets'  inquiring  and  searching  dili- 
gently to  understand  the  predictions  concerning  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  and  the  glory  that  should  follow ;  and  also  of  the  fact 
that  not  unto  themselves  but  unto  us  they  did  minister.  How 
little  were  some  of  the  prophets  permitted  to  understand  of 
Avhat  they  wrote !  But  they  did  not  therefore  refuse  to  write. 
If  God  required  it,  they  knew  that  in  due  time  he  would  see 
that  his  people  derived  from  their  writings  all  the  benefit  that 
he  intended.  So  the  language  here  used  to  Daniel  was  the 
same  as  telling  him  that  when  the  right  time  should  come,  the 
wise  would  understand  the  meaning  of  what  he  had  written, 
and  be  profited  thereby.  The  time  of  the  end  was  the  time  in 
which  the  Spirit  of  God  was  to  break  the  seal  from  off  this 
book ;  and  consequently  this  was  the  time  during  which  the 
wise  should  understand,  while  the  wicked,  lost  to  all  sense  of 
the  value  of  eternal  truth,  with  hearts  callous  and  hardened  in 
sin,  would  grow  continually  more  wicked  and  more  blind. 
None  of  the  wicked  understand.  The  efforts  which  the  wise 
put  forth  to  understand,  they  call  folly  and  presumption,  and 
ask,  in  sneering  phrase,  "  ^Miere  is  the  promise  of  his  com- 
ing?" And  should  the  question  be  raised.  Of  what  time  and 
what  generation  speaketh  the  prophet  this  ?  the  solemn  answer 
would  be.  Of  the  present  time,  and  of  the  generation  now  be- 
fore us.  This  language  of  the  prophet  is  now  receiving  a  most 
striking  fulfilment. 


390  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

The  phraseology  of  verse  10  seems  at  first  sight  to  be  rather 
peculiar:  "  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and  tried." 
How,  it  may  be  asked,  can  they  be  made  white  and  then  tried 
(as  the  language  would  seem  to  imply),  when  it  is  by  being 
tried  that  they  are  purified  and  made  white  ?  Answer :  The 
language  doubtless  describes  a  process  which  is  many  times  re- 
peated in  the  experience  of  those,  who,  during  this  time,  are 
being  made  ready  for  the  coming  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord, 
They  are  purified  and  made  white  to  a  certain  degree,  as  com- 
pared with  their  former  condition.  Then  they  are  again  tried. 
Greater  tests  are  brought  to  bear  upon  them.  If  they  endure 
these,  the  work  of  purification  is  thus  carried  on  to  a  still 
greater  extent, —  the  process  of  being  made  white  is  made  to 
reach  a  still  higher  stage.  And  having  reached  this  state,  they 
are  tried  again,  resulting  in  their  being  still  further  purified 
and  made  white ;  and  thus  the  process  gi:>es  on  till  characters  are 
developed  which  will  stand  the  test  of  the  great  day,  and  a 
spiritual  condition  is  reached  which  needs  no  further  trial. 

Verse  11.  And  from  the  time  that  the  daily  sacrifice  shall  be 
taken  away,  and  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate  set  up,  there 
shall  be  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety  days. 

We  have  here  a  new  prophetic  period  introduced ;  naniely, 
1290  prophetic  days,  which  would  denote  the  same  number  of 
literal  years.  From  the  reading  of  the  text,  some  have  in- 
ferred (though  the  inference  is  not  a  necessary  one)  that  this 
period  begins  with  the  setting  up  of  the  abomination  of  desola- 
tion, or  the  papal  power,  in  538,  and  consequently  extends  to 
1S28.  But  while  we  find  nothing  in  the  latter  year  to  mark  its 
termination,  we  do  find  evidence  in  the  margin  that  it  begins 
before  the  setting  up  of  the  papal  al)oniinati(m.  The  margin 
reads,  "  To  set  up  the  abomination,''  etc.  With  this  reading 
the  text  would  stand  thus:  ''And  from  the  time  that  the  daily 
sacrifice  shall  be  taken  away  to  set  up  [or  in  order  to  set  up] 
the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate,  there  shall  be  a  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  ninety  days."  The  daily  has  already 
been  shown  to  be,  not  the  daily  sacrifice  of  the  Jews,  but  the 
daily  or  '-ontinual   al)omination,  that  is,  paganism.       (See  on 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSES  11,  12  391 

.jhapter  8:13.)  This  had  to  be  taken  away  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  papacy.  For  the  historical  events  showing  how 
this  was  accomplished  in  508,  see  on  chapter  11 :  31.  \Ye  are 
not  told  directly  to  what  event  these  1290  days  reach ;  but 
inasmuch  as  their  commencement  is  marked  by  a  work  ^vhich 
takes  place  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  setting  up  of  the  papacy, 
it  would  be  most  natural  to  conclude  that  their  end  would  be 
marked  by  the  cessation  of  papal  supremacy.  Counting  back, 
then,  1290  years  from  1798,  we  have  the  year  508,  where  it 
has  been  shoA\Ti  that  paganism  was  taken  away,  thirty  years 
before  the  setting  up  of  the  papacy.  This  period  is  doubtless 
given  to  sIioav  the  date  of  the  taking  away  of  the  daily,  and  it 
is  the  only  one  which  does  this.  The  tw^o  periods,  therefore, 
the  1290  and  the  1260  days,  terminate  together  in  1798,  the 
one  beginning  in  538,  and  the  other  in  508,  thirty  years 
previous. 

Verse  12.  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thou- 
sand three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days.  13.  But  go  thou  thy 
way  till  the  end  be;  for  thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the 
end  of  the  days. 

Still  another  prophetic  period  is  here  introduced,  denoting 
1335  years.  The  testimony  concerning  this  period,  like  that 
which  pertains  to  the  1290  years,  is  very  meager.  Can  we  tell 
when  this  period  begins  and  ends  ?  The  only  clue  we  have  to 
the  solution  of  this  question,  is  the  fact  that  it  is  spoken  of  in 
immediate  connection  with  the  1290  years,  which  commenced, 
as  shown  above,  in  508.  From  that  point  there  shall  be,  says 
the  prophet,  1290  days.  And  the  very  next  sentence  reads, 
"  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  1335  days." 
From  Avhat  point  ?  —  From  the  same  point,  undoubtedly,  as 
that  from  which  the  1290  date;  namely,  508.  Unless  they  are 
to  be  reckoned  from  this  point,  it  is  impossible  to  locate  them, 
and  they  must  be  excepted  from  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  when 
we  apply  to  it  the  words  of  Christ,  "  Whoso  readeth,  let  him 
understand."  ]\ratt.  24:  15.  From  this  point  they  would  ex- 
tend to  1843;  for  1335  added  to  508  make  1843.  Commenc- 
ing in  the  spring  of  the  former  year,  they  ended  in  the  spring 
of  the  latter. 
25 


392  PROPHECY   OF  DANIEL 

But  liow  can  it  be  that  they  have  ended,  it  may  be  asked, 
since  at  the  end  of  these  days  Daniel  stands  in  his  lot,  which  is 
by  some  supposed  to  refer  to  his  resurrection  from  the  dead  ? 
This  question  is  founded  on  a  misapprehension  in  two  respects : 
First,  that  the  days  at  the  end  of  Avliich  Daniel  stands  in  his 
lot  are  the  1335  days;  and,  secondly,  that  the  standing  of 
Daniel  in  his  lot  is  his  resurrection,  which  also  cannot  be  sus- 
tained. The  only  thing  promised  at  the  end  of  the  1335  days 
is  a  blessing  unto  those  Avho  wait  and  come  to  that  time ;  that 
is,  those  who  are  then  living.  "S^Tiat  is  this  blessing  ?  Looking 
at  the  year  1843,  Avhen  tliese  years  expired,  what  do  we  behold  1 
—  We  see  a  remarkable  fulfilment  of  prophecy  in  the  great 
proclamation  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  Forty-five  years 
before  this,  the  time  of  the  end  commenced,  the  book  was  un- 
sealed, and  light  began  to  increase.  About  the  year  1843,  there 
was  a  grand  culmination  of  all  the  light  that  had  been  shed 
on  prophetic  subjects  uj)  to  that  time.  The  proclamation  Avent 
forth  in  power.  The  new  and  stirring  doctrine  of  the  setting- 
up  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  shook  the  world.  Xew  life  was 
imi^arted  to  the  true  disciples  of  Christ.  The  unbelieving  were 
condemned,  the  churches  were  tested,  and  a  spirit  of  revival 
was  awakened  which  has  had  no  parallel  since. 

Was  this  the  blessing  ?  Listen  to  the  Saviour's  words : 
"Blessed  are  your  eyes,"  said  he  to  his  disciples,  "for  they 
see;  and  your  ears,  for  they  hear."  Matt.  13  :  16.  And  again 
he  told  his  followers  that  prophets  and  kings  had  desired  to 
see  the  things  which  they  saw,  and  had  not  seen  them.  But 
"  blessed,"  said  he  to  them,  "  are  the  eyes  which  see  the  things 
that  ye  see."  Luke  10:  23,  24.  If  a  new  and  glorious  truth 
was  a  blessing  in  the  days  of  Christ  to  those  who  received  it, 
Avhy  was  it  not  equally  so  in  a.  d.  1843  ? 

It  may  be  objected  that  those  Avho  engaged  in  this  move- 
ment were  disapjiointed  in  their  expectations;  so  Averc  the 
disciples  of  Christ  at  his  first  advent,  in  an  equal  degree. 
They  shouted  before  him  as  he  rode  into  Jerusalem,  expect- 
ing that  he  would  then  take  the  kingdom ;  but  the  only  throne 
to  which  he  then  went  was  the  cross;  and  instead  of  being 
hailed  as  king  in  a  royal  palace,  he  was  laid  a  lifeless  form  in 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSE  12  393 

Joseph's  new  sepiilclier.  Nevertheless,  they  were  "  blessed  '' 
in  receiving  the  truths  tliej  had  heard. 

It  may  be  objected  further  that  this  was  not  a  suHicient 
blessing  to  be  marked  by  a  prophetic  period.  Why  nut,  since 
the  period  in  which  it  was  to  occur,  namely,  the  time  of  the 
end,  is  introduced  by  a  ^jroj^hetic  period;  since  our  Lord,  in 
verse  14  of  his  great  prophecy  of  Matthew  24,  makes  a  sj^ecial 
announcement  of  this  movement;  and  since  it  is  still  further 
set  forth  in  Rev.  14 :  6,  7,  under  the  symbol  of  an  angel  flying 
through  mid-heaven  with  a  special  announcement  of  the  ever- 
lasting gospel  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  :■  Surely  the  Bible 
gives  great  prominence  to  this  movement. 

Two  more  questions  remain  to  be  briefly  noticed  :  (1)  What 
days  are  referred  to  in  verse  13  ?  (2)  AYhat  is  meant  by  Dan- 
iel's standing  in  his  lot  ?  Those  who  claim  that  the  days  are 
the  1335,  are  led  to  that  application  by  looking  back  no  further 
than  to  the  preceding  verse,  where  the  1335  days  are  men- 
tioned ;  wliei"eas,  in  making  an  aj^plication  of  these  days  so  in- 
definitely introduced,  the  whole  scope  of  the  prophecy  should 
certainl}^  be  taken  in  from  chapter  S.  Chapters  9,  10,  11, 
and  12  are  clearly  a  continuation  and  explanation  of  the  vision 
of  chapter  8 ;  hence  we  may  say  that  in  the  vision  of  chapter  8, 
as  carried  out  and  explained,  there  are  four  prophetic  periods; 
namely,  the  2300,  1260,  1290,  and  1335  days.  The  first  is  the 
principal  and  longest  period;  the  others  are  but  intermediate 
•parts  and  subdivisions  of  this.  Xow,  when  the  angel  tells 
Daniel,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  instructions,  that  he  shall  stand 
in  his  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days,  without  specifying  Avhich 
period  was  meant,  would  not  Daniel's  mind  naturally  turn  to 
the  principal  and  longest  j)eriod,  the  2300  days,  rather  than  to 
any  of  its  subdivisions  ?  If  this  is  so,  the  2300  are  the  days 
intended.  The  reading  of  the  Septuagint  seems  to  look  very 
plainly  in  this  direction :  "  But  go  thy  way  and  rest ;  for  there 
are  yet  days  and  seasons  to  the  full  accomplishment  [of  these 
things]  ;  and  thou  shalt  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days." 
This  certainly  carries  the  mind  back  to  the  long  period  contained 
in  the  first  vision,  in  relation  to  which  the  subsequent  instruc- 
tions were  ii'iven. 


394  PROPHECY  OF  DANIEL 

The  2300  days,  as  has  been  already  shown,  terminated  in 
1844,  and  brought  us  to  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary.  How 
did  Daniel  at.  that  time  stand  in  his  lot  ?  Answer :  In  the 
person  of  his  Advocate,  our  great  High  Priest,  as  he  presents 
the  cases  of  the  righteous  for  acceptance  to  his  Father.  The 
word  here  translated  lot  does  not  mean  a  piece  of  real  estate, 
a  ''  lot "  of  land,  but  the  "'  decisions  of  chance  "  or  the  "  deter- 
ininations  of  Providence."  At  the  end  of  the  days,  the  lot,  so 
to  speak,  was  to  be  cast.  In  other  words,  a  determination  was 
to  be  made  in  reference  to  those  who  should  be  accounted  W'Orthy 
of  a  possession  in  the  heaA^enly  inheritance.  And  when  Daniel's 
case  comes  up  for  examination,  he  is  found  righteous,  stands  in 
his  lot,   is   assigned  a  place  in  the  heavenly   Canaan. 

When  Israel  was  about  to  enter  into  the  promised  land, 
the  lot  was  cast,  and  the  possession  of  each  tribe  was  assigned. 
The  tribes  thus  stood  in  their  respective  "  lots  "  long  before 
they  entered  upon  the  actual  possession  of  the  land.  The  time 
of  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  corresponds  to  this  period 
of  Israel's  history.  We  now  stand  upon  the  borders  of  the 
heavenly  Canaan,  and  decisions  are  being  made,  assigning  to 
some  a  place  in  the  eternal  kingdom,  and  barring  others  for- 
ever therefrom.  In  the  decision  of  his  case,  Daniel's  portion 
in  the  celestial  inheritance  will  be  made  sure  to  him.  And 
with  him  all  the  faithful  will  also  stand.  And  when  this 
devoted  servant  of  God,  who  filled  up  a  long  life  with  the 
noblest  deeds  of  service  to  his  Maker,  though  cumbered  with 
the  weightiest  cares  of  this  life,  shall  enter  upon  his  reward 
for  -well-doing,  we  too  may  enter  with  him  into  rest. 

We  draw  the  study  of  this  prophecy  to  a  close,  Avith  the 
remark  that  it  has  been  with  no  small  degree  of  satisfaction 
that  Ave  have  spent  what  time  and  study  we  have  on  this  won- 
derful prophecy,  and  in  contemplating  the  character  of  this 
most  beloved  of  men  and  most  illustrious  of  prophets.  God 
is  no  respecter  of  persons ;  and  a  reproduction  of  Daniel's 
character  Avill  secure  the  divine  favor  as  signally  even  now. 
Let  us  emulate  his  virtues,  that  we,  like  him,  may  have  the 
approbation  of  God  while  here,  and  dwell  amid  tlio  creations 
of  his  infinite  glorv  in  the  lonii'  hereafter. 


JOHN      WRITING     THE      REVELATION 

"  What  thou,  sccxi,   write  in  a  book."    Ri'u.  1  :  Jl 


^^®H 


THE  Kevelation,  nsually  termed  "  The  Apocalypse,"  from 
its  Greek  name,  ' ATroKoXvipts^  meaning  "  a  disclosure,  u 
revelation,"  has  been  described  to  be  "  a  panorama  of 
the  glory  of  Christ."  In  the  Evangelists  we  have  the  record 
of  his  humiliation,  his  condescension,  his  toil  and  sufferings, 
his  patience,  his  mockings  and  scourgings  by  those  who  should 
have  done  him  reverence,  and  finally  his  death  upon  the  shame- 
ful cross, —  a  death  esteemed  in  that  age  to  be  the  most  igno- 
minious that  men  could  inflict.  In  the  Revelation  we  have 
the  gospel  of  his  enthronement  in  glory,  his  association  with  the 
Father  upon  the  throne  of  universal  dominion,  his  overruling 
providence  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  his  coming 
again,  not  a  homeless  stranger,  but  in  power  and  great  glory, 
to  punish  his  enemies*  and  reward  his  followers.  ^'A  voice 
has  cried  in  the  wilderness,  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God ;  '  a  voice 
will  soon  proclaim  from  heaven,  '  Behold  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah!'" 

Scenes  of  glory  surpassing  fable  are  unvailcd  before  us  in 
this  book.  Appeals  of  unwonted  power  bear  down  upon  the 
impenitent  from  its  sacred  pages  in  threatenings  of  judgment 
that  have  no  parallel  in  any  other  portion  of  the  book  of  God. 
Consolation  which  no  language  can  describe  is  here  given  to 
the  humble  followers  of  Christ  in  this  lower  world,  in  glorious 
vie^^'s  of  Llim  u|)on  whom  help  for  them  has  been  laid, —  Him 
Avho  has  the  key  of  David,  who  holds  his  ministers  in  his  own 
right  hand,  who,  though  he  was  once  dead,  is  now  alive  for- 
evermore,  and  assures  us  that  he  is  the  triumphant  possessor 
of  the  keys  of  death  and  of  the  grave,  and  who  has  given  to 
everv  overcomer  the  multiplied  promise  of  walking  with  him 

(397) 


398  THE  REVELATION 

in  white,  having  a  crown  of  life,  partaking  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  life  which  grows  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God, 
and  being  raised  up  to  sit  with  him  upon  his  own  glorious 
throne.  N^o  other  book  takes  us  at  once,  and  so  irresistibly, 
into  another  sphere.  Long  vistas  are  here  opened  before  us, 
which  are  bounded  by  no  terrestrial  objects,  but  carry  us  for- 
ward into  other  worlds.  And  if  ever  themes  of  thrilling  and 
impressive  interest,  and  grand  and  lofty  imagery,  and  sublime 
and  magnificent  description,  can  invite  the  attention  of  man- 
kind, then  the  Revelation  invites  us  to  a  careful  study  of  its 
pages,  which  urge  upon  our  notice  the  realities  of  a  momentous 
future  and  an  unseen  world. 


i*E 


GPENINC 
YISION 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  book  of  the  Revelation  opens  with  the  nunouncement 
of  its  title,   and  with  a  benediction  on  those  who  shall 
give   diligent   heed   to   its   solemn   prophetic   utterances, 
as  follows : — 

Verfe  1.  The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  nnto 
him,  to  show  unto  liis  servants  things  which  must  shortly  come  to 
pass ;  and  he  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his  servant  John : 
2.  Who  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,  and  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  of  all  things  that  he  saw.  3.  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth, 
and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  things 
which  are  written  therein :  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

Tlie  Title. —  The  translators  of  onr  common  version  of  the 
Bible  have  given  this  book  the  title  of  "  The  Revelation  of  St. 
John  the  Divine."  In  this  they  contradict  the  very  first  words 
of  the  book  itself,  which  declare  it  to  be  "  The  Revelation  of 
Jesns  Christ."  Jesns  Christ  is  the  Revelator,  not  John.  John 
is  but  the  penman  employed  by  Clirist  to  write  out  this  Revela- 
tion for  the  benefit  of  his  church.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
John  here  mentioned  is  the  person  of  that  name  who  was  the 
beloved  and  highly  favored  one  among  the  twelve  apostles.  He 
was  evangelist  and  apostle,  and  the  writer  of  the  Gospel  and 
epistles  which  bear  his  name.  (See  Clarke,  Barnes,  Kitto, 
Pond,  and  others.)  To  his  previous  titles  he  now  adds  that 
of  prophet;  for  the  Revelation  is  a  prophecy.      But  the  matter 


40U  THE  REVELATION 

of  this  book  is  traced  back  to  a  still  higher  source.  It  is  not 
only  the  Kevelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  it  is  the  Revelation 
which  God  gave  unto  him.  It  conies,  then,  first  from  the 
great  Fountain  of  all  wisdom  and  truth.  God  the  Father;  bj 
liim  it  was  communicated  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son;  and 
Christ  sent  and  signified  it  bj  his  angel  to  his  servant  John. 

The  Character  of  the  Booh. —  This  is  expressed  in  one 
word,  "  Revelation."  A  revelation  is  something  revealed 
something  clearly  made  known,  not  something  hidden  and  con- 
cealed. Moses,  in  Dent.  20 :  29,  tells  us  that  "  the  secret 
things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God ;  bui  those  things  which 
are  revealed  belong  nnto  us  and  to  our  children  forever."  The 
very  title  of  the  book,  then,  is  a  sufficient  refutation  of  the 
popular  opinion  of  to-day,  that  this  book  is  among  the  hid- 
den mysteries  of  God,  and  cannot  be  understood.  Were  this 
the  case,  it  should  bear  some  such  title  as  "  The  Mystery " 
or  "The  Hidden  Book;"  certainly  not  that  of  "The  Reve- 
lation." 

Its  Object. —  "  To  show  unto  his  servants  things  which 
must  shortly  come  to  pass."  His  servants  —  who  are  they 
Is  there  any  limit  i  For  whose  benefit  was  the  Revelation 
given  'I  Was  it  given  for  any  specified  persons  i  for  any  par- 
ticular churches;!  for  any  special  period  of  time  ^  —  Xo;  it  is 
for  all  the  church  in  all  time,  so  long  as  any  of  the  events 
therein  predicted  remain  to  be  accomplished.  It  is  for  all 
those  who  can  claim  the  appellation  of  "  his  servants,"  wher- 
ever or  whenever  they  may  live. 

But  this  language  brings  up  again  the  common  view  that 
the  Revelation  is  not  to  be  understood.  God  says  that  it  av.i.; 
given  to  show  something  to  his  servants ;  and  yot  many  of  the 
expounders  of  his  word  toll  us  that  it  does  not  show  anything, 
because  no  man  can  understand  it !  as  though  God  would  un- 
dertake to  make  known  to  mankind  some  important  truths, 
and  yet  fall  into  the  worse  than  oartldy  folly  of  clothing  thcMu 
in  language  or  in  figures  which  human  minds  could  not  com- 
prehend !  as  though  he  would  command  a  person  to  behold 
some  distant  object,  and  then  erect  an  impenetrable  barrier  be- 
tween him   and   the  object   specified  !    or   as   though  he   would 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  1-3  401 

give  his  servants  a  light  tc»  guide  them  through  the  gloom  of 
iiightj  and  jet  throw  over  that  light  a  pall  so  thick  and  heavy 
that  not  a  ray  of  its  brightness  could  penetrate  the  obscuring 
folds !  How  do  they  dishonor  God  who  thus  trifle  with  his 
word !  No ;  the  Revelation  will  accomplish  the  object  for 
which  it  was  given,  and  "■  his  servants  "  will  learn  therefrom 
"  the  things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass,"  and  which  con- 
cern their  eternal  salvation. 

Ills  Angel. — -Christ  sent  and  made  known  the  Revelation 
to  John  by  "  his  angel."  A  particular  angel  seems  here  to  be 
brought  to  view.  What  angel  could  appropriately  be  called 
Christ's  angel  (  ^lay  ^ye  not  iind  an  answer  to  this  question 
in  a  sigiiificant  passage  in  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  'i  In  Dan. 
10:21,  an  angel,  ^\'hicli  was  doubtless  Gabriel  (see  Daniel, 
chapters  '■),  10,  and  11:  1),  in  making  known  some  important 
truths  to  Daniel,  said,  "  There  is  none  that  holdeth  with  me  in 
these  things,  but  Michael  your  prince."  ^^^l0  Michael  is  avc 
easily  learn.  Jude  (verse  9)  calls  him  the  ''  archangel."  And 
Paul  tells  us  that  ^^•hen  the  Lord  descends  from  heaven,  and 
the  dead  in  Christ  are  raised,  the  voice  of  the  archangel  shall 
be  heard.  1  Tliess.  4:  IG.  And  whose  voice  will  be  heard  at 
that  amazing  hour  when  the  dead  are  called  to  life  ?  The  Lord 
himself  replies,  "  Marvel  not  at  this ;  for  the  hour  is  coming 
in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice  " 
(John  5:  28)  ;  and  the  previous  verse  shows  that  the  one  here 
referred  to,  whose  voice  will  then  be  heard,  is  the  Son  of  man, 
or  Christ.  It  is  the  voice  of  Christ,  then,  that  calls  the  dead 
from  their  graves.  That  voice,  Paul  declares,  is  the  voice  of 
the  archangel ;  and  Jude  says  that  the  archangel  is  called 
Michael,  the  very  personage  mentioned  in  Daniel,  and  all  re- 
ferring to  Christ.  The  statement  in  Daniel,  then,  is,  that  the 
truths  to  be  revealed  to  Daniel  were  committed  to  Christ,  and 
confined  exclusively  to  him,  and  to  an  angel  whose  name  Avas 
Gabriel.  Similar  to  the  work  of  communicating  important 
truth  to  the  ''  beloved  prophet  "  is  the  work  of  Christ  in  the 
Revelation  of  communicating  imjiortant  truth  to  the  "  beloved 
disciple;  "  and  who,  in  this  \vork,  can  be  his  angel  but  he  who 
was  engaged  witl;  him  in  the  former  work,  that  is,  the  angel 


402  THE  REVELATION 

Gabriel  i  This  fact  will  throw  light  on  some  points  in  this 
book,  while  it  would  also  seem  most  appropriate  that  the  same 
being  who  was  employed  to  carry  messages  to  the  "  beloved  " 
prophet  of  the  former  dispensation,  should  perform  the  same 
otHce  for  him  who  corresponds  to  that  prophet  in  the  gospel 
age.       (See  on  chapter  1!):  10.) 

The  Benediction. —  "  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they 
that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy."  Is  there  so  direct  and 
formal  a  blessing  pronounced  upon  the  reading  and  observance 
of  any  other  portion  of  the  word  of  God  ?  What  encourage- 
ment, then,  have  we  for  its  study!  And  shall  we  say  that  it 
cannot  be  understood  ?  Is  a  blessing  offered  for  the  study  of  a 
book  which  it  can  do  us  no  good  to  study  ?  Men  may  assert, 
with  more  pertness  than  piety,  that  "  every  age  of  declension 
is  marked  by  an  increase  of  commentaries  on  the  Apocalypse," 
or  that  "  the  study  of  the  Revelation  either  finds  or  leaves  a 
man  mad ;  "  but  God  has  pronounced  his  blessing  upon  it,  he 
has  set  the  seal  of  his  approbation  to  an  earnest  study  of  its 
marvelous  pages;  and  with  such  encouragement  from  such  a 
source,  the  child  of  God  will  be  unmoved  by  a  thousand  feeble 
counterblasts  from  men. 

Every  fulfilment  of  prophecy  brings  its  duties ;  hence  there 
are  things  in  the  Revelation  to  be  kejDt,  or  performed ;  practical 
duties  to  be  entered  upon  as  the  result  of  the  accomplishment 
of  the  prophecy.  A  notable  instance  of  this  kind  may  be  seen 
in  chapter  14:  12,  where  it  is  said,  "Here  are  they  that  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 

But  says  John,  '"  The  time  is  at  hand,"  —  another  motive 
offered  for  the  study  of  this  book.  It  becomes  more  and  more 
important,  as  we  draw  near  the  great  consummation.  On  this 
point  we  offer  the  impressive  thoughts  of  another :  "  The  im- 
portance of  studying  the  Apocalypse  increases  with  the  lapse 
of  time.  Here  are  '  things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass.' 
Even  when  John  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,  and  of  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  all  things  that  he  saw,  the 
long  period  within  Avhich  those  successive  scenes  were  to  be 
realized  was  at  hand.  If  proximity  then  constituted  a  motive 
for    heeding   those   contents,   how   much     more   does   it   now! 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  1  -  6  403 

Every  revolving  century,  every  closing  year,  adds  to  the 
urgency  ^^'ith  which  attention  is  challenged  to  the  concluding 
portion  of  Holy  Writ.  And  does  not  that  intensity  of  devo- 
tion to  the  present,  which  characterizes  our  times  and  our 
country,  enhance  the  reasonableness  of  this  claim  ?  iSTever, 
surely,  was  there  a  period  when  some  mighty  counteracting 
power  was  more  needed.  The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  duly 
studied,  supplies  an  appropriate  corrective  influence.  Would 
that  all  Christians  might,  in  fullest  measure,  receive  the  bless- 
ing of  '  them  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  that 
keep  the  things  which  are  written  therein ;  for  the  time  is  at 
hand.'"  —  Thompson  s  Patmos,  pp.  28,  29. 

The  Dedication. —  Following  the  benediction,  we  have  the 
dedication,  in  these  words : — 

Verse  4.  John  to  tlie  seven  churches  which  are  in  Asia ;  Grace 
be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  hiin  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which 
is  to  come;  and  from  the  seven  spirits  which  are  before  his  throne; 

5.  And  from  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  faithful  witness,  and  the  first 
begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Unto 
him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood, 

6.  And  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father;  to 
him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.      Amen. 

The  Churches  in  Asia. —  There  were  more  churches  in  Asia 
than  seven.  We  may  confine  ourselves  to  that  western  frac- 
tion of  Asia  know^n  as  Asia  Minor,  or  we  may  include  still  less 
territory  than  that ;  for  in  even  that  small  portion  of  Asia 
Minor  where  were  situated  the  seven  churches  which  are  men- 
tioned, and  right  in  their  very  midst,  there  were  other  im]:)or- 
tant  churches.  Colosse,  to  the  Christians  of  which  place  Paul 
addressed  his  epistle  to  the  Colossians,  was  but  a  slight  dis- 
tance from  Laodicea.  Miletus  Avas  nearer  than  any  of  the 
seven  to  Patmos,  where  John  had  his  vision ;  and  it  was  an 
important  station  for  the  church,  as  we  may  judge  from  the 
fact  that  Paul,  during  one  of  his  stays  there,  sent  for  the  elders 
of  the  church  of  Ephesus  to  meet  him  at  that  place.  Acts  20 : 
17  -  38.  At  the  same  place  he  also  left,  in  good  Christian 
hands  no  doubt,  Trophimus,  his  disciple,  sick.  2  Tim.  4 :  20. 
And  Troas,  where  Paul  spent  a  season  with  the  disciples,  and 
whence,  having  waited  till  the  Sabbath  was  past,  he  started  off 


40i  THE  REVELATION 

upon  liis  journey,  was  not  far  removed  from  Pergamos,  named 
among  the  seven.  It  becomes,  therefore,  an  interesting  ques- 
tion to  determine  why  seven  of  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor 
were  selected  as  the  ones  to  which  the  Revelation  should  be 
dedicated.  Does  what  is  said  of  the  seven  churches  in  chapter 
1,  and  to  them  in  chapters  2  and  3,  have  reference  solely  to 
the  seven  literal  churches  named,  describing  things  only  as 
they  then  and  there  existed,  and  portraying  what  was  before 
them  alone  i  We  cannot  so  conclude,  for  the  following  rea- 
sons : — 

1.  The  entire  book  of  Revelation  (see  chapter  1:3,  11,  19 ; 
22:18,  19)  was  dedicated  to  the  seven  churches.  Verse  11. 
But  the  book  was  no  more  applicable  to  them  than  to  other 
Christians  in  Asia  Minor, —  those,  for  instance,  who  dwelt 
in  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  and  Eithynia,  addressed  in 
1  Peter  1:1;  or  the  Christians  of  Colosse,  Troas,  and  Miletus, 
in  the  A^ery  midst  of  the  churches  named. 

2.  Only  a  small  portion  of  the  book  could  have  personally 
concerned  the  seven  churches,  or  any  of  the  Christians  of 
John's  day ;  for  the  events  it  brings  to  view  were  mostly  so 
far  in  the  future  as  to  lie  beyond  the  lifetime  of  the  genera- 
tion then  living,  or  even  the  time  during  which  those  churches 
would  continue;  and  consequently  they  could  have  no  personal 
connection  with  them. 

3.  The  seven  stars  which  the  Son  of  man  held  in  his  right 
hand  (verse  20),  are  declared  to  be  the  angels  of  tlie  seven 
churches.  The  angels  of  the  churches,  doubtless  all  will  agree, 
are  the  ndnisters  of  the  churches.  Their  being  held  in  the 
right  hand  of  the  Son  of  man  denotes  the  upholding  power, 
guidance,  and  protection  vouchsafed  to  them.  But  there  were 
only  seven  of  them  in  his  right  hand.  And  are  there  only 
seven  thus  cared  for  by  the  great  Master  of  assemblies  ?  ]\ray 
not,  rather,  all  the  true  ministers  of  the  whole  gospel  age  de- 
rive from  this  representation  the  consolation  of  knowing  that 
they  are  upheld  and  guided  by  the  right  hand  of  the  great 
Head  of  the  church  ?  Such  would  seem  to  be  the  only  con- 
sistent conclusion. 

1.   Again,    John,   looking    into   the    (Miristian    dis)>ensation, 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  Jf-6  405 

saw  only  seven  candlesticks,  representing  seven  churches,  in 
the  midst  of  which  stood  the  Son  of  man.  The  position  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  their  midst  must  denote  his  presence  with  them, 
his  watchcare  over  them,  and  his  searching  scrutiny  of  all  their 
works.  But  does  he  thus  take  cognizance  of  only  seven  indi- 
vidual churches  in  this  disjjensation  ?  May  we  not  rather  con- 
clude that  this  scene  represents  his  position  in  reference  to  all 
his  churches  during  the  gospel  age  i  Then  why  were  only 
seven  mentioned  i  Seven,  as  used  in  the  Scriptures,  is  a 
number  denoting  fulness  and  completeness,  being,  doubtless,  a 
kind  of  memorial  of  the  great  facts  of  the  first  seven  days  of 
time,  which  gave  the  world  the  still  used  weekly  cycle.  Like 
the  seven  stars,  the  seven  candlesticks  must  denote  the  whole 
of  the  things  which  they  represent.  The  whole  gospel  church  in 
seven  divisions,  or  periods,  must  be  symbolized  by  them;  and 
hence  the  se\en  churches  must  be  applied  in  the  same  manner. 

5.  Why,  then,  were  the  seven  particular  churches  chosen 
that  are  mentioned  i  For  the  reason,  doubtless,  that  in  the 
names  of  these  churches,  according  to  the  definitions  of  the 
words,  are  brought  out  the  religious  features  of  those  periods 
of  the  gospel  age  which  they  respectively  were  to  represent. 

For  these  reasons,  ''  the  seven  churches  "  are  doubtless  to 
be  understood  to  mean  not  merely  the  seven  literal  churches  of 
Asia  which  went  by  the  names  mentioned,  but  seven  periods 
of  the  Christian  church,  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  to  the 
close  of  probation.       (See  on  chapter  2,  verse  1.) 

The  Source  of  Blessing. —  "  Fro]n  him  which  is,  and  which 
was,  and  which  is  to  come,"  or  is  to  be, —  an  expression  w4iich 
signifies  comjDlete  eternity,  past  and  future,  and  can  be  appli- 
cable to  God  the  Father  only.  This  language,  we  believe,  is 
never  applied  to  Christ.  He  is  spoken  of  as  another  person,  in 
distinction  from  the  being  thus  described. 

Tlie  Seven  Spiriis. —  This  expression  probably  has  no  ref- 
erence to  angels,  but  to  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  is  one  of  the 
sources  from  which  grace  and  peace  are  invoked  for  the  church. 
On  the  interesting  subject  of  the  seven  spirits,  Thompson  re- 
marks: ''That  is,  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  denominated  'the 
se\'en  spirits,'  because  seven  is  a  sacred  and  perfect  number ; 


400  THE  REVELATION 

not  thus  named  as  denoting  interior  plurality,  but  the  fulness 
and  perfection  of  his  gifts  and  operations."  Barnes  says, 
*'  The  number  seven,  therefore,  may  have  been  given  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  with  reference  to  the  diversity  or  the  fulness  of  his 
operations  on  the  souls  of  men,  and  to  his  manifold  agency  in 
the  affairs  of  the  -world,  as  further  developed  in  this  book." 
Bloomfield  gives  this  as  the  general  interpretation. 

His  Throne. —  The  throne  of  God  the  Father ;  for  Christ 
has  not  yet  taken  his  own  throne.  The  seven  spirits  being  he- 
fore  the  throne  "  may  be  intended  to  designate  the  fact  that 
the  Divine  Spirit  is  ever  ready  to  be  sent  forth,  in  accordance 
with  a  common  representation  in  the  Scriptures,  to  accomplish 
important  purposes  in  human  affairs." 

And  from  Jesus  Christ. —  Then  Christ  is  not  the  person 
who,  in  the  verse  before  us,  is  designated  as  "  him  which  is,  and 
which  was,  and  which  is  to  come."  Some  of  the  chief  charac- 
teristics which  pertain  to  Christ  are  here  mentioned.      He  is, — 

The  Faithful  Witness. —  AYhatever  he  bears  witness  to  is 
true.      Whatever  he  promises,  he  will  surely  fulfil. 

The  First  Begotten  of  the  Dead. —  This  expression  is  paral- 
lel to  1  Cor.  15  :  20,  23 ;  Heb.  1:6;  Eom.  8 :  29 ;  and  Col.  1 : 
15,  18,  where  we  find  such  expressions  applied  to  Christ  as 
''  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept,"  "  the  first-born  among 
many  brethren,"  "  the  first-born  of  every  creature,"  and  "  the 
first-born  from  the  dead."  But  these  expressions  do  not  neces- 
sarily denote  that  he  Avas  the  first  in  point  of  time  to  be  raised 
from  the  dead ;  for  others  w^ere  raised  before  him.  That  would 
be  a  very  unimportant  point ;  but  he  was  the  chief  and  central 
figure  of  all  who  have  come  up  from  the  grave;  for  il  was  by 
virtue  of  Christ's  coming,  work,  and  resurrection,  that  any  were 
raised  before  his  time.  In  the  purpose  of  God,  he  was  the 
first  in  point  of  time  as  well  as  in  importance;  for  it  was  not 
till  after  the  purpose  of  Christ's  triumph  over  the  grave  was 
formed  in  the  mind  of  God,  who  calleth  those  things  that  be 
not  as  though  they  were  (Rom.  A:  17),  that  any  were  released 
from  the  power  of  death,  by  virtue  of  that  great  fact  which  was 
in  due  time  to  be  accomplished.  Christ  is  therefore  called  the 
"first-begotten  of  the  dead"   (chapter  1:5),  the  "first-fruits 


CH AFTER  1,  VERSES  i  -  6  407 

of  them  that  slept"  (1  Cor.  15:20),  the  "•  first-born  among 
mauv  brethren"  (Horn.  8:29),  and  "the  first-born  from  the 
dead."  Col.  1 :  18.  In  xVets  26 :  23  he  is  spoken  of  as  "  the 
first  that  should  rise  from  the  dead,  and  should  show  light  unto 
the  people,"  or  the  first  who  hy  rising  from  the  dead  should 
show  light  unto  the  people.  (See  the  Greek  of  this  passage, 
and  Bloomfield's  note  thereon ;  also  "  Here  and  Hereafter," 
chajiter  17.) 

The  Prince  of  the  Kings  of  the  Earth. —  Christ  is  Prince 
of  earthly  kings  in  a  certain  sense  now.  Paul  informs  us,  in 
Eph.  1:20,  21,  that  he  has  been  set  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
in  the  heavenly  places,  "  far  above  all  principality,  and  power, 
and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not 
only  in  this  w'orld,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come."  The 
highest  names  named  in  this  world  are  the  princes,  kings,  em- 
perors, and  potentates  of  earth.  But  Christ  is  placed  far  above 
them.  He  is  seated  with  his  Father  upon  the  throne  of  uni- 
versal dominion  (chapter  3:21),  and  ranks  equally  with  him 
in  the  overruling  and  controlling  of  the  affairs  of  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth. 

In  a  more  particular  sense,  Christ  is  to  be  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth  when  he  takes  his  own  throne,  and  the  king- 
doms of  this  world  become  the  ''  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ,"  when  they  are  given  by  the  Father  into  his  hands, 
and  he  comes  forth  bearing  upon  his  vesture  the  title  of  ''  King 
of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,"  to  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a 
potter's  vesseL       Chapter  10:16;   2:27;  Ps.  2 :  8,  9. 

Unto  Him  that  Loved  Us. —  We  have  thought  that  earthly 
friends  loved  us, —  a  father,  a  mother,  brothers  and  sisters,  or 
bosom  friends, —  but  we  see  that  no  love  is  worthy  of  the  name 
compared  Avith  the  love  of  Christ  for  us.  And  the  following 
sentence  adds  intensity  of  meaning  to  the  previous  words: 
"x\nd  w^ashed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood."  What 
love  is  this !  "  Greater  love,"  says  the  apostle,  ''  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends."  But 
Christ  has  commended  his  love  for  us,  in  that  he  died  for  us 
'•  while  we  were  yet  sinners."  But  more  than  this  —  "  Hath 
made  us  kings  and  ])riosts  unto  God  and  his  Father."  From 
20 


408  THE  RET  ELATION 

being  leprous  with  sin,  we  are  made  clean  in  his  sight ;  from 
being  enemies,  we  are  not  only  made  friends,  but  raised  to  po- 
sitions of  honor  and  dignity.  This  cleansing,  and  this  kingly 
and  priestly  exaltation  —  to  what  state  do  they  pertain  ?  to  the 
present  or  the  future  ?  —  Chiefly  to  the  future ;  for  it  is  then 
only  that  we  shall  enjoy  these  blessings  in  the  highest  degree. 
Then,  after  the  atonement  has  been  accomplished,  we  are  abso- 
lutely free  from  our  sins;  before  that  time  they  are  pardoned 
only  on  condition,  and  blotted  out  only  by  anticipation.  But 
when  the  saints  are  permitted  to  sit  with  Christ  on  his  throne, 
according  to  the  ])romise  to  the  victorious  Laodiceans,  when 
they  take  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven  and  reign  for- 
ever and  ever,  they  will  be  kings  in  a  sense  that  they  never 
can  be  in  this  present  state.  Yet  enough  is  true  of  our  present 
condition  to  make  this  cheering  language  appropriate  in  the 
Christian's  present  song  of  joy;  for  here  we  are  permitted  to 
say  that  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  though  that 
redemption  is  not  yet  given,  and  that  we  have  eternal  life, 
though  that  life  is  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Son,  to  be  brought 
unto  us  at  his  appearing;  and  it  is  still  true,  as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  John  and  Peter,  that  God  designs  his  people  in  this 
world  to  be  unto  him  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  (kingly) 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  peoi)le.  1  Peter  2:9; 
Rev.  3:21;  Dan.  7:18,  27.  Xo  wonder  the  loving  and  be- 
loved disciple  ascribed  to  this  Being  Avho  has  done  so  much  for 
us,  glory  and  dominion,  forever  and  ever.  And  let  all  the 
church  join  in  this  most  fitting  ascription  to  their  greatest 
benefactor  and  dearest  friend. 

Verse  7.  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds;  and  every  eye  shall  see 
him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him:  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth 
shall  wail  because  of  him.      Even  so,   Arncn. 

He  Cometh  ivilli  Clouds. — -Here  John  carries  us  forward  to 
the  second  advent  of  Christ  in  glory,  the  climax  and  crowning 
event  of  his  intervention  in  behalf  of  this  fallen  world.  Once 
he  came  in  weakness,  now  he  comes  in  power ;  once  in  humil- 
ity, now  in  glory.  Tie  comes  in  clouds,  in  like  manner  as  he 
ascended.      Acts  1:9,  11. 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSE  7  409 

His  Coming  Visible. —  "  Every  eye  shall  see  him ;  "  that  is, 
all  who  are  alive  at  the  time  of  his  coming.  We  know  of  no 
personal  coming  of  Christ  that  shall  be  as  the  stillness  of  mid- 
night, or  take  jjlace  only  in  the  desert  or  the  secret  chamber. 
He  conies  not  as  a  thief  in  the  sense  of  stealing  in  stealthily 
and  qnietly  nj^on  the  world,  and  purloining  goods  to  which  he 
has  no  right.  But  he  conies  to  take  to  himself  his  dearest 
treasure,  his  sleeping  and  living  saints,  whom  he  has  purchased 
with  his  own  precious  blood;  whom  he  has  wrested  from  the 
power  of  death  in  fair  and  o^Dcn  conflict;  and  for  whom  his 
coining  will  be  no  less  open  and  triumphant,  too.  It  will  be 
with  the  brilliancy  and  splendor  of  the  lightning  as  it  shines 
from  the  east  to  the  west.  Matt.  24:27.  It  will  be  with 
a  sound  of  a  trum^Det  that  shall  pierce  to  earth's  lowest  depths, 
and  with  a  mighty  voice  that  shall  wake  the  sainted  sleepers 
from  their  dusty  beds.  Matt.  24:31,  margin;  1  Thess.  4:  10. 
He  will  come  upon  the  wicked  as  a  thief,  only  because  they 
persistently  shut  their  eyes  to  the  tokens  of  his  approach,  and 
will  not  believe  the  declarations  of  his  word  that  he  is  at  the 
door.  To  represent  two  comings,  a  private  and  a  public  one, 
in  connection  with  the  second  advent,  as  some  do,  is  wholly 
unwarranted  in  the  Scriptures. 

And  They  Also  ivhich  Pierced  Him. —  They  also  (in  addi- 
tion to  the  "  every  eye,"  before  mentioned)  who  were  chiefly 
concerned  in  the  tragedy  of  his  death ;  they  shall  behold  him 
returning  to  earth  in  triumph  and  glory.  But  how  is  this  ? 
They  are  not  now  living,  and  how,  then,  shall  they  behold 
liini  when  he  conies  ?  Answer :  By  a  resurrection  from  the 
dead ;  for  this  is  the  only  possible  avenue  to  life  to  those  who 
have  once  been  laid  in  the  grave.  But  how  is  it  that  these 
wicked  persons  come  up  at  this  time  ?  for  the  general  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Avicked  does  not  take  place  till  a  thousand  years 
after  the  second  advent.  Chapter  20:1-  6.  On  this  point 
Daniel  informs  us.      He  says  (chapter  12:1,  2): — 

"And  at  that  time  shall  ]\Iicliael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
whicli  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  peoi)le:  and  there  shall 
be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  Avas  since  there  was  a  nation 
even  to  that  same  time:  and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be 


410  THE  REVELATION 

delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book. 
And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt." 

Here  a  partial  resurrection  is  brought  to  view,  or  a  resur- 
rection of  a  certain  class  of  each,  righteous  and  wicked,  before 
the  general  resurrection  of  either  class.  Many,  not  all,  that 
sleep  shall  awake.  Some  of  the  righteous,  not  all  of  them, 
to  everlasting  life,  and  some  of  the  wicked,  not  all  of  them,  to 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt.  And  this  resurrection  tran- 
spires in  connection  with  the  great  time  of  trouble  such  as  never 
was,  which  just  precedes  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  May  not 
"they  also  which  pierced  him"  be  among  those  who  then 
come  up  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt  ?  What  could  be 
more  appropriate,  so  far  as  human  minds  can  judge,  than  that 
those  who  took  part  in  the  scene  of  our  Lord's  greatest  humilia- 
tion, and  other  special  leaders  in  crime  against  him,  should 
be  raised  to  behold  his  terrible  majesty,  as  he  comes  trium- 
phantly, in  flaming  fire,  to  take  vengeance  on  them  that  know 
not  God,   and  obey  not  his  gospel?       (See   Dan.    12:2.) 

The  Church's  Response. — "  Even  so.  Amen."  Though  this 
coming  of  Christ  is  to  the  wicked  a  scene  of  terror  and  destruc- 
tion, it  is  to  the  righteous  a  scene  of  joy  and  triumpli.  "  AMien 
the  world's  distress  comes,  then  the  saints'  rest  comes."  That 
coming  wdiich  is  with  flaming  fire,  and  for  the  purpose  of  tak- 
ing vengeance  on  the  wicked,  is  to  recompense  rest  to  all  them 
that  believe.  2  Thess.  1:6- 10.  Every  friend  and  lover  of 
Christ  will  hail  every  declaration  and  every  token  of  his  re- 
turn as  glad  tidings  of  great  ^oy. 

Verse  S.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending, 
saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the 
Almighty. 

Hero  another  speaker  is  introduced.  Previous  to  this,  John 
lias  been  the  speaker.  But  this  verse  has  no  connection  with 
what  precedes  nor  with  what  follows.  Who  it  is  w^ho  here 
speaks  must  be  determined,  therefore,  by  the  terms  used.  Here 
we  again  have  the  expression,  '"  Which  is,  and  which  was,  and 


ail  AFTER.  J,   17i7.',s7i'>s'  ,s',  !>  411 

"wliicli  is  to  coiue,"  wliicli  has  already  been  noticed  as  referring 
exclusively  to  God.  But  it  may  be  asked,  Does  not  the  word 
Lord  denote  that  it  was  Christ  i  On  this  point  Barnes  has  the 
following  note :  "  Many  j\ISS.  instead  of  *  Lord/  kv^lo^,  read 
'  God,'  6e6<i,  and  this  reading  is  adopted  by  Griesbach,  Titt- 
man,  and  Ilalin,  and  is  now  regarded  as  the  correct  reading/' 
Bloonifield  supplies  the  word  God,  and  marks  the  words  "  the 
beginning  and  the  ending  "  as  an  interpolation.  Thus  appro- 
priately closes  the  first  principal  division  of  this  chapter,  with  a 
revelation  of  himself  by  the  great  God  as  being  of  an  eternity 
of  existence,  past  and  future,  and  of  almighty  power,  and  hence 
able  to  perform  all  his  threatenings  and  his  promises,  which  he 
has  given  us  in  this  book. 

Verse  9.  I  John,  who  also  am  your  brother,  and  companion  in 
tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  in 
the  isle  that  is  called  Patmos,  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  subject  here  changes,  John  introducing  the  place  and 
the  circumstances  under  which  the  Revelation  was  given.  He 
first  sets  himself  forth  as  a  brother  of  the  universal  church, 
and  their  companion  in  the  tribulations  incident  to  the  Chris- 
tian profession  in  this  life. 

And  in  the  Kingdom. —  These  words  have  been  the  occa- 
sion of  no  little  controversy.  Does  John  really  mean  to  say 
that  Christians  in  the  present  state  are  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  or  in  other  words,  that  in  his  day  Christ's  kingdom 
had  already  been  set  up  ?  If  this  language  has  any  reference 
to  the  present  state,  it  must  be  in  a  very  limited  and  accom- 
modated sense.  Those  who  take  the  ground  that  it  has  its 
application  here,  usually  refer  to  1  Peter  2 :  9  to  prove  the 
existence  of  a  kingdom  in  the  present  state,  and  to  show  its 
nature.  But,  as  was  remarked  on  verse  6,  the  literal  reign 
of  the  saints  is  yet  future.  It  is  through  much  tribulation 
that  we  are  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Acts  14 :  22. 
But  when  the  kingdom  is  entered,  the  tribulation  is  done. 
The  tribulation  and  the  kingdom  do  not  exist  contemporane- 
ously.       Murdock's    translation    of    the    Syriac    of    this    verse 


412  THE  REVELATION 

omits  the  word  kingdom,  and  reads  as  follows :  "  I  John,  yonr 
brother,  and  partaker  with  you  in  the  affliction  and  suifering 
that  are  in  Jesus  the  Messiah."  Wakefield  translates;  ''I 
John,  your  brother,  and  sharer  with  you  in  enduring  the  afflic- 
tion of  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ."  Bloomiield  says  that 
by  the  words  tribulaiion  and  patience  "  are  denoted  afflictions 
and  troubles  to  be  endured  for  the  sake,  and  in  the  cause  of 
Christ ;  and  ySacrtAeta  [kingdom]  intimates  that  he  is  to  be  par- 
taker with  them  in  the  kingdom  prepared  for  them."  lie  says 
that  "  the  best  comment  on  this  passage  is  2  Tim.  2 :  12," 
which  reads:  "If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reigTi  with  him." 
From  all  which  we  may  safely  conclude  that  though  there  is 
a  kingdom  of  grace  in  the  present  state,  the  kingdom  to  which 
John  alluded  is  the  future  kingdom  of  glory,  and  the  suffering 
and  patience  are  preparatory  to  its  enjoyment. 

The  Place. —  The  isle  that  is  called  Patmos, —  a  small,  bar- 
ren island  off  the  west  coast  of  Asia  Minor,  between  the  island 
of  Icaria  and  the  promontory  of  Miletus,  where  in  John's  day 
was  located  the  nearest  Christian  church.  It  is  about  eight 
miles  in  length,  one  in  breadth,  and  eighteen  in  circumference. 
Its  present  name  is  Patino  or  Patmosa.  The  coast  is  high, 
and  consists  of  a  succession  of  capes,  which  form  many  ports. 
The  only  one  now  in  use  is  a  deep  bay  sheltered  by  high  moun- 
tains on  every  side  but  one,  where  it  is  protected  by  a  project- 
ing cape.  The  town  attached  to  this  port  is  situated  upon  a 
high,  rocky  mountain  rising  immediately  from  the  sea,  and  is 
tlie  only  inhabited  site  of  the  island.  About  half  way  up  the 
mountain  on  which  this  town  is  built,  there  is  shown  a  natural 
grotto  in  the  rock,  ^\'here  tradition  will  have  it  that  John  had 
liis  vision  and  wrote  the  Revelation.  On  account  of  the  stern 
and  desolate  character  of  this  island,  it  was  used,  under  tlie 
Roman  empire,  as  a  place  of  banishment,  which  accounts  for 
the  exile  of  John  thither.  The  banishment  of  the  apostle  took 
place  about  the  year  a.  d.  94,  as  is  generally  supposed,  under 
the  emperor  Domitian;  and  from  this  fact  the  date  assigned  to 
the  writing  of  the  Revelation  is  a.  d.  95  or  96. 

The  Cavso  of  Bnnishment. —  "For  the  word  of  God,  and 
for  the  testitmony  of  Jesus  Christ."       This  was  John's  high 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  'J,  10  415 

crime  and  misdemeanor.  The  tyrant  Domitian,  who  was  then 
invested  with  the  imperial  purple  of  Eome,  more  eminent  for 
his  vices  than  even  for  his  civil  jDosition,  quailed  before  this 
aged  but  dauntless  apostle.  He  dared  not  permit  the  promul- 
gation of  his  pure  gospel  within  the  bounds  of  his  kingdom. 
He  exiled  him  to  lonely  Patmos,  where,  if  anywhere  this  side 
of  death,  he  might  be  said  to  he  out  of  the  world.  Having 
confined  him  to  that  barren  spot,  and  to  the  cruel  labor  of  the 
mines,  the  emperor  doubtless  thought  that  this  preacher  of 
righteousness  was  finally  disposed  of,  and  that  the  world  would 
hear  no  more  of  him.  So,  doubtless,  thought  the  persecutors 
of  John  Bunyan  when  they  had  shut  him  up  in  Bedford  jail. 
But  when  man  thinks  he  has  buried  the  truth  in  eternal  ob- 
livion, the  Lord  gives  it  a  resurrection  in  tenfold  glory  and 
power.  From  Bunyan's  dark  and  narrow  cell  there  blazed 
forth  a  spiritual  light,  Avliich,  next  to  the  Bible  itself,  has  built 
up  the  interests  of  the  gospel;  and  from  the  barren  Isle  of 
Patmos,  where  Domitian  thought  he  had  forever  extinguished 
at  least  one  torch  of  truth,  there  arose  the  most  nnignificent 
revelation  of  all  the  sacred  canon,  to  shed  its  divine  luster  over 
the  whole  Christian  Avorld  till  tho  end  of  time.  And  how  many 
will  re\'ere  the  name  of  the  beloved  disciple,  and  hang  with 
delight  upon  his  enraptured  visions  of  heavenly  glory,  who 
will  never  learn  the  name  of  the  monster  who  caused  his  ban- 
ishment. Verily,  those  words  of  the  Scriptures  are  sometimes 
applicable,  even  to  the  present  life,  which  declare  that  "the 
righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance,"  but  "  the 
name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot." 

Verse  10.  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  behhid 
me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet. 

In  the  Spirit. —  Exiled  though  John  was  from  all  of  like 
faith,  and  almost  from  the  world,  he  was  not  exiled  from  God, 
nor  from  Christ,  nor  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  nor  from  angels. 
He  still  had  communion  with  his  divine  Lord.  And  the  ex- 
pression "  in  the  Spirit  "  seems  to  denote  the  highest  state  of 
spiritual  elevation  into  which  a  person  can  be  brought  by  the 
Spirit  of  God.       It  marked   the  commencement  of  his  vision. 


416  THE  REVELATION 

On  (he  Lord's  Day. —  What  day  is  intended  by  this  desig- 
nation (  On  this  qnestion  four  different  positions  are  taken  by 
different  classes.  1.  One  class  hold  that  the  expression  "  the 
Lord's  day  "  covers  the  whole  gospel  dispensation,  and  does  not 
mean  any  particular  twentj^-four-hour  day.  2.  Another  class 
hold  that  the  Lord's  day  is  the  day  of  judgment,  the  future 
"  day  of  the  Lord,"  so  often  brought  to  view  in  the  Scriptures. 
3.  The  third  view,  and  the  one  perhaps  the  most  prevalent, 
is  that  the  exj)ression  refers  to  the  first  day  of  the  week.  4. 
Still  another  class  hold  that  it  means  the  seventh  day,  the 
Sabbath  of  the  Lord. 

1.  To  the  first  of  these  positions  it  is  sufficient  to  reply  that 
the  book  of  Revelation  is  dated  by  the  writer,  John,  in  the  Isle 
of  Patmos,  and  upon  the  Lord's  day.  The  writer,  the  place 
where  it  was  written,  and  the  day  upon  which  it  was  dated, 
have  each  a  real  existence,  and  not  merely  a  symbolical  or 
mystical  one.  But  if  w^e  say  that  the  day  means  the  gospel 
dispensation,  we  give  it  a  symbolical  or  mystical  meaning, 
which  is  not  admissible.  Besides,  this  position  involves  the 
absurdity  of  making  John  say,  sixty-five  years  after  the  death 
of  Christ,  that  the  vision  which  he  records  was  seen  by  him  in 
the  gospel  dispensation,  as  if  any  Christian  could  possibly 
be  ig-norant  of  that  fact ! 

2.  The  second  position,  that  it  is  the  day  of  judgment,  can- 
not be  correct ;  for  Avliile  John  might  have  had  a  vision  con- 
cerning the  day  of  judgment,  he  could  not  have  had  one  on 
that  day  when  it  is  yet  future.  The  word  translated  on  is 
iv  (en),  and  is  defined  by  Robinson  when  relating  to  time,  as 
follows:  "Time  when;  a  definite  point  or  period,  in,  during, 
on,  at,  which  anything  takes  place."  It  never  means  about  or 
concerning.  Hence  they  who  refer  it  to  the  judgment  dav 
either  contradict  the  language  used,  making  it  mean  concern- 
ing instead  of  on,  or  they  make  John  state  a  strange  false- 
hood, by  saying  that  he  had  a  vision  upon  the  Isle  of  Patmos, 
nearly  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  on.  the  day  of  judi>nient 
which  is  yet  future  I 

8.  The  third  view  is  tliat  by  "  Lord's  day  "  is  meant  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  a  view  by  far  the  uiost  goncrallv  enter- 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSE  W  417 

tained.  On  this  we  inquire  for  the  proof.  AVhat  evidence 
have  we  for  tliis  assertion  i  The  text  itself  does  not  define 
tlie  term  Lord's  day ;  lience  if  it  means  tlie  first  day  of  tlie 
w^eek,  we  must  look  elsewhere  in  the  Bible  for  the  proof  tliat 
that  day  of  the  week  is  ever  so  designated.  The  only  other  in- 
spired writers  who  speak  of  the  hrst  day  at  all,  are  Matthew, 
Mark,  Luke,  and  Paul ;  and  they  speak  of  it  simply  as  "  the 
first  day  of  the  week."  They  never  speak  of  it  in  a  manner 
to  distinguish  it  above  any  other  of  the  six  working  days. 
And  this  is  the  more  remarkable,  viewed  from  the  popular 
standpoint,  as  three  of  them  speak  of  it  at  the  very  time  when 
it  is  said  to  have  become  the  Lord's  day  by  the  resurrection 
of  the  Lord  upon  it,  and  two  of  them  mention  it  some  thirty 
years  after  that  event. 

If  it  is  said  that  the  term  "  Lord's  day  ''  was  the  usual 
term  for  the  first  day  of  the  week  in  John's  day,  we  ask, 
AVhere  is  the  proof  of  this  i  It  cannot  be  found.  But  we 
have  proof  of  just  the  contrary.  (See  "  History  of  the  Sab- 
bath," by  J.  X.  Andrews,  for  sale  by  the  Southern  Publishing 
Association,  Xashville,  Tenn. )  If  this  was  the  universal  des- 
ignation of  the  first  day  of  the  week  at  the  time  the  Revelation 
was  written,  the  same  writer  would  most  assuredly  call  it  so 
in  all  his  subsequent  waitings.  But  John  wrote  the  Gospel 
after  he  ^^'rote  the  Revelation,  and  yet  in  that  Gospel  he  calls 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  not  Lord's  day,  but  simply  "  the  first 
day  of  the  week."  For  proof  that  the  Gospel  was  written 
at  a  period  subsequent  to  the  Revelation,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  such  standard  authorities  as  the  Religious-  Encyclo- 
pedia, Barnes's  jSTotes  (Gospels),  Bible  Dictionaries,  Cottage 
Bible,  Domestic  Tiible,  ]\line  Explored,  I'niou  Bible  Diction- 
ary, Comprehensive  Bible,  Paragraph  Bible,  Bloomfield,  Dr. 
Hales,   Hornc,   Xevins,   and   Olshausen. 

i\.nd  what  still  further  disproves  the  claim  here  set  up  in 
behalf  of  the  first  day,  is  the  fact  that  neither  the  Father  nor 
the  Son  has  ever  claimed  the  first  day  as  his  own  in  any 
higher  sense  than  he  has  each  or  any  of  the  other  laboring 
days.      Xeither  of  them  has  over  nlaend  any  blessing  upon  it,  or 


418  THE  REVELATION 

attached  any  sanctity  to  it.  Jf  it  was  to  be  called  the  Lord's 
day  from  the  fact  of  Christ's  resurrection  upon  it,  Inspiration 
wonld  doubtless  have  somewhere  so  informed  us.  But  there 
are  other  events  equally  essential  to  the  plan  of  salvation,  as, 
for  instance,  the  crucifixion  and  the  ascension;  and  in  the  ab- 
sence of  all  instruction  upon  the  point,  why  not  call  the  day 
upon  wliich  either  of  these  occurred,  the  Lord's  day,  as  well 
as  the  day  upon  which  he  rose  from  the  dead  ? 

4.  The  three  positions  already  examined  having  been  dis- 
proved, the  fourth  —  that  by  Lord's  day  is  meant  the  Sabbath 
of  the  Lord  —  now  demands  attention.  And  this  of  itself  is 
susceptible  of  the  clearest  proof.  1.  When  God  gave  to  man 
in  the  beginning  six  days  of  the  week  for  labor,  he  expressly 
reserved  the  seventh  day  to  himself,  placed  his  blessing  upon 
it,  and  claimed  it  as  his  holy  day.  2.  Moses  told  Israel  in  the 
M'ilderness  of  Sin  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  week,  "  To-morrow 
is  the  rest  of  the  holy  Sabbath  unto  the  Lord."  We  come  to 
Sinai,  where  the  great  Lawgiver  proclaimed  his  moral  precepts 
in  awful  grandeur ;  and  in  that  supreme  code  he  thus  lays 
claim  to  his  hallowed  day:  "The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath 
of  tlic  Lord  thy  God:  .  .  .  for  in  six  days  the  Lord  made 
heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested 
the  seventh  day:  Avherefore  the  Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath  day, 
and  hallowed  it."  By  the  prophet  Isaiah,  about  eight  hundred 
years  later,  God  spoke  as  follows :  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy 
foot  from  the  Sabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy 
DAY,  .  .  .  then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,"  etc. 
Isa.  58:1-3.  We  come  down  to  jSTew-Testament  times,  and 
He  who  is  one  with  the  Father  declares  expressly,  "  The  Son 
of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  Sabbath."  Can  any  man  deny 
tliat  that  day  is  tlie  Lord's  day,  of  which  lie  has  emphatically 
declared  that  he  is  the  Jjord?  Thus  we  see  that  Avhether  it 
be  the  Father  or  the  Son  whose  title  is  involved,  no  other 
day  can  be  called  the  Lord's  day  but  the  Sabbath  of  the  great 
Creator. 

One  more  thought,  and  we  leave  this  point.  There  is  in 
this  dispensation  one  day  distinguished  above  the  other  days  of 
the  week  as  the  Lord's  day.       How  comjdetely  does  this  great 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  10-18  419 

fact  disprove  the  claim  put  forth  by  some  that  there  is  no  Sab- 
bath in  this  dispensation,  bnt  that  all  days  are  alike.  And  by 
calling  it  the  Lord's  day,  the  apostle  has  given  us,  near  the 
close  of  the  first  century,  apostolic  sanction  for  the  observance 
of  the  only  day  \vhich  can  be  called  the  Lord's  day,  which  is 
the  seventh  day  of  the  Aveck.      (See  notes  at  close  of  chapter.) 

Verse  11.  Saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last : 
and,  W^iat  thou  seest,  write  in  a  book,  and  send  it  unto  the  seven 
churches  which  are  in  Asia;  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto  Smyrna,  and 
unto  Pergamos,  and  luito  Thyatira,  and  luito  Sardis,  and  luito  Phila- 
delphia,  and  unto  Laodicea. 

On  this  verse  Dr.  A.  Clarke  remarks  that  the  clause  ""'  I 
am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  is  wanting  in 
some  editions ;  the  Syriac,  Coptic,  ^Ethiopic,  Armenian,  Sla- 
vonic, Vulgate,  Arethas,  Andreas,  and  Primasius.  Griesbach 
has  left  it  out  of  the  text."  He  also  states  that  the  phrase 
"  in  Asia "  is  wanting  in  the  principal  MSS.  and  versions, 
and  that  Griesbach  omits  this  too  from  the  text.  Bloomfield 
also  marks  the  clause,  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and 
the  last,  and  " —  as  without  doubt  an  interpolation,  and  also 
the  words  "  in  Asia.''  It  would  then  read,  ''  saying,  What 
thou  seest,  write  in  a  book,  and  send  it  unto  the  seven  churches ; 
unto  Ephesus,"  etc.  (See  translations  of  Whiting,  Wesley, 
American  Bible  Union,  and  others.  Compare  remarks  on 
verse  4.) 

Verse  12.  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  with  me. 
And  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks;' 13.  And  in  the 
midst  of  tlie  seven  candlesticks  one  like  unto  the  Son  of  man,  clothed 
with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a 
goldeii  girdle.  11.  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as 
white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire;  15.  And  his  feet 
like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and  his  voice 
as  the  sound  of  many  waters.  16.  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven 
stars;  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword:  and  his 
coimtenance  was  as  the  siui  shineth  in  his  strength.  17.  And  when  I 
saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead.  And  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon 
me,  saying  luito  me.  Fear  not;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last:  18.  I  am  he 
that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and,  behold,  I  am  alive  forevermore. 
Amen ;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  rloath. 

I  filmed  to  see  the  voice;  that  is,  the  person  from  whom 
the  voice  came. 


420  THE  REVELATION 

Seven  Golden  Candlesticks.—-  These  cannot  be  the  antitype 
of  the  golden  candlestick  of  the  ancient  typical  temple  service ; 
for  that  was  but  one  candlestick  with  seven  branches.  That 
is  ever  spoken  of  in  the  singular  number.  But  here  are  seven; 
and  these  are  more  properly  "  lamp-stands  "  than  simply  can- 
dlesticks, stands  upon  which  lamps  are  set  to  give  light  in  the 
room.  And  they  bear  no  resemblance  to  the  ancient  candle- 
stick ;  on  the  contrary,  the  stands  are  so  distinct,  and  so  far 
sejiarated  one  from  another,  that  the  Son  of  man  is  seen  walk- 
ing about  in  the  midst  of  them. 

The  Son  of  Man. —  The  central  and  all-attractive  figure  of 
the  scene  now  opened  before  John's  vision  is  the  majestic  form 
of  one  like  the  Son  of  man,  representing  Christ.  The  descrip- 
tion here  given  of  him,  with  his  flowing  robe,  his  hair  white, 
not  -with  age,  but  ^^'itll  the  brightness  of  heavenly  glory,  his 
flaming  eyes,  his  feet  glowing  like  molten  brass,  and  his  voice 
as  the  soiiud  of  many  waters,  cannot  be  excelled  for  grandeur 
and  sublimity.  Overcome  by  the  presence  of  this  august  Being, 
and  perhaps  under  a  keen  sense  of  all  hunnm  unworthiness, 
John  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead ;  but  a  comforting  hand  is  laid 
upon  him,  and  a  voice  of  sweet  assurance  tells  him  to  fear  not. 
It  is  equally  the  privilege  of  Christians  to-day  to  feel  the  same 
hand  laid  upon  them  to  strengthen  and  comfort  them  in  hours 
of  trial  and  affliction,  and  to  hear  the  same  voice  saying  unto 
them,  "  Fear  not." 

But  the  most  cheering  assurance  in  all  these  words  of  con- 
solation is  the  declaration  of  this  exalted  one  who  is  alive  for- 
evermore,  that  he  is  the  arbiter  of  death  and  the  grave.  ''  I 
have,"  he  says,  "  the  keys  of  hell  \  a8rj<:,  the  grave]  and  of 
death."  Death  is  a  conquered  tyrant.  lie  may  ply  his  gloomy 
labors  age  after  age,  gathering  to  the  grave  the  precious  of  the 
earth,  and  gloat  for  a  season  over  his  apparent  triumph;  but 
he  is  performing  a  fruitless  task ;  for  tlie  key  to  his  dark  prison- 
house  has  been  wrenched  from  his  grasp,  and  is  now  held  in 
tlie  hands  of  a  mightier  than  he.  He  is  compelled  to  deposit 
liis  trophies  in  a  region  over  which  another  has  absolute  con- 
trol; and  this  one  is  the  unchanging  Friend  and  the  pledged 
Bedeemer  of  his  people.       Then  grieve  not  for  the  righteous 


CHAPTER  1,  YEESES  V.i.  2o  42 1 

dead ;  they  are  in  safe  keei)ing.  An  enemy  for  a  while  takes 
thcni  aAvay;  hut  a  friend  holds  the  key  to  the  jilace  of  their 
temporary   eontinenient. 

Vekse  19.  Write  the  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and  tlie  things 
which  are,  and  the  things  wliicli  shall  be  hereafter. 

A  more  definite  command  is  given  in  this  verse  to  John  to 
write  the  entire  Revelation,  Avhich  would  relate  chieHy  to  things 
which  were  then  in  the  future.  In  some  few  instances,  events 
then  in  the  past  or  then  transpiring  were  referred  to ;  but  these 
references  were  simply  for  the  purjjose  of  introducing  events  to 
1)0  fulfilled  after  that  time,  and  so  that  no  link  in  the  chain 
might  he  lacking. 

Vehse  2().  The  nijstery  of  the  seven  stars  which  thou  sawest  in 
1113'  right  hand,  and  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  The  seven  stars 
are  the  angels  of  the  seven  churches :  and  the  seven  candlesticks 
which  thou  sawest  are  the  seven  churches. 

To  rei^resent  the  Son  of  num  as  holding  in  his  hand  only 
the  ministers  of  seven  literal  churches  in  Asia  Minor,  and 
walking  in  the  midst  of  only  those  seven  churches,  would  be 
to  reduce  the  sublime  representations  and  declarations  of  this 
and  following  chapters  to  comparative  insignificance.  The 
i:)rovidential  care  and  presence  of  the  Lord  are  with,  not  a 
specified  number  of  churches  only,  but  all  his  jieople;  not  in 
the  days  of  John  merely,  but  through  all  time.'  "  Lo !  I  am 
with  you  alway,"  said  he  to  his  disciples,  "  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world."       (See  remarks  on  verse  4.) 

Note. —  An  additional  thought  may  be  added  to  what  is  said 
about  the  claim  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  meant  by  the  term 
"Lord's  day"  in  verse  10.  If,  when  Christ  said,  "The  Son  of" man 
is  Lord  even  of  the  Sabbath  day"  (Matt.  12:  8),  he  had  said  instead, 
"  The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  of  the  first  day  of  the  week,"  would  not 
that  now  be  set  forth  as  conclusive  proof  that  Sunday  is  the  Lord's 
day?  —  Certainly,  and  with  good  reason.  Then  it  ought  to  be  al- 
lowed to  hove  the  same  weight  for  the  seventh  day,  in  reference  to 
which  it  was  spoken. 


HAVIXG,  in  the  first  chapter,  mapped  out  the  subject  by 
a  general  reference  to  the  seven  cliurelies,  represented 
by  the  seven  candlesticlcs,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the 
cliurches,  represented  by  the  seven  stars,  John  now  talces  up 
eacli  cliurcli  particularly,  and  writes  the  message  designed  for 
it,  addressing  the  epistle  in  every  case  to  the  angel,  or  pas 
tors,   of   the   church. 

Verse  1.  Unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  Ephesus  write :  These 
things  saith  he  that  holdetli  the  seven  stars  in  his  right  hand,  who 
walketh  in  the  midst  of  the  se\'en  golden  candlesticks;  2.  I  know  thy 
works,  and  thy  labor,  and  thy  patience,  and  how  thou  canst  not  bear 
them  which  are  evil:  and  thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  they  are 
apostles,  and  are  not,  and  hast  found  them  liars :  3.  And  hast  borne, 
and  hast  i^atience,  and  for  my  name's  sake  hast  labored,  and  hast  not 
fainted,  t.  Nevertheless  I  have  somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou 
hast  left  thy  first  love.  5.  Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou 
art  fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the  first  works;  or  else  I  will  come  unto 
thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  ex- 
cept thou  repent.  6.  But  this  thou  hast,  that  thou  hatest  the  deeds 
of  the  Nicolaitanes,  which  I  also  hate.  7.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear  v/hat  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches:  To  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  gixe  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the 
nndst  of  the  paradise  of  God. 

Tltr  CInnrJt  of  Ephesus. —  Some  reasons  Avhy  the  seven 
churches,  or  more  properly  the  messages  to  them,  should  ho 
regarded  as  prophetic,  having  their  application  to  seven  dis- 
tinct periods  covering  the  Christian  age,  have  heen  given  in 
the  remarks  on  chapter  1:4.  Tt  nuiy  here  he  achled  fliaf  tliis 
viow  is  noitlier  new  nor  local.  iVnson  (piotos  I)ish()p  Xcwton 
(422) 


CHAPTER  2,  VEll^ES  I  -  7  423 

us  buying,  "  JMaiiy  cuiilcnd,  uud  anioiig  tlieiu  such  learned  iiicu 
as  ^iore  and  Vitriuga,  that  the  seven  epistles  are  prophetical 
of  so  many  successive  periods,  or  states,  of  the  church,  froui 
the  beginning  to  the  conclusion  of  all." 

Scott  says:  "Many  expositors  have  inuigined  that  these 
epistles  to  the  seven  churches  were  mystical  prophecies  of  seven 
distinct  periods,  into  which  the  whole  term,  from  the  apostles' 
days  to  the  end  of  the  world,  would  be  divided." 

Although  Xewton  and  Scott  do  not  themselves  hold  this 
view,  their  testimony  is  good  as  showing  that  such  lias  been 
the  view  of  mani/  expositors.       ]\ratthew   Henry  says: — 

"An  opinion  has  been  held  by  some  commentators  of  note, 
which  may  be  given  in  the  words  of  Vitringa :  '  That  under 
this  emblematical  representation  of  the  seven  churches  of  Asia, 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  delineated  seven  different  states  of  the 
Christian  church,  which  would  appear  in  succession,  extendnig 
to  the  coming  of  our  Lord  and  the  consummation  of  all  things; 
that  this  is  given  in  descriptions  taken  from  the  names,  states, 
and  conditions  of  these  churches,  so  that  they  might  behold 
themselves,  and  learn  both  their  good  qualities  and  their  de- 
fects, and  what  admonitions  and  exhortations  were  suitable  for 
them.'  Vitringa  has  given  a  summary  of  the  arguments  which 
may  be  alleged  in  favor  of  this  interpretation.  Some  of  them 
are  ingenious,  but  they  are  not  now  considered  sufficient  to  sup- 
port such  a  theory.  Gill  is  one  of  the  principal  of  the  English 
commentators  who  adopt  this  view,  that  '  they  are  prophetical 
of  the  churches  of  Christ  in  the  several  periods. of  time  until 
he  ai)pears  again.'  " 

It  appears  from  the  authors  above  cited,  that  Avhat  has  led 
connnentators  of  more  modern  times  to  discard  the  view  of  the 
prophetical  nature  of  the  messages  to  the  seven  churches,  is 
th(^  comparatively  recent  and  unscriptural  doctrine  of  the  tem- 
])oral  millenniuiu.  The  last  stage  of  the  church,  as  described 
in  chapter  -":  15  -  IT,  was  decnuMl  to  be  incompatible  with  the 
glorious  state  of  things  which  wotdd  exist  here  on  this  earth 
fur  a  thousand  years,  with  all  the  world  converted  to  God. 
Hence  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others,  the  more  Scriptural 
view  is  made  to  yield  to  the  more  pleasing.  The  hearts  of 
27 


424  THE  REVELATION 

men,  as  in  ancient  times,  still  love  smooth  things,  and  their 
ears  are  ever  favorably  open  to  those  who  will  proj^hesy  peace. 
The  hrst  church  named  is  Ephesus.      According  to  the  ap- 
plication here  made,  this  would  cover  the  first,  or  apostolic  age 
of  the  church.      The  definition  of  the  word  Ephesus  is  desir- 
ahle,  which  may  well  be  taken  as  a  good  descriptive  term  of 
the  character  and  condition  of  the  church  in  its  first  state. 
Those  early  Christians  had  received  the  doctrine  of  Christ  in 
its  purity.       They  enjoyed  the  benefits   and  blessings  of  the 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit.      They  were  noted  for  works,  labor, 
and  patience.       h\  faithfulness  to  the  pure  principles  taught 
by  Christ,  they  could  not  bear  those  that  were  evil,  and  they 
tried  false   apostles,   searched   out  their  true  characters,   and 
found  them  liars.      That  this  work  was  specially  done  by  the 
literal  and  particular  church  at  Ephesus  more  than  by  other 
churches  of  that  time,  we  have  no  evidence;  there  is  nothing 
said  about  it  by  Paul  in  the  epistle  he  wrote  to  that  church; 
but  it  was  done  by  the  Christian  church  as  a  whole,  in  that 
age,   and  was  a  most  appropriate  work  at  that  time.       (See 
Acts  15;  2  Cor.  11:13.) 

The  Angel  of  the  Church. —  The  angel  of  a  church  must 
denote  a  messenger,  or  minister,  of  that  church ;  and  as  these 
churches  each  cover  a  period  of  time,  the  angel  of  each  church 
must  denote  the  ministry,  or  all  the  true  ministers  of  Christ 
during  the  period  covered  by  that  church.  The  different  mes- 
sages, though  addressed  to  the  ministers,  cannot  be  understood 
to  be  applicable  to  them  alone ;  but  they  are  appropriately  ad- 
dressed to  the  church  through  them. 

The  Cause  of  Complaint. —  *'  I  have  somewhat  against 
thee,"  says  Christ,  "because  thou  hast  left  thy  first  love." 
"  :N'ot  less  worthy  of  warning  than  departure  from  fundamental 
doctrine  or  from  Scriptural  morality,  is  the  leaving  of  first  love. 
The  charge  here  is  not  that  of  falling  from  grace,  nor  that 
love  is  extinguished,  but  diminished.  Xo  zeal,  no  suffering, 
can  atone  for  the  want  of  first  love."  —  Thompson.  The 
time  never  should  come  in  a  Christiaji's  experience,  when,  if 
he  were  asked  to  mention  the  period  of  his  greatest  love  to 
Christ,  he  would  not  say,  The  present  moment.       T^)Ut  if  suf^h 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  1-1  425 

a  time  does  come,  then  should  he  remember  from  whence  he 
is  fallen,  meditate  upon  it,  take  time  for  it,  carefully  call  up 
the  state  of  his  former  acceptance  with  God,  and  then  hasten 
to  repent,  and  retrace  his  steps  to  that  desirable  position. 
Love,  like  faith,  is  manifested  by  works;  and  first  love,  when 
it  is  attained,  will  always  bring  first  works. 

The  Threatening. —  "  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and 
will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  except  thou  repent." 
The  coming  here  mentioned  must  be  a  figurative  coming,  sig- 
nifying a  visitation  of  judgment,  inasmuch  as  it  is  conditional. 
The  removing  of  the  candlestick  would  denote  the  taking  away 
from  them  of  the  light  and  privileges  of  the  gospel,  and  com- 
mitting them  to  other  hands,  unless  they  should  better  fulfil 
the  responsibilities  of  the  trust  committed  to  them.  But  it 
may  be  asked  on  the  view  that  these  messages  are  prophetic, 
if  the  candlestick  would  not  be  removed  anyway,  whether 
they  repented  or  not,  as  that  church  was  succeeded  by  the 
next,  to  occupy  the  next  period,  and  if  this  is  not  an  objec- 
tion against  regarding  these  churches  as  prophetic.  Answer: 
The  expiration  of  the  period  covered  by  any  church  is  not  the 
removal  of  the  candlestick  of  that  church.  The  removal  of 
their  candlestick  would  be  taking  away  from  them  privileges 
which  they  might  and  should  longer  enjoy.  It  would  be  the 
rejection  of  them  on  the  part  of  Christ  as  his  representatives, 
to  bear  the  light  of  his  truth  and  gospel  before  the  world. 
And  this  threatening  would  be  just  as  applicable  to  individ- 
uals as  to  the  church  as  a  body.  How  many  who  professed 
Christianity  during  that  period  thus  came  short  and  were  re- 
jected, we  know  not ;  doubtless  many.  And  thus  things  would 
go  on,  some  remaining  steadfast,  some  backsliding  and  becom- 
ing no  longer  light-bearers  in  the  world,  new  converts  mean- 
while filling  up  the  vacancies  made  by  death  and  apostasy, 
until  the  church  reached  a  new  era  in  her  experience,  marked 
off  as  another  period  in  her  history,  and  covered  by  another 
message. 

The  Nicolaitanes. —  How  ready  is  Christ  to  commend  his 
people  for  whatever  good  qualities  they  may  possess !  If  there 
is  anything  of  which  he  approves,  he  mentions  that  first.      And 


420  THE  BEVELATION 

ill  this  message  to  the  churcli  of  Ephesus,  having  first  men- 
tioned their  commeiidaLle  traits  and  then  their  failures,  as  if 
mnvilling-  to  pass  by  any  of  their  good  qualities  he  mentions 
this,  that  they  hated  the  deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes,  which  he 
also  hated.  In  verse  15  the  doctrines  of  the  same  characters 
are  condemned.  It  appears  that  they  were  a  class  of  persons 
■whose  deeds  and  doctrines  were  alike  abominable  in  the  sight 
of  Heaven.  Their  origin  is  involved  in  some  doubt.  Some 
say  that  they  sjirang  from  Nicholas  of  Antioch,  one  of  the  seven 
deacons  (Acts  0:5);  so'me,  that  they  only  attribute  their  origin 
to  him  to  gain  the  prestige  of  his  name ;  and  others,  that  the 
sect  took  its  name  from  one  Xicholas  of  later  date,  which  is 
probably  the  nearest  correct.  Concerning  their  doctrines  and 
practices,  there  seems  to  be  a  general  agreement  that  they  held 
to  a  community  of  wives,  regarding  adultery  and  fornication  as 
things  indiiferent,  and  ])eriiiitted  the  eating  of  things  oifered  to 
idols.  (See  Keligious  Encyclopedia,  Clarke,  Kitto,  and  other 
authorities. ) 

The  Summons  to  Attention. —  "  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  A  solemn 
manner  of  calling  universal  attention  to  that  which  is  of  general 
and  most  momentous  importance.  The  same  language  is  Tised 
to  each  of  the  seven  churches.  Christ,  when  upon  earth,  made 
use  of  the  same  form  of  speech  in  calling  the  attention  of  the 
peoj)le  to  the  most  important  of  his  teachings.  He  used  it  in 
reference  to  the  mission  of  John  (Matt.  11 :  15),  the  parable  of 
the  sower  (Matt.  13:9),  and  the  parable  of  the  tares,  setting 
forth  the  end  of  the  world.  Verse  -43.  It  is  also  used  in 
relation  to  an   important  prophetic  fulfilment   in   licv.    13  :  0. 

The  Promise  to  the  Victor. —  To  the  ovcrcomer  it  is  prom- 
ised that  he  shall  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  tliat  grows  in  the  midst 
of  the  paradise,  or  garden,  of  God.  Where  is  this  paradise  ? 
Answer:  In  the  third  heaven.  Paul  writes,  in  2  Cor.  l!2:2, 
that  ho  kufnv  a  man  (referring  to  hims(>lf)  caught  \\\)  to  the 
third  heaven.  In  verse  -4  he  calls  the  same  place  "  paradise," 
leaving  only  one  conclusion  to  be  drawn,  which  is  that  \y,\v\\- 
dis(^  is  in  the  lliird  heaven.  In  tliis  ])avadise,  it  seems,  is  the 
tree  of  life.      There  is  but  one  tree  of  life  brought  to  \ie\v  in 


en  APT  Ell  2,  VFAISES  1-7  427 

the  Bible.  It  is  mentioned  six  times,  tliree  times  in  Genesis, 
and  three  times  in  tlie  Revelation;  but  it  is  used  every  time 
with  the  detinite  article  tJie.  It  is  the  tree  of  life  in  the  first 
book  of  the  Bible,  the  tree  of  life  in  the  last ;  tlie  tree  of  life 
in  the  "paradise"  (Septuagint)  in  Eden  at  the  beginning, 
and  llie  tree  of  life  in  the  paradise  of  which  John  now  speaks, 
in  hea\'en  above.  But  if  there  is  but  one  tree,  and  that  was  at 
first  upon  earth,  it  may  be  asked  how  it  has  now  come  to  be 
in  heaven.  And  the  answer  would  be  that  it  inust  have  been 
taken  up,  or  translated,  to  the  paradise  above.  There  is  no 
possible  way  that  the  same  identical  body  which  is  situated  in 
one  place  can  be  located  in  another,  but  by  being  transported 
bodily  thither.  And  that  the  tree  of  life  and  paradise  have 
been  removed  from  earth  to  heaven,  besides  the  necessary 
inference  from  this  argitment,  there  is  very  good  reason  to 
believe. 

In  2  Esdras  7 :  20  occurs  this  language:  "  Behold,  the  time 
shall  come,  that  these  tokens  which  I  have  told  thee  shall  come 
to  jDass,  and  the  bride  shall  appear,  and  she  coming  forth  shall 
be  seen  that  7ioiu  is  withdraicn  from  the  earth."  There  is  an 
evident  allusion  here  to  the  "  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife  "  (Rev. 
21: 'J),  which  is  the  "holy  city,  Xew  Jerusalem"  (verse  10; 
Gab  4:  26),  in  which  is  the  tree  of  life  (Rev.  22 :  2),  wdiich  is 
now  "  withdrawn  from  the  earth,"  but  w^hich  will  in  due  time 
appear,  and  be  located  among  men.      Rev.   21:2,  3. 

The  following  paragraph  on  this  point  we  quote  from 
Kurtz's  "Sacred  History,"   p.    50: — 

"  The  act  of  God  in  appointing  the  cherubim  'to  keep  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life'  (Gen.  3:  24),  in  the  garden  of  Eden, 
likewise  appears  not  only  in  an  aspect  indicating  judicial  se- 
verity, but  also  in  one  which  conveys  a  promise  full  of  con- 
solation. The  blessed  abode  from  which  man  is  expelled,  is 
neither  annihilated  nor  even  abandoned  to  desolation  and  ruin, 
but  withdrawn  from  the  earth  and  from  man,  and  consigned 
to  the  care  of  the  most  perfect  creatures  of  God,  in  order  that 
it  may  be  ultimately  restored  to  man  when  he  is  redeemed. 
Rev.  22 :  2.  The  garden,  as  it  existed  before  God  '  planted,' 
or  adorned  it,  came  under  the  curse,  like  the  remainder  of  the 


428  THE  REVELATION 

earth,  but  the  celestial  and  paradisiacal  addition  was  exempted, 
and  entrusted  to  the  cherubim.  The  true  paradise  is  now 
translated  to  the  invisible  world.  At  least  a  symbolical  copy 
of  it,  established  in  the  holy  of  holies  in  the  tabernacle,  was 
granted  to  the  people  of  Israel  after  the  pattern  w^hich  Moses 
saw  in  the  mount  (Ex.  25:  9,  40)  ;  and  the  original  itself,  as 
the  renewed  habitation  of  redeemed  man,  will  hereafter  de- 
scend to  the  earth.       Kev.   21:10." 

To  the  overcomer,  then,  is  promised  a  restoration  to  more 
than  Adam  lost ;  not  to  the  overcomers  of  that  state  of  the 
church  merely,  but  to  all  overcomers  of  every  age;  for  in  the 
great  rewards  of  Heaven  there  are  no  restrictions.  Reader, 
strive  to  be  an  overcomer;  for  he  who  gains  access  to  the  tree 
of  life  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God,  shall  die  no  more. 

The  time  covered  by  this  first  church  may  be  considered 
the  period  from  the  resurrection  of  Christ  to  the  close  of  the 
first  century,  or  to  the  death  of  the  last  of  the  apostles. 

Verse  8.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna  write: 
These  things  saith  the  first  and  the  last,  which  was  dead  and  is  alive; 
9.  I  know  thy  works,  and  tribulation,  and  poverty  (but  thou  art  rich), 
and  I  know  the  blasphemy  of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and 
are  not,  but  are  the  synagogue  of  Satan.  10.  Fear  none  of  those 
things  which  thou  shalt  suffer :  behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of 
you  into  prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation 
ten  days:  be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown 
of  life.  11.  Pie  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches:  He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the 
second  death. 

Tt  will  be  noticed  that  the  Lord  introduces  himself  to  each 
church  by  mentioning  some  of  his  characteristics  which  show 
him  to  be  peculiarly  fitted  to  bear  to  them  the  testimony  which 
he  utters.  To  the  Smyrnian  church,  about  to  pass  through  the 
fiery  ordeal  of  persecution,  he  reveals  himself  as  one  who  was 
dead,  but  is  now  alive.  If  they  should  be  called  to  seal  their 
testimony  with  their  blood,  they  were  to  remember  that  the 
eyes  of  One  were  upon  them  who  had  shared  the  same  fate, 
but  had  triumphed  over  death,  and  was  able  to  bring  them  u]) 
again  ixitxn   a  martyr's  grave. 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  8-11  429 

Poverty  and  Uiches. —  "  I  know  thy  poverty/'  says  Christ 
to  them,  '■  but  thou  art  rich."  Strange  paradox  this  may 
seem  at  first.  But  who  are  the  truly  rich  in  this  worhl  I  — 
Those  who  are  ""  rich  in  faith  "  and  "  heirs  of  the  kingdom." 
The  wealth  of  this  world,  for  which  men  so  eagerly  strive, 
and  so  often  barter  away  present  happiness  and  future  end- 
less life,  is  "  coin  not  current  in  heaven."  A  certain  writer 
has  forcibly  remarked,  "  There  is  many  a  rich  j^oor  man,  and 
many  a  poor  rich  man." 

Say  They  are  Jews,  and  Are  Not. —  That  the  term  Je^v  is 
not  here  used  in  a  literal  sense,  is  very  evident.  It  denotes 
some  character  which  was  approved  by  the  gospel  standard. 
Paul's  language  will  make  this  point  plain.  He  says  (Rom. 
2:28,  29):  ''For  he  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly: 
neitlier  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh ;  but 
he  is  a  Jew  [in  the  true  Christian  sense]  which  is  one  in- 
wardly; and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit, 
and  not  in  the  letter,  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God." 
Again  he  says  (chapter  9:6,  7)  :  "  For  they  are  not  all  Israel 
which  are  of  Israel ;  neither,  because  they  are  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, are  they  all  children."  In  Gal.  3:  28,  29,  Paul  further 
tells  us  that  in  Christ  there  are  no  such  outward  distinctions 
as  Jew  or  Greek ;  but  if  we  are  Christ's,  then  are  we  Abraham's 
seed  (in  the  true  sense),  and  hei7-s  according  to  the  promise. 
To  say,  as  some  do,  that  the  term  Jew  is  never  applied  to 
Christians,  is  to  contradict  all  these  inspired  declarations  of 
Paul's,  and  the  testimony  of  the  faithful  and  true  Witness  to 
the  Smyrnian  church.  Some  were  hypocritically  pretending 
to  be  Jews  in  this  Christian  sense,  when  they  possessed  nothing 
of  the  requisite  character.  Such  were  of  the  synagogue  of 
Satan. 

2^  lib  III  at  ion  Ten  Days. —  As  this  message  is  prophetic,  the 
time  mentioned  in  it  must  also  be  regarded  as  prophetic,  and 
would  denote  ten  years.  And  it  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the 
last  and  most  bloody  of  the  ten  persecutions  continued  just  ten 
years,  under  Diocletian,  from  a.  d.  302  to  a.  d.  312.  (See 
Buck's  Theological  Dictionary,  pp.  332,  333.)  It  would  be 
difficult  to  make  an  application  of  this  language  on  the  ground 


430  THE  REVELATION 

that  these  messages  are  not  j^rophetic ;  for  in  that  case  only  ten 
literal  days  could  be  meant;  and  it  would  not  seem  probable 
that  a  persecution  of  only  ten  days,  or  only  a  single  church, 
would  be  made  a  matter  of  prophecy ;  and  no  mention  of  any 
such  case  of  limited  persecution  can  be  found.  Again,  apply 
this  persecution  to  any  of  the  notable  persecutions  of  that  pe- 
riod, and  how  could  it  be  spoken  of  as  the  fate  of  one  church 
alone  i  All  the  churches  suffered  in  them ;  and  where,  then, 
would  be  the  propriety  of  singling  out  one,  to  the  exclusion  of 
the  rest,  as  alone  involved  in  such  a  calamity  ? 

Faith  fill  unto  Death. —  Some  have  endeavored  to  base  a 
criticism  on  the  use  of  the  word  unto,  instead  of  until,  as 
though  the  idea  of  time  was  not  involved.  But  the  original 
word,  a-xph  rendered  unto,  signifies,  j^rimarily,  until.  [NTo  ar- 
gument, however,  can  be  drawn  from  this  for  consciousness 
in  death.  The  vital  point  for  such  an  argument  is  still  lack- 
ing; for  it  is  not  affirmed  that  the  crown  of  life  is  bestowed 
immediately  at  death.  We  must  consecpiently  look  to  other 
scrij)tures  to  learn  when  the  crown  of  life  is  given ;  and  other 
scriptures  very  fully  inform  us.  Paul  declares  that  this  crown 
is  to  be  given  at  the  day  of  Christ's  appearing  (2  Tim.  4: 
8);  at  the  last  trump  (1  Cor.  1.5:51-54);  when  the  Lord 
shall  himself  descend  from  heaven  (1  Thess.  l:  16,  17)  ;  when 
the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  says  Peter  (1  Peter  5:1); 
at  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  says  Christ  (Luke  11:11); 
and  when  he  shall  return  to  take  his  people  to  the  mansions 
prepared  for  them,  that  they  may  ever  be  with  him.  John 
14:3.  "Be  thou  faithful  until  death;"  and  having  been 
thus  faithful,  when  the  time  comes  that  the  saints  of  God  are 
rewarded,   you   shall   receive    a   crown   of  life. 

The  Overcomer's  Reward. —  "  lie  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the 
secon<l  death.'"  Is  not  the  language  Christ  hero  uses  a  good 
comment  upon  what  he  taught  his  disciples,  when  he  said, 
"And  fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul :  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both 
soul  and  body  in  hell"?  AFatt.  10:  2S.  The  Sniyrnians 
miglit  be  put  to  death  liere;  but  the  future  life,  which  was  to 
be  given  them,  man  could  not  take  away,  and  God  would  not; 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  8-17  433 

heuce  they  were  to  fear  uot  those  who  could  kill  the  hody, — 
to  "fear  none  of  the  things  which  they  should  suii'er;  "  for 
their  eternal  existence  was  sure. 

iSmyrna  signifies  myrrh,  fit  appellation  for  the  church  of 
God  while  j)assing  through  the  fiery  furnace  of  persecution, 
and  proving  herself  a  "  sweet-smelling  savor  "  unto  him.  But 
we  soon  reach  the  days  of  Constantine,  when  the  church  pre- 
sents a  new  phase,  rendering  a  far  different  name  and  an- 
other message  applicable  to  her  history. 

According  to  the  foregoing  application,  the  date  of  the 
Smyrnian  church  would  be  a.   d.    100  -  323. 

Verse  12.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Pergamos  write: 
These  things  saith  he  which  hath  the  sharp  sword  with  two  edges: 
13.  I  know  thy  works,  and  where  thou  dwellest,  even  where  Satan's 
seat  is;  and  thou  boldest  fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my  faith, 
even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas  was  my  faithful  martyr,  who  was 
slain  among  you,  where  Satan  dwelleth.  14.  But  I  have  a  few  things 
against  thee,  because  thou  hast  there  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of 
Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the 
children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit 
fornication.  15.  So  hast  thou  also  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of 
the  Nicolaitanes,  -which  thing  I  hate.  16.  Repent;  or  else  I  will 
come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  fight  against  them  with  the  sword 
of  my  mouth.  17.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
saith  unto  the  churches :  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat 
of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the 
stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth  saving  he  that  re- 
ceiveth  it. 

Against  the  church  of  Smyrna,  which  has  just  been  con- 
sidered, there  was  no  word  of  condemnation  uttered.  Perse- 
cution is  ever  calculated  to  keep  the  church  pure,  and  incite 
its  members  to  piety  and  godliness.  But  we  now  reach  a  pe- 
riod when  influences  began  to  work  through  which  errors  and 
evils  w^ere  likely  to  creep  into  the  church. 

The  word  Pergamos  signifies  height,  elevation.  The  pe- 
riod covered  by  this  church  may  be  located  from  the  days  of 
Constantine,  or  perhaps,  rather,  from  his  professed  conversion 
to  Christianity,  a.  d.  323,  to  the  establishment  of  the  papacy, 
A.  D.  538.  It  was  a  period  in  which  the  true  servants  of  God 
bad  to  struggle  against  a  spirit  of  worldly  policy,  pride,  and 
jiopularity    among    the    professed    followers    of    Christ,    and 


434  THE  REVELATION 

against  tlie  virulent  A\-orkings  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity, 
wliicli  linally  resulted  in  the  full  development  of  the  papal 
man  of  sin. 

Where  Satan's  Seat  Is. —  Christ  takes  cognizance  of  the 
unfa\'orable  situation  of  his  people  during  this  period.  The 
language  is  not  probably  designed  to  denote  locality.  As  to 
place,  Satan  works  wherever  Christians  dwell.  But  surely 
there  are  times  and  seasons  when  he  works  with  special  power; 
antl  the  period  covered  by  the  church  of  Pergamos  Avas  one 
(»f  these.  During  this  period,  the  doctrine  of  Christ  was  being 
corrupted,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  was  working,  and  Satan 
was  laying  the  very  foundation  of  that  most  stupendous  system 
of  wickedness,  the  papacy.  Here  was  the  falling  away  fore- 
told by  Paul  in  2  Thess.  2:3. 

Antipas. —  That  a  class  of  persons  is  referred  to  by  this 
name,  and  not  an  individual,  there  is  good  reason  to  believe ; 
for  no  authentic  infornuition  respecting  such  an  individual  is 
now  to  be  found.      On  this  point  William  Miller  says : — 

"^  It  is  supposed  that  Antipas  was  not  an  individual,  but  a 
class  of  men  who  opposed  the  power  of  the  bishops,  or  popes, 
in  that  day,  being  a  combination  of  two  words,  anti,  opposed, 
and  papas,  father,  or  pope ;  and  at  that  time  many  of  them 
suffered  ujartyrdom  in  Constantinople  and  Pome,  where  the 
bishops  and  popes  began  to  exercise  the  power  which  soon  after 
brought  into  subjection  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  trampled 
on  the  rights  of  the  church  of  Christ.  And  for  myself,  I  see 
no  reason  to  reject  this  explanation  of  this  word  Antipas  in 
this  text,  as  the  history  of  those  times  is  perfectly  silent  re- 
specting such  an  individual  as  is  here  named." — -Miller's  Lec- 
tures, pp.  138,  139. 

Watson  says,  "Ancient  ecclesiastical  history  furnishes  no 
account  of  this  Antipas."  Dr.  Clarke  mentions  a  work  as  ex- 
tant called  the  "Acts  of  Antipas,"  but  gives  us  to  understand 
that   it   is  entitled  to  no  credit. 

The  Cause  of  Censure. —  Disadvantages  in  sitnation  are 
no  excuse  for  Avrongs  in  the  church.  Althongh  this  church 
lived  at  a  time  when  Satan  was  especially  at  work,  it  was 
their   duly   to   keep   themselves   pure   from    the   leaven    of  his 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  12  - 17  435 

evil^  doctrines.  Hence  tliey  were  censured  fur  liarburing  among 
tlieni  those  who  hehl  the  doctrines  of  Balaam  and  the  JSi^icohii- 
tanes.  (See  remarks  on  the  Xicohiitanes,  verse  0.)  What 
the  doctrine  of  Balaam  was,  is  here  partially  revealed.  He 
taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the  children  of 
Israel.  (See  a  full  account  of  liis  work  and  its  results  in 
lumbers,  chapters  22-25  and  31:lo-lG.)  It  appears  that 
Balaam  desired  to  curse  Israel  for  the  sake  of  the  rich  reward 
which  Balak  oifered  him  for  so  doing.  But  not  being  })er- 
mitted  bv  the  Lord  to  curse  them,  he  resolved  to  accomplish 
essentially  the  same  thing,  though  in  a  different  way.  He 
therefore  counseled  Balak  to  seduce  them,  by  means  of  the  fe- 
males of  j\Ioab,  to  participate  in  tlie  celebration  of  the  rites  of 
idolatry,  and  all  its  licentious  accompaniments.  The  plan 
succeeded.  The  abominations  of  idolatry  spread  through  the 
camp  of  Israel,  the  curse  of  God  was  called  down  upon  them 
by  their  sins,  and  there  fell  by  the  plague  twenty-four  thou- 
sand persons. 

The  doctrines  complained  of  in  the  church  of  Pergamos 
were  of  course  similar  in  their  tendency,  leading  to  spiritual 
idolatry,  and  an  unlawful  connection  between  the  church  and 
the  world.  Out  of  this  spirit  was  finally  produced  the  union 
of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  powers,  which  culminated  in  the 
formation  of  the  papacy. 

Repent. — ■  By  disciplining  or  expelling  those  wlio  hold 
these  pernicious  doctrines.  Christ  declared  that  if  they  did 
not  do  this,  he  would  take  the  matter  into  his  own  hands,  and 
come  unto  them  (in  judgment),  and  fight  against  them  (those 
who  held  these  evil  doctrines)  ;  and  the  whole  church  would  he 
held  responsible  for  the  wrongs  of  those  heretical  ones  whom 
they  harbored  in  their  midst. 

The  Promise. —  To  the  overcomer  it  is  promised  that  he 
shall  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  receive  from  his  approving 
Lord  a  white  stone,  with  a  new  and  precious  name  engraved 
thereon.  Concerning  manna  that  is  "  hidden,"  and  a  new 
name  that  no  one  is  to  know  but  he  that  receives  it,  not  mucli 
in  the  way  of  exposition  should  he  required.  But  tliore  luis 
boon   much    conjecturo   u])nn   those   ])oints,    and    an    allusion    to 


436  THE  REVELATION 

theui  may  be  expected.  Most  commentaturs  applv  the  iiianua, 
white  stone,  and  new  name,  to  spiritual  blessings  to  be  enjoyed 
in  this  life;  but  like  all  the  other  j)i'omises  to  the  overcomer, 
this  one  doubtless  refers  wholly  to  the  future,  and  is  to  be 
given  when  the  time  comes  that  the  saints  are  to  be  rewarded. 
Perhaps  the  following  from  the  late  II.  Blunt  is  as  satisfactory 
as  anything  that  has  ever  been  written  upon  these  several 
particulars : — 

"  It  is  generally  thought  by  commentators  that  this  refers 
to  an  ancient  judicial  custom  of  dropping  a  black  stone  into 
an  urn  when  it  is  intended  to  condemn,  and  a  white  stone 
when  the  prisoner  is  to  be  acquitted;  but  this  is  an  act  so  dis- 
tinct from  that  described,  '  I  will  give  thee  a  white  stone,' 
that  we  are  disposed  to  agree  with  those  who  think  it  refers 
rather  to  a  custom  of  a  very  different  kind,  and  not  unknown  to 
the  classical  reader,  according  with  beautiful  propriety  to  the 
case  before  us.  In  primitive  times,  when  traveling  was  ren- 
dered difficult  from  want  of  places  of  public  entertainment, 
hospitality  was  exercised  by  private  individuals  to  a  very  great 
extent,  of  Avhich,  indeed,  we  find  frequent  traces  in  all  history, 
and  in  none  more  than  the  Old  Testament.  Persons  who  Y>^r- 
took  of  this  hospitality,  and  those  who  practiced  it,  frequently 
contracted  habits  of  friendship  and  regard  for  each  other,  and 
it  became  a  well-established  custom  among  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans to  provide  their  guests  with  some  particular  mark,  which 
was  handed  down  from  father  to  son,  and  insured  hospitality 
and  kind  treatment  Avhenever  it  was  presented.  This  mark 
was  usually  a  small  stone  or  pebble,  cut  in  half,  upon  the 
halves  of  which  the  host  and  guest  mutually  inscribed  their 
names,  and  then  interchanged  with  each  other.  The  produc- 
tion of  this  tessera  was  quite  sufficient  to  insure  friendship  for 
themselves  or  descendants  whenever  they  traveled  again  in  the 
same  direction,  while  it  is  evident  that  these  stones  required  to 
be  privately  kept,  and  the  names  written  upon  them  carefully 
concealed,  lest  others  should  obtain  the  privileges  instead  of 
the  persons  for  whom  they  were  intended. 

"  How  natural,  then,  the  allusion  to  this  custom  in  the 
words    of   the   text,    '  I    Avill    give   him    to    eat    of   tlie    liidden 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  12  -  29  437 

mdnna !  '  and  having  done  this,  having  made  him  partake  of 
my  hospitality,  having  recognized  him  as  my  guest  and  friend, 
I  will  present  him  with  the  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a 
new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth  save  he  who  receiv- 
eth  it.  I  will  give  him  a  pledge  of  my  friendship,  sacred  and 
inviolable,  known  only  to  himself." 

On  the  new  name,  Wesley  very  appropriately  says: — 
'•  Jacob,  after  his  victory,  gained  the  new  name  of  Israel 
Wouldst  thou  know  what  thy  new  name  will  be  ?      The  way  to 
this  is  plain  —  overcome.      Till  then,  all  thy  inquiries  are  vain. 
Thou  wilt  then  read  it  on  the  white  stone." 

Verse  18.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira  write: 
These  things  saith  the  Son  of  God,  who  hath  his  eyes  hke  unto  a 
llame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like  tine  brass;  19.  I  know  thy  works, 
and  charity,  and  service,  and  faith,  and  thy  patience,  and  thy  works ; 
and  the  last  to  be  more  than  the  first.  20.  Notwithstanding  I  have 
a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou  sufferest  that  woman  Jezebel, 
which  calleth  herself  a  prophetess,  to  teach  and  to  seduce  my  servants 
to  commit  fornication,  and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols.  21. 
And  I  gave  her  space  to  repent  of  her  fornication;  and  she  repented 
not.  22.  Behold,  I  will  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them  that  commit 
adultery  with  her  into  great  tribulation,  except  they  repent  of  their 
deeds.  23.  And  I  wih  kill  her  children  with  death;  and  all  the 
churches  shah  know  that  I  am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins  and 
hearts :  and  I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you  according  to  your  works. 
24.  But  unto  you  I  say,  and  unto  the  rest  in  Thyatira,  as  many  as 
have  not  this  doctrine,  and  which  have  not  known  the  depths  of 
Satan,  as  they  speak;  I  will  put  upon  you  none  other  burden.  25. 
But  that  which  ye  have  already  hold  fast  till  I  come.  2G.  And  he 
that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will 
I  give  power  over  the  nations :  27.  And  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron ;  as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers : 
even  as  I  received  of  my  Father.  28.  And  I  will  give  him  the  morn- 
ing star.  29.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
saith  unto  the  churches. 

If  the  period  covered  by  the  Pergamos  church  has  been 
correctly  located,  terminating  with  the  setting  up  of  the  pa- 
pacy, A.  D.  538,  the  most  natural  division  to  be  assigned  to 
the  church  of  Thyatira  would  be  the  time  of  the  continuance 
of  this  blasphemous  power  through  the  1260  years  of  its  su- 
premacy, or  from  a.  d.   538  to  a.  d.   1798. 

Thyatira  signifies  "  sweet  savor  of  labor,"  or  "  sacrifice  of 
contrition."      This  would  well  describe  the  state  of  the  church 


438  i"^^^'  BEV ELATION 

uf  Jesus  Clirist  during  tlic  Jung  period  of  pupal  triumph  und 
persecution.  This  age  of  such  dreadful  tribulation  upon  the 
church  as  never  Avas  (Matt.  2-i:21),  improved  the  religious 
condition  of  believers.  Hence  they  recei\'e  for  their  works, 
charity,  service,  faith,  and  patience,  the  connnendation  of  Him 
whose  eyes  are  as  a  tlame  of  lire.  And  works  are  then  again 
mentioned,  as  if  worthy  of  double  commendation.  And  the 
last  were  more  than  the  lirst.  There  had  been  an  improve- 
ment in  their  condition,  a  growth  of  grace,  an  increase  in  all 
these  elements  of  Christianity.  This  church  is  the  only  one 
that  is  commended  for  an  improvement  in  spiritual  things. 
But  as  in  the  church  of  Pergamos  unfavorable  circumstances 
were  no  apology  for  false  doctrines  in  the  church,  so  in  this 
church,  no  amount  of  labor,  charity,  service,  faith,  or  patience 
could  compensate  for  a  like  sin.  A  rebuke  is  therefore  given 
them  for  suffering  in  their  midst  — 

Tliat  Woman  Jezebel. —  As  in  the  preceding  church  Antipas 
denoted,  not  an  individual,  but  a  class  of  persons,  so,  doubt- 
less, Jezebel  is  here  to  be  understood  in  the  same  sense.  Wat- 
son's Bible  Dictionary  says,  "  The  name  of  Jezebel  is  used 
proverbially.  Rev.  2 :  20."  William  ]\Iillcr,  Lectures,  p.  142, 
speaks  as  follows : — 

''  Jezebel  is  a  ligurative  name,  alluding  to  Ahab's  wife,  who 
slew  the  prophets  of  the  Lord,  led  her  husband  into  idolatry, 
and  fed  the  prophets  of  Baal  at  her  own  table.  A  more  strik- 
ing figure  could  not  have  been  used  to  denote  the  papal  abom- 
inations. (See  1  Kings,  chapters  IS,  1!),  and  21).  It  is  very 
evident  from  history,  as  well  as  from  this  verse,  that  the 
church  of  Christ  did  suffer  some  of  the  papal  monks  to  preach 
and  teach  among  them.  (See  the  'History  of  the  Wal- 
denses.')  " 

The  Comprehensive  Commentary  has  the  following  remark 
U})on  ^'erse  23 :  "  Children  are  spoken  of,  which  confirms  the 
idea  that  a  sect  and  its  proselytes  are  meant.''  The  judg- 
ments here  threatened  against  this  w^onian  are  in  harmony  with 
the  tlireatenings  in  other  parts  of  this  book  against  the  Komish 
Cluirch  nndcr  llic  syinbol  of  a  corru])t  woman,  the  mother  of 
hni'lols  and  abominations  (.f  llic  cartli.  ,     (  See  cbai^ters  17  -  1!*.) 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES'  18 -Hd  439 

The  (leatli  whicli  is  threatened  is  doubtless  the  second  death,  at 
tlie  end  of  the  one  thousand  years  of  lievelation  20,  when  the 
righteous  retribution  from  the  Searcher  of  *'  the  reins  and 
hearts  "  of  all  men  will  be  given.  And  further,  the  declara- 
tion, "  I  will  give  unto  e\'ery  one  of  you  according  to  your 
works,"  is  proof  that  the  address  to  this  church  looks  forward 
prophetically  to  the  iinal  reward  or  punishment  of  all  account- 
able beings. 

And  All  the  Cliurches  Shall  Know,  etc. —  It  has  been  ar- 
gued from  this  expression  that  these  churches  could  not  denote 
se\'en  successive  periods  of  the  gospel  age,  but  must  exist  con- 
temporaneously, as  otherwise  all  the  churches  could  not  know 
that  Christ  was  the  searcher  of  the  reins  and  hearts  from  see- 
ing his  judgments  upon  Jezebel  and  her  children.  But  when 
is  it  that  all  the  churches  are  to  know  this  ?  ■ — -It  is  when  these 
children  are  punished  w^tli  death.  And  if  this  is  at  the  time 
when  the  second  death  is  inflicted  upon  all  the  wicked,  then 
indeed  will  "  all  the  churches,"  as  they  behold  the  infliction 
of  the  judgment,  know  that  no  secret  thing,  no  evil  thought 
or  purpose  of  the  heart,  has  escaped  the  knowledge  of  Him, 
who,  with  eyes  like  flames  of  fire,  searches  the  hearts  and 
reins  of  men. 

/  ^YiU  Lay  upon  You  None  Other  Burden. —  A  respite 
promised  the  church,  if  we  rightly  apprehend,  from  the  bur- 
den, so  long  her  portion, —  the  w^eight  of  papal  oppression.  It 
cannot  be  applied  to  the  reception  of  new  truths ;  for  truth  is 
not  a  burden  to  any  accountable  l)eing.  But  the  days  of 
tribulation  that  came  upon  that  church  were  to  be  shortened 
for  the  elect's  sake.  Matt.  24:  22.  "  They  shall  be  holpen," 
says  the  prophet,  "with  a  little  help."  Dan.  11:34.  "And 
the  earth  helped  the  woman,"   says  John.       Rev.    12:16. 

Hold  Fast  till  I  Come. —  These  are  the  words  of  the  "  Son 
of  God,"  and  bring  to  our  view  an  unconditional  coming.  To 
the  churches  of  Ephesus  and  Pergamos,  certain  comings  were 
threatened  on  conditions:  "Repent,  or  else  I  will  come  unto 
thee,"  etc.,  implying  visitations  of  judgment.  But  here  a  com- 
ing of  a  different  nature  altogether  is  brought  to  view.  Tt  is 
not  a  threatening  of  punishment.  It  is  suspended  upon  no 
28 


440  THE  BEV ELATION 

conditions.  It  is  set  before  the  believer  as  a  matter  of  hope, 
and  can  refer  to  no  other  event  but  the  future  second  advent 
of  the  Lord  in  glorv,  when  the  Christian's  trials  will  cease, 
and  his  efforts  in  the  race  for  life,  and  his  warfare  for  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  will  be  rewarded  with  everlasting  success. 

This  church  brings  us  down  to  the  time  when  the  more 
immediate  signs  of  the  soon-coming  advent  began  to  be  ful- 
filled. In  1780,  eighteen  years  before  the  close  of  this  period, 
the  i^redicted  signs  in  the  sun  and  moon  were  fulfilled.  (See 
chapter  6:  12.)  And  in  reference  to  these  signs  the  Saviour 
said :  ''x\.nd  when  these  things  begin  to  come  to  pass,  then 
look  up,  and  lift  uj)  your  heads ;  for  your  redemption  draweth 
nigh."  In  the  history  of  this  church  we  reach  a  point  when 
the  end  is  drawing  so  near  that  the  attention  of  the  people 
could  ]')roperly  be  called  more  particularly  to  that  event.  All 
along  Christ  has  said  to  his  followers,  "Occupy  till  I  come." 
Luke  10 :  13.      l^ow  he  says,  "  Hold  fast  till  I  come." 

Till  the  End. —  The  end  of  tlie  Christian  age.  "  lie  that 
shall  endure  unto  the  end,"  says  Christ,  "  the  same  shall  be 
saved."  Matt.  2-1:13.  Is  not  here  a  like  promise  to  those 
who  keep  Christ's  works,  do  the  things  he  has  enjoined,  keep 
the  faith  of  Jesus?       Chapter  11:12. 

Power  orei-  the  Nations. —  In  this  Avorld  the  wicked  bear 
rule,  and  the  servants  of  Christ  are  of  no  esteem.  But  the 
time  is  coming  when  righteousness  will  be  in  the  ascendency; 
when  all  ungodliness  A\'ill  be  seen  in  its  true  light,  and  be  at  a 
heavy  discount;  and  when  the  scepter  of  ]wwer  will  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  people  of  God.  This  promise  will  be  explained 
by  the  following  facts  and  scriptures:  (1)  The  nations  are 
to  be  given  by  the  Father  into  the  hands  of  Christ,  to  be  ruled 
Avith  a  rod  of  iron,  and  dashed  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel 
(Ps.  2  :  8,  9)  ;  (2)  Associated  with  Christ  when  he  thus  enters 
upon  his  own  work  of  power  and  judgment,  are  to  be  his  saints 
(Rev.  3  :  21)  ;  (3)  They  are  to  reign  with  him  in  this  ca]-)acity 
for  one  thousand  years  (chapter  20:4);  (4)  During  this  pe- 
riod, the  degree  of  judgment  upon  wicked  men  and  evil  angels 
is  determined   (1   Cor.    6:2,  3);     (.5)   At  the  end  of  the  one 


CHAPTER  2,  VERSES  18-29  441 

thousand  years,  tliev  have  the  honor  of  sharing  with  Christ  in 
the  execution  of  the  sentence  written.       Ps.   149 :  U. 

The  Morning  Star. —  Christ  says,  in  chapter  22 :  16,  that 
he  is  himself  the  morning  star.  The  morning  star  is  the  im- 
mediate forerunner  of  the  day.  What  is  here  called  the  morn- 
ing star,  is  called  the  day  star  in  2  Peter  1 :  19,  where  it  is 
associated  with  the  dawn  of  the  day :  "  Until  the  day  dawn, 
and  the  day  star  arise."  During  the  saints'  weary  night  of 
watching,  they  have  the  word  of  God  to  shed  its  needful  light 
upon  their  path.  P>ut  when  the  day  star  shall  arise  in  their 
hearts,  or  the  morning  star  he  given  to  the  overcomers,  they 
will  he  taken  into  so  close  a  relationship  to  Christ  that  their 
hearts  will  be  fully  illuminated  with  his  Spirit,  and  they  will 
walk  in  his  light.  Then  they  will  no  longer  need  the  sure 
word  of  prophecy,  Avhich  now  shines  as  a  light  in  a  dark  place. 
Hasten  on,  O  glorious  hour,  when  the  light  of  heaven's  bright 
day  shall  rise  upon  the  pathway  of  the  little  flock,  and  beams 
of  glory  from   the  eternal  Avorld  shall  gild  their  banners  I 


Verse  1.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  chnrch  in  Sardis  write : 
These  things  saith  he  that  liath  the  seven  Spirits  of  God,  and  the 
seven  stars :  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that  thou  liv- 
est,  and  art  dead.  2.  Be  watchful,  and  strengthen  the  things  which 
remain,  that  are  ready  to  die :  for  I  have  not  found  thy  works  perfect 
before  God.  3,  Remember  therefore  how  thou  hast  received  and 
heard,  and  hold  fast,  and  repent.  If  therefore  thou  shalt  not  watch, 
I  will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour 
I  will  come  upon  thee.  4.  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis 
which  have  not  defiled  their  garments;  and  they  shall  walk  with  me 
in  white:  for  they  are  worthy.  5.  He  that  overcometh,  the  same 
shall  be  clothed  in  white  raiment;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name 
out  of  the  book  of  life,  but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father, 
and  before  his  angels.  C.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

IF  the  dates  of  the  preceding  cliurclies  have  been  correctly 
fixed,  the  period   covered  by  the   chnrch   of    Sardis   mnst 

commence  abont  the  year  1798.  Sardis  signifies  "  prince 
or  song  of  joy,"  or  "'  that  which  remains."  We  then  have  be- 
fore tis,  as  constituting  this  church,  the  reformed  churches, 
from  the  date  above  named  to  the  great  movement  which 
marked  another  era  in  the  history  of  the  people  of  God. 

The  great  fault  found  with  this  church  is  that  it  has  a 
name  to  live,  but  is  dead.  And  what  a  high  position,  in  a 
worldly  point  of  vicAv,  has  the  nominal  church  occupied  during 
tliis  period!  Look  at  her  high-sounding  titles,  and  her  fa\-i>r 
with  the  world.  But  how  have  pride  and  popularity  grown 
apace,  until  s]>irituality  is  destroyed,  the  line  of  distinction 
between  the  chnrcli  and  ihe  world  is  olditerated,  ;ind  tliese  dif- 
(442) 


en  APT  Eli  S,  VERSE;S  1-G  443 

ferent  poinihir  bodies  arc  churches  of  Christ  only  in  name! 

This  church  was  to  hear  the  proclamation  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  second  advent,  as  we  learn  from  verse  3 :  *'  If  therefore 
thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief."  This 
implies  that  the  doctrine  of  the  advent  would  be  proclaimed, 
and  the  duty  of  watching  be  enjoined  upon  the  church.  The 
coming  spoken  of  is  unconditional ;  the  manner  only  in  which 
it  would  come  upon  them  is  conditional.  Their  not  watching 
would  not  prevent  the  coming  of  the  Lord;  but  by  watching 
they  could  avoid  being  overtaken  as  by  a  thief.  It  is  only  to 
those  who  are  in  this  condition  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  comes 
unawares.  "  Ye,  brethren,"  says  Paul,  ^'  are  not  in  darkness, 
that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief."      1  Thess.  5 :  4. 

A  Few  Names  even  in  Sardis. —  This  language  Avould 
seem  to  imply  a  period  of  unparalleled  worldliness  in  the 
church.  But  even  in  this  state  of  things,  there  are  some 
whose  garments  are  not  defiled, —  some  who  have  kept  them- 
selves free  from  this  contaminating  influence.  James  says, 
''  Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father  is 
this.  To  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and 
to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world/'      James  1 :  27. 

Shall  Walk  with  Me  in  White. —  The  Lord  does  not  over- 
look his  people  in  any  place,  however  few  their  numbers. 
Lonely  Christian,  with  none  of  like  precious  faith  with  whom 
to  commune,  do  you  ever  feel  as  if  the  hosts  of  the  unbe- 
lievers would  swallow  you  up  ?  You  are  not  unnoticed  or  for- 
gotten by  your  Lord.  The  multitude  of  the  wicked  around 
you  cannot  be  so  great  as  to  hide  you  from  his  view ;  and  if 
you  keep  yourself  unspotted  from  surrounding  evil,  the  prom- 
ise is  sure  to  you.  You  shall  be  clotlied  in  white, —  the  white 
raiment  of  the  overcomer, — ■  and  walk  with  your  Lord  in  glory. 
See  chapter  7:17:  ^' For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  thorn  unto  liv- 
ing fountains  of  waters ;  and  God  shall  w4pe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes." 

White  Baiment. — -Being  clothed  wdth  white  raiment  i-^ 
explained  in  otlier  scriptures  to  be  a  symljol  of  excliMn'^ing 
iniqnity    for    righteousness.        (See    Zech.    .'5:4,    5.)        "Take 


444  '  THE  REVELATION 

away  the  filthy  garments  from  him,"'  is  explained  by  the  lan- 
guage that  follows,  *'  Behold,  I  have  caused  thine  iniquity  to 
pass  from  thee."  "  The  fine  linen,"  or  the  white  raiment, 
"is  the  righteousness  of   saints.""       Kev.    19:8. 

The  Booh  of  Life. —  Object  of  thrilling  interest  I  Vast 
and  ponderous  volume,  in  which  are  enrolled  the  names  of 
all  the  candidates  for  everlasting  life !  And  is  there  danger, 
after  our  names  have  once  been  entered  in  that  heavenly  jour- 
nal, that  they  may  be  blotted  out  i  —  Yes ;  or  this  warning 
woidd  never  have  been  penned.  Paul,  even,  feared  that  he 
himself  might  become  a  castaway.  1  Cor.  9:27.  It  is  only 
by  being  overcomers  at  last  that  our  names  can  be  retained 
in  that  book.  But  all  "will  not  overcome.  Their  names,  of 
course,  will  be  blotted  out.  And  reference  is  made  to  some 
definite  point  of  time  in  the  future  for  this  work.  "  I  ivill 
not,"  says  Christ  (in  the  future),  blot  out  the  names  of  the 
overcomers,  which  is  also  saying,  by  implication,  that  at  the 
same  time  he  will  blot  out  the  names  of  those  who  do  not  over- 
come. Is  not  this  the  same  time  mentioned  by  Peter  in  Acts 
3 :  19  i  "  Pej^ent  ye  therefore,  and  be  converted,  that  your 
sins  may  be  blotted  out  when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall 
come  from  the  presence  of  the.  Lord."  To  say  to  the  over- 
comer  that  his  name  shall  not  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of 
life,  is  to  say  also  that  his  sins  shall  be  blotted  out  of  the 
book  wherein  they  are  recorded,  to  be  remembered  against  him 
no  more  forever.  Ileb.  8 :  12.  And  this  is  to  be  when  the 
times  of  refreshing  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord;  may 
we  not  also  add,  in  that  other  language  of  Peter,  A\TLen  the 
day  star  shall  arise  in  our  hearts,  or  the  morning  star  be  given 
to  the  church,  just  previous  to  the  advent  of  the  Lord  to  usher 
in  the  glorious  day  ?  2  Peter  1:19;  Kev.  2:28.  And  when 
that  hour  of  decision  shall  come,  which  can  not  now  be  a  great 
way  in  the  future,  how,  reader,  will  it  be  with  you?  Will 
your  sins  be  blotted  out,  and  your  name  be  retained  in  the 
book  of  life  ?  or  will  your  name  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of 
life,  and  your  sins  be  left  to  bear  their  fearful  record  against 
vou  I 


CHAPTER  S,  VERSES  5  -  IS  445 

The  Fresentatiun  in  Glury. —  "  i  will  confess  his  name 
before  my  Father,  and  before  his  angels.'"  Christ  taught  here 
ujjon  earth,  that  as  men  confessed  or  denied,  despised  or  hon- 
ored him  here,  they  would  be  confessed  or  denied  by  him  be- 
fore his  Father  in  heaven  and  the  holy  angels.  Matt.  10 : 
;32,  33;  Mark  8:3b;  Luke  1'2:8,  9.  And  who  can  fathom 
the  honor  of  being  approved  before  the  heavenly  hosts !  Who 
can  conceive  the  bliss  of  that  moment  when  we  shall  be  owned 
by  the  Lord  of  life  before  his  Father  as  those  who  have  done 
his  will,  fought  the  good  fight,  run  the  race,  honored  him  be- 
fore men,  overcome,  and  whose  names  are  worthy,  through  his 
merits,  of  standing  upon  the  imperishable  record  of  the  book 
of  life  forever  and  ever ! 

Verse  7.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia  write: 
These  things  saith  he  that  is  holy,  he  that  is  true,  he  tliat  hath  the 
key  of  David,  he  that  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth;  and  shuttetli 
and  no  man  openeth;  8.  I  know  thy  works:  behold,  I  have  set  before 
thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it :  for  thou  hast  a  little 
strength,  and  iiast  kept  my  word,  and  hast  not  denied  my  name.  9. 
Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  which  say  they 
are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  do  lie;  behold,  I  will  make  them  to  come 
and  worship  before  thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved  thee. 
10.  Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my  patience,  I  also  will  keep 
thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  which  shall  come  upon  all  the 
world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.  11.  Behold,  I  come 
quickly:  hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown. 
12.  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my 
God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out :  and  I  will  write  upon  him  the 
name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God.  which  is  New 
Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God :  and  I 
will  write  upon  him  my  new  name.  13.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let 
hini  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  nnto  the  churches. 

The  word  FJtiladelpJiia  signifies  hroilierly  love,  and  cx- 
])resses  the  position  and  spirit  of  those  who  recei^^■'d  the  Advent 
uiessage  ttp  to  the  atttumn  of  1844.  As  they  came  out  of  the 
sectarian  cluirehes,  they  left  party  names  and  party  feelings 
behind ;  and  every  heart  beat  in  ttnion,  as  they  gave  the  alarm 
to  the  churches  and  to  the  world,  and  pointed  to  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  as  the  believer's  trtte  hope.  Selfishness  and 
covetousness  were  laid  aside,  and  a  spirit  of  consecration  and 
sacrifice  Avas  cherished.       The   Spirit   of  God    was  with   every 


44  G  I^HE  BEY  ELATION 

true  believer,  and  liis  praise  upon  every  tongue.  Those  wlio 
were  not  in  that  movement  know  nothing  of  the  deep  search- 
ing of  heart,  consecration  of  all  to  God,  jieace,  joy  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  pure,  fervent  love  for  one  another,  which  true  be- 
lievers then  enjoyed.  Those  who  w^ere  in  that  movement  are 
a\\"are  that  language  Avould  fail  to  describe  that  holy,^  happy 
state. 

The  Key  of  David. —  A  key  is  a  symbol  of  power.  The 
Son  of  God  is  the  rightful  heir  to  David's  throne;  and  he  is 
about  to  take  to  himself  his  great  power,  and  to  reign ;  hence 
he  is  represented  as  having  the  key  of  David.  The  throne  of 
David,  or  of  Christ,  on  which  he  is  to  reign,  is  included  in 
the  capital  of  his  kingdom,  the  ]^ew  Jerusalem,  now  above, 
but  which  is  to  be  located  on  this  earth,  where  he  is  to  reign 
forever  and  ever.       Eev.   21:1-5;  Luke   1 :  32,  33. 

He  that  Openeth,  and  no  Man  Shutteth,  etc. —  To  under- 
stand this  language,  it  is  necessary  to  look  at  Christ's  j)osition 
and  work  as  connected  with  his  ministry  in  the  sanctuary,  or 
true  tabernacle  above.  Heb.  8:2.  A  figure,  or  pattern,  of 
this  heavenly  sanctuary  once  existed  here  ujoon  earth  in  the 
sanctuary  built  by  Moses.  Ex.  25:8,  9;  Acts  7:4-1;  Heb, 
9 :  1,  21,  23,  24.  The  earthly  building  had  two  apartments, 
—  the  holy  place  and  the  most  holy  place.  Ex.  20:33,  34. 
In  the  first  apartment  were  the  candlestick,  the  table  of  show- 
bread,  and  the  altar  of  incense.  In  the  second  were  the  ark, 
which  contained  the  tables  of  the  covenant,  or  ten  command- 
ments, and  the  cherubim.  Heb.  9:1-5.  In  like  manner 
the  sanctuary  in  which  Christ  ministers  in  heaven  has  two 
apartments.  Heb.  9:24.  (See  also  verses  8  and  12  and 
chapter  10:19,  in  each  of  which  texts  the  words  rendered 
holiest  and  holy  place  are  plural  in  the  original,  and  should  be 
rendered  holy  places.)  And  as  all  things  were  made  after 
their  pattern,  tlie  heavenly  sanctuary  has  also  furniture  sim- 
ilar to  that  of  the  worldly.  For  the  antitype  of  the  golden 
candlestick  and  altar  of  incense,  in  the  first  apartment,  see 
Rev.  4:5;  8:3;  and  for  the  antitype  of  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
mint,  witli  its  ten  commandments,  see  Rov.  11:19.  In  tlio 
wovbUy    saiu'tnary   (lie   priests   ministered.       Ex.    28:41,    43; 


CHAPTER  3,  VERSES  7  - 16  447 

Heb.  9:6,  7;  13:11;  etc.  The  ministry  of  tliese  priests 
was  a  shadow  of  the  ministry  of  Christ  in  the  sanctuary  in 
heaven.  Heb.  8:4,  5.  A  complete  round  of  service  was  per- 
formed in  the  earthly  tabernacle  once  every  year.  Ileb.  \) : 
7.  But  in  the  tabernacle  above  the  service  is  performed  once 
for  all.  Heb.  7  :  27  ;  9  :  12.  At  the  close  of  the  yearly  typ- 
ical service,  the  high  j)riest  entered  the  second  apartment,  the 
most  holy  place  of  the  sanctuary,  to  make  an  atonement ;  and 
this  work  is  called  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary.  Lev.  16 : 
20,  30,  33  ;  Eze.  45  :  IS.  When  the  ministry  in  the  most  holy 
place  commenced,  that  in  the  holy  place  ceased ;  and  no  service 
was  performed  tliere  so  long  as  the  priest  was  engaged  in  the 
most  holy  place.  Lev.  16:  17.  x\  similar  opening  and  shut- 
ting, or  change  of  ministration,  must  be  accomplished  by  Christ 
when  the  time  comes  for  the  cleansing  of  the  heavenly  sanc- 
tuary. A7id  the  time  did  come  for  this  service  to  commence 
at  the  close  of  the  2300  days,  in  1844.  To  this  event  the 
opening  and  shutting  mentioned  in  the  text  under  considera- 
tion can  aj)propriately  apply,  the  opening  being  the  opening 
of  his  ministration  in  the  most  holy  place,  and  the  shutting,  its 
cessation  in  the  first  apartment,  or  holy  place.  (See  exposi- 
tion of  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary  and  its  cleansing,  under 
Dan.  8:  11.) 

Verse  9  probably  applies  to  those  who  do  not  keep  pace 
with  the  advancing  light  of  truth,  and  who  oppose  those  that 
do.  Such  shall  yet  be  made  to  feel  and  confess  that  God  loves 
those  who,  not  rejecting  the  past  fulfilments  of  his  word,  nor 
stereotyping  themselves  in  a  creed,  continue  to  advance  in  the 
knowledge  of  his  truth. 

T/ie  ^\'ord  of  My  Patience. —  Says  John,  in  Rev.  14:12, 
"  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints :  here  are  they  that  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus."  Those 
who  now  live  in  patient,  faithful  obedience  to  the  command- 
ments of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus,  will  be  kept  in  the  hour 
of  temptation  and  peril  just  before  us.  (See  chapter  13: 
13-17.) 

B'^hold,  I  Come  Qulcldij. —  The  second  coming  of  Christ  is 
here  again  brought  to  view,  and  with  more  startling  emphasis 


448  THE  REVELATION 

than  in  any  of  the  preceding  messages.  The  nearness  of  that 
event  is  here  urged  njion  the  attention  of  believers.  The  mes- 
sage applies  to  a  period  when  that  great  event  is  impending; 
and  in  this  we  have  most  indubitable  evidence  of  the  prophetic 
nature  of  these  messages.  What  is  said  of  the  first  three 
churches  contains  no  allusion  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ, 
from  the  fact  that  they  do  not  cover  a  period  during  which 
that  event  could  be  Scripturally  expected.  But  we  come  down 
to  the  Thyatiran  church,  beyond  which  only  three  compar- 
atively brief  stages  of  the  church  appear  before  the  end,  and, 
as  if  then  the  time  had  come  when  this  great  hope  was 
just  beginning  to  dawn  upon  the  church,  the  mind  is  carried 
forward  to  it  by  a  single  allusion:  "Hold  fast  till  I  come." 
We  come  down  to  the  next  state  of  the  church,  the  Sardis,  the 
church  which  occupies  a  position  still  nearer  that  event,  and 
the  great  proclamation  is  brought  to  view  which  was  to  herald 
it,  and  the  duty  of  watching  enjoined  upon  the  church:  "If 
thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief."  We 
reach  the  Philadelphian  church,  still  further  dowji  in  the 
stream  of  time,  and  the  nearness  of  the  same  great  event  then 
leads  Him  who  "  is  holy  and  true  "  t5  utter  the  stirring  decla- 
ration, "  J3ehold,  I  come  quickly."  How  evident  it  is  from 
all  this  that  these  churches  occupy  positions  successi\'ely 
nearer  the  great  day  of  the  Lord,  as  in  each  succeeding  one, 
and  in  a  continually  increasing  ratio,  this  great  event  is  made 
more  and  more  prominent,  and  is  more  definitely  and  impress- 
ively urged  upon  the  attention  of  the  church.  Here  they  see 
indeed  the  day  approaching.      Heb.   10:25. 

FaWifulness  Enjuuied. —  "  Hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast, 
that  no  man  take  thy  crown."  Xot  that  by  our  faithfulness 
we  are  depriving  any  one  else  of  a  crown;  but  the  verb  reii 
dered  to  take  has  a  number  of  definitions,  one  of  which  is 
"  to  take  away,  snatch  from,  deprive  of.'"  Hold  fast  that  thou 
hast,  that  no  man  deprive  thee  of  the  crown  of  life.  Let  no 
one,  and  no  thing,  induce  you  to  yield  up  the  truth,  or  pervert 
you  from  the  right  M-ays  of  the  Lord ;  for  by  so  doing  they  will 
cause  vou  to  lose  the  reward. 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  7-22  449 

A  FiLLar  in  the  Teinpk'. —  The  overeomer  in  this  address 
has  the  proiiiise  of  being  made  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  God, 
and  going  no  more  out.  The  temple  here  must  denote  the 
church ;  and  the  promise  of  being  made  a  pillar  therein  is  the 
strongest  promise  that  could  be  given  of  a  place  of  honor,  per- 
manence, and  safety  in  the  church,  under  the  tigure  of  a  heav- 
enly building.  And  when  the  time  comes  that  this  part  of 
the  promise  is  fuliilled,  probation  with  the  overeomer  is  past; 
he  is  fully  established  in  the  truth,  and  sealed.  ''  He  shall 
go  no  more  out ;  "  that  is,  there  is  no  more  danger  of  his 
falling  away;  he  is  the  Lord's  forever;  his  salvation  is  sure. 

But  they  are  to  have  more  than  this.  From  the  moment 
they  overcome,  and  are  sealed  for  heaven,  they  are  labeled,  if 
we  may  so  express  it,  as  belonging  to  God  and  Christ,  and 
addressed  to  their  des.tination,  the  ^ew  Jerusalem.  They  are 
to  have  written  upon  them  the  name  of  God,  whose  property 
they  are,  the  name  of  the  A'ew  Jerusalem,  to  which  place  they 
are  going,  not  old  Jerusalem,  Avhere  some  are  vainly  looking; 
and  they  have  upon  them  the  new  name  of  Christ,  by  whose 
authority  they  are  to  receive  everlasting  life,  and  enter  into 
the  kingdom.  Thus  sealed  and  labeled,  the  saints  of  God  are 
safe.  Xo  enemy  will  be  able  to  prevent  their  reaching  their 
destination,  their  glorious  ha\en  of  rest,  Jerusalem  above. 

Verse  14.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans 
write:  These  things  saith  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  Witness, 
the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God;  15.  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou 
are  neither  cold  nor  hot:  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  16.  So  then 
because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue 
thee  out  of  my  mouth.  17.  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  in- 
creased with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing;  and  knowest  not  that 
thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked : 
18.  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  tliou  may- 
est  be  rich;  and  white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that 
the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear;  and  anoint  thine  eyes 
with  eye-salve,  that  thou  mayest  see.  19.  As  many  as  I  love,  I  re- 
buke and  chasten :  be  zealous  therefore,  and  repent.  20.  Behold,  I 
stand  at  the  door,  and  knock :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open 
the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me.  21.  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my 
throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father 
in  his  throne.  22.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
saith  unto  the  churches. 


450  THE  REVELATION 

Laodicea  signifies  the  judging  of  the  people,  or,  according 
to  Cruden,  a  just  people.  The  message  to  this  cliurch  brings 
to  view  the  closing  scenes  of  probation.  It  reveals  a  period  of 
judgment.  It  is  the  last  stage  of  the  church.  It  consequently 
applies  to  believers  under  the  third  message,  the  last  message 
of  mercy  before  the  coming  of  Christ  (see  chapter  14::  9  -  II), 
while  the  great  day  of  atonement  is  transpiring,  and  the  inves- 
tigative Judgment  is  going  forward  upon  the  house  of  God, — 
a  period  during  which  the  just  and  holy  law  of  God  is  taken 
by  tlie  waiting  church  as  their  rule  of  life. 

These  Things  Saith  the  Amen. —  This  is,  then,  the  final 
message  to  the  churches  ere  the  close  of  probation.  And 
though  the  description  of  their  condition  which  he  gives  to  the 
indifi^erent  Laodiceans  is  fearful  and  startling,  nevertheless  it 
cannot  be  denied;  for  the  Witness  is  "faithful  and  true." 
Moreover,  he  is  "  the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God." 
Some  understand  by  this  language  that  Christ  was  the  first  cre- 
ated being,  dating  his  existence  anterior  to  that  of  any  other 
created  being  or  thing,  next  to  the  self-existent  and  eternal 
God.  But  the  language  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  he 
was  created ;  for  the  words,  "  the  beginning  of  the  creation," 
may  simply  signify  that  the  work  of  creation,  strictly  speaking, 
was  begun  by  him.  *'  Without  him  was  not  anything  made." 
Others,  however,  and  more  properly  we  think,  take  the  word 
apx^t  to  mean  the  '^'  agent  "  or  "  efiicient  cause,"  which  is  one 
of  the  definitions  of  the  word,  understanding  that  Christ  is 
the  agent  through  whom  God  has  created  all  things,  but  that 
he  himself  came  into  existence  in  a  difi^erent  manner,  as  he  is 
called  "  the  only  begotten  "  of  the  Father.  It  would  seem 
utterly  inappropriate  to  apply  this  expression  to  any  being  cre- 
ated in  the  ordinary  sense  of  that  term.  For  "  beginning," 
read  "  bcgiuner," 

The  charge  lie  brings  against  the  Laodiceans  is  that  they 
are  lukewarm,  neither  cold  nor  hot.  They  lack  that  religious 
fervency,  zeal,  and  devotion  which  their  position  in  thc^ 
wotUI's  closing  history,  Avith  the  light  of  prophecy  beamii\g 
n])nii  their  pathway,  demands  tliat  they  should  manifest;  an<l 
fill-;   lnk"warnnu'ss   is  shown    l)v   a    hick   of  .oood    works;   for   it 


CHAPTER  S,  VERSES  11^-22  451 

is  from  a  knowledge  of  tlieir  works  that  the  faitlifiil  and  trne 
Witness   brings   this   fearfnl   charge   against   them. 

/  ^Vould  Thou  Vi'ert  Cold  or  Hot. —  Three  states  are 
brought  to  view  in  this  message, —  the  cold,  the  lukewarm, 
and  the  hot.  It  is  imjjortant  to  determine  what  condition 
they  each  denote,  in  order  to  guard  against  wrong  conclusions. 
Three  conditions  of  spiritual  life  which  pertain  to  the  church, 
not  to  the  world,  are  to  be  considered.  What  the  term  Jiot 
means  it  is  not  difficult  to  conceive.  The  mind  at  once  calls 
up  a  state  of  intense  fervency  and  zeal,  w^hen  all  the  affections, 
raised  to  the  highest  pitch,  are  drawn  out  for  God  and  his 
cause,  and  manifest  themselves  in  corresponding  works.  To 
be  lukewarm  is  to  lack  this  zeal,  to  be  in  a  state  in  which 
heart  and  earnestness  are  wanting;  in  which  there  is  no  self- 
denial  that  costs  anything,  no  cross-bearing  that  is  felt,  no  de- 
termined witnessing  for  Christ,  and  no  valiant  aggression  that 
keeps  sinews  strained  and  armor  bright;  and,  w^orst  of  all,  it 
implies  entire  satisfaction  with  that  condition.  But  to  be  cold 
—  what  is  that  ?  Does  it  denote  a  state  of  corruption,  wicked- 
ness, and  sin,  such  as  characterizes  the  Avorld  of  unbelievers  :? 
We  cannoi  so  regard  it,  for  the  following  reasons : — 

1.  It  would  seem  harsh  and  repulsi\'e  to  represent  Christ 
as  A\ishing,  under  any  circumstances,  that  persons  should  be 
in  such  a  condition;  but  he  says,  "I  ivould  thou  wert  cold 
or  hot." 

2.  Xo  state  can  be  more  offensive  to  Christ  than  that  of  the 
sinner  in  open  rebellion,  and  his  heart  filled  with  every  evil. 
It  would  therefore  be  incorrect  to  represent  him  as  preferring 
that  state  to  any  position  which  his  people  can  occupy  wliile 
they  are  still  retained  as  his. 

8.  The  threat  of  rejection  in  verse  16  is  hecause  they  are 
neither  cold  nor  hot.  As  much  as  to  say  that  if  they  were 
either  cold  or  hot,  they  would  not  be  rejected.  But  if  by  cold 
is  meant  a  state  of  oj)en  worldly  wickedness,  they  would  be 
rejected  therefor  very  speedily.  Hence  such  cannot  be  its 
meaning. 

We  are  consequently  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  by  this 
language  our  Lord  has  no  reference  whatever  to  those  outside 


452  THE  REVELATION 

of  his  church,  but  that  he  refers  to  three  degrees  of  spiritual 
affections,  two  of  which  are  more  acceptable  to  him  than  the 
third.  Heat  and  cold  are  preferable  to  lukewarmness.  But 
what  kind  of  spiritual  state  is  denoted  by  the  term  cold?  We 
may  remark  first  that  it  is  a  state  of  feeling.  In  this  respect 
it  is  superior  to  lukewarmness,  which  is  a  state  of  com])ara- 
tive  insensibility,  indifference,  and  supreme  self-satisfaction. 
To  be  hot  is  also  to  be  in  a  state  of  feeling.  x\nd  as  hot 
denotes  joyous  fervency,  and  a  lively  exercise  of  all  the  affec- 
tions, with-  a  lieart  buoyant  with  the  sensible  presence  and 
love  of  God,  so  by  cold  would  seem  to  be  denoted  a  spiritual 
condition  characterized  by  a  destitution  of  these  traits,  yet  one 
in  which  the  individual  feels  such  destitution,  and  longs  to 
recover  his  lost  treasures.  This  state  is  well  expressed  by  the 
language  of  Job,  "O  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  him !  '' 
Job  23  :  3.  In  this  state  there  is  not  indifference,  nor  is  there 
content ;  but  there  is  a  sense  of  coldness,  unfitness,  and  dis- 
comfort, and  a  groping  and  seeking  after  something  better. 
There  is  hope  of  a  person  in  this  condition.  What  a  num 
feels  that  he  lacks  and  wants,  he  will  earnestly  strive  to  obtain. 
The  most  discouraging  feature  of  the  lukewarm  is  that  they 
are  conscious  of  no  lack,  and  feel  that  they  have  need  of  noth- 
ing. Hence  it  is  easy  to  see  why  our  Lord  should  prefer  to 
behold  his  church  in  a  state  of  comfortless  coldness,  rather 
that  in  a  state  of  comfortable,  easy,  indifferent  lukewarmness. 
Cold,  a  person  will  not  long  remain.  His  efforts  will  soon 
lead  him  to  the  fervid  state.  But  lukewarm,  there  is  danger 
of  his  remaining  till  the  faithful  and  true  Witness  is  obliged 
to  reject  liim  as  a  nauseous  and  loathsome  thing. 

/  Will  Spue  Thee  out  of  My  Moutli. — -Here  the  figure  is 
still  further  carried  out,  and  the  rejection  of  the  lukewarm  ex- 
pressed by  the  nauseating  effects  of  tepid  water.  And  this 
denotes  a  final  rejection,  an  utter  separation  from  his  church. 

Rich,  and  Increased  ivitli  Goods. — •  Such  the  Laodiceans 
think  is  their  condition.  They  are  not  hypocrites,  because 
tliey  ''  know  not "  that  they  are  poor,  miserable,  blind,  and 
linked. 


CHAPTER  3,  VERSES  U  -  22  453 

The  Counsel  Given  Them. —  Buy  of  me,  says  the  true  Wit- 
ness, g'olcl  tried  in  the  tire,  tiiat  thou  mayest  be  rich,  and  white 
raiment,  that  thou  inayest  be  clothed,  and  anoint  thine  eyes 
with  eye-salve,  that  thou  mayest  see.  This  shows  at  once  to 
the  deceived  Laodiceans  the  objects  they  lack,  and  the  extent 
of  their  destitution.  It  shows,  too,  where  they  can  obtain  those 
things  in  which  they  are  so  fearfully  poor;  it  brings  before 
them  the  necessity  of  si:)eedily  obtaining  them.  The  case  is  so 
urgent  that  our  great  Advocate  in  the  court  above  sends  us 
special  counsel  on  the  point;  and  the  fact  that  he  Avho  has 
condescended  to  point  out  our  lack,  and  counsel  us  to  buy,  is 
the  one  who  has  these  things  to  bestow,  and  invites  us  to  come 
to  him  for  them,  is  the  best  possible  guarantee  that  our  appli- 
cation will  be  respected,  and  our  requests  granted. 

But  by  what  means  can  we  buy  these  things  i  —  Just  as  we 
buy  all  other  gospel  graces.  "'  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye, 
buy,  and  eat;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money 
and  without  price."  Isa.  55 :  1.  We  thus  buy  by  the  ask- 
ing; buy  by  throwing  away  the  worthless  baubles  of  earth,  and 
receiving  priceless  treasures  in  their  stead ;  buy  by  simply 
coming  and  receiving;  buy,  giving  nothing  in  return.  And 
what  do  we  buy  on  these  gracious  terms  i  —  Bread  that  per- 
ishes not,  spotless  raiment  that  soils  not,  riches  that  corrupt 
not,  and  an  inheritance  that  fadeth  not.  Strange  traffic,  this! 
yet  thus  the  Lord  condescends  to  deal  with  his  people.  He 
might  compel  us  to  come  in  the  manner  and  with  the  mien  of 
lieogars ;  but  instead  of  this  he  gives  us  the  treasures  of  his 
aTace,  and  in  return  receives  our  wortlilessness,  that  Ave  mav 
take  the  blessings  he  has  to  bestow,  not  as. pittances  dealt  out 
to  mendicants,  but  as  the  legitimate  possessions  of  honorable 
purchase. 

The  things  to  be  obtained  demand  especial  notice.  They 
are  enumerated   as  follows : — 

1.  Gold  Tried  in  the  Fire. — -Gold,  literally  considered,  is 
the  comprehensive  name  for  all  worldly  wealth  and  riches. 
"Figuratively,  it  must  denote  that  which  constitutes  spiritual 
riches.      What  grace,  then,  is  represented  by  the  gold,  or,  rather. 


454  THE  BEVEL  ATI  U.\ 

what  graces  i  for  doubtless  no  one  single  grace  can  be  said 
to  answer  to  the  full  innDort  of  that  term.  The  Lord  said  to 
the  chureli  of  Smyrna  that  he  knew  their  po^•erty,  but  tlicy 
were  rich;  and  the  testimony  shows  that  their  riches  consisted 
of  that  which  was  finally  to  put  them  in  possession  of  a  crown 
of  life.  Says  James,  "  Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren,  Hath 
not  God  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world,  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs 
of  the  kingdom  which  he  hath  promised  to  them  that  lo\'e 
him  ?  "  '^  Faith,"  says  Paul,  ''  is  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  To  be  '"  rich 
toward  God," —  rich  in  the  spiritual  sense, —  is  to  have  a  clear 
title  to  the  promises, —  to  be  an  heir  of  that  inheritance  which 
is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved 
in  heaven  for  us.  ''  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  je  Abraham's 
seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise."  Gal.  3  :  29.  And 
how  do  we  obtain  this  heirship  ?  - — •  In  the  same  way  that  xVbra- 
hani  obtained  the  promise;  that  is,  through  faith.  Rom.  4: 
13,  14.  Xo  wonder,  then,  that  Paul  should  devote  an  entire 
chapter  in  Hebrews  (chapter  11)  to  this  imjDortant  subject,  set- 
ting forth  the  mighty  achievements  that  have  been  accom- 
plished, and  the  precious  promises  that  have  been  obtained, 
through  faith ;  and  that  he  should,  in  the  first  verse  of  the  next 
chapter,  as  the  grand  conclusion  to  his  argument,  exhort  Chris- 
tians to  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  (of  unbelief)  that 
so  easily  besets  them.  Nothing  will  sooner  dry  up  the  springs 
of  spirituality,  and  sink  us  into  utter  poverty  in  reference  to 
the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  than  to  let  faith  go  out 
and  unbelief  come  in.  For  faith  must  eriter  into  every  action 
that  is  pleasing  in  his  sight;  and  in  coming  to  him,  the  first 
thing  is  to  believe  that  he  is ;  and  it  is  through  faith,  as  the 
chief  agent  under  the  grace  which  is  the  gift  of  God,  that  Ave 
are  to  be  saved.      Heb.   11 :  (i ;    Eph.  2  :  8. 

From  this  it  would  seem  that  faith  is  a  principal  element 
of  spiritual  wealth.  But  if,  as  already  remarked,  no  one  grace 
can  answer  to  the  full  import  of  the  term  gold,  so,  doubtless, 
other  tilings  are  included  with  faith.  "  Faith  is  the  substance 
of  things  hoped  for,"  says  Paul.  Hence  hope  is  an  ins;>])a- 
rablo  accompaniment  of  faith.      Heb.  11:1;  Pom.  8:24,  25, 


CHAPTER  S,  VERSES  U  -  22  455 

And  again  Paul  tells  us  that  faith  works  by  love,  and  speaks  in 
another  place  of  being  "  rich  in  good  works."  Gal.  5 :  G ; 
1  Tim.  G:1S.  Hence  love  cannot  be  separated  from  faith. 
^^'e  then  have  before  us  the  three  objects  associated  together 
by  Paul  in  1  Corinthians  13, —  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  or 
love;  and  the  greatest  of  these  is  charity.  Such  is  the  gold 
tried  by  lire  which  we  are  counseled  to  buy. 

2.  Wliiie  llahnent. —  On  this  point  there  would  not  seem 
to  be  much  room  for  controversy.  A  few  texts  will  furnish  a 
key  to  the  understanding  of  this  expression.  Says  the  prophet, 
Isa.  64:  G,  "All  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags."  We 
are  counseled  to  buy  the  opposite  of  filthy  rags,  which  would 
be  complete  and  spotless  raiment.  The  same  figure  is  used  in 
Zech.  3:3,  4.  And  John,  in  the  19th  chapter  of  the  Revela- 
tion, verse  8,  says  plainly  that  "  the  fine  linen  is  tlie  right- 
eousness of  saints." 

3.  Tlie  Eye-salve. —  On  this  there  is  as  little  room  for  a 
diversity  of  opinion  as  upon  the  white  raiment.  The  anoint- 
ing of  the  eyes  is  certainly  not  to  be  taken  in  a  literal  sense ; 
and,  reference  being  made  to  spiritual  things,  the  eye-salve 
must  denote  that  by  which  our  spiritual  discernment  is  quick- 
ened. There  is  but  one  agent  revealed  to  us  in  the  word  of 
God  by  which  this  is  accomplished,  and  that  is  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  Acts  10 :  38  we  read  that  "  God  anointed  Jesus  of  T*^azaretli 
with  the  Holy  Ghost."  And  the  same  writer  through  whom 
came  this  Revelation  from  Jesus  Christ,  wrote  to  the  church  in 
his  first  epistle  (chapter  2:20)  as  follows:  "But  ye  have  an 
unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and  ye  know  all  things."  In 
verse  27  he  enlarges  upon  this  point  thus :  "  But  the  anointing 
which  ye  have  reeei\'ed  of  him  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not 
that  any  man  teach  you:  but  as  the  same  anointing  teacheth 
you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is  no  lie,  and  even  as  it 
hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in  him."  By  referring  to  his 
Gospel,  it  is  found  that  the  work  which  he  here  sets  forth  as 
accomplished  by  the  anointing  is  exactly  the  same  that  he  there 
attributes  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  John  14:20:  "But  the  Com- 
forter, which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send 
in  mv  name,  he  shall  teacli  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things 

29 


450  THE  EEVELATIOX 

to  your  reiiieiubranc'c,  whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you."  (See 
also  John  10  :  lo.) 

Thus  in  a  formal  and  solemn  manner  are  we  counseled  by 
the  faitliful  and  true  Witness,  under  the  figures  of  gold,  white 
raiment,  and  eye-salve,  to  seek  from  him,  speedily  and  ear- 
nestly, an  increase  of  the  heavenly  graces  of  faith,  hope,  char- 
ity, that  righteousness  which  he  alone  can  furnish,  and  an  unc- 
tion from  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  how  is  it  possible  that  a  people 
lacking  these  things  should  think  themselves  rich  and  increased 
with  goods  ^  A  plausible  inference  may  here  he  drawn,  which 
is  perhaps  also  a  necessary  one,  as  there  is  room  for  no  other. 
It  will  be  observed  that  no  fault  is  found  watli  the  Laodiceans 
on  account  of  the  doctrines  they  hold.  They  are  not  accused 
of  harboring  any  Jezebel  in  their  midst,  or  of  countenancing 
the  doctrines  of  Balaam  or  the  jS^icolaitanes.  So  far  as  we  can 
learn  from  the  address  to  them,  their  belief  is  correct,  and  their 
theory  sound.  The  inference  therefore  is  that  having  a  correct 
theory,  therewith  they  are  content.  They  are  satisfied  with  a 
correct  form  of  doctrine  without  its  power.  Having  received 
light  concerning  the  closing  events  of  this  dispensation,  and 
having  a  correct  theoretical  knowledge  of  the  truths  that  per- 
tain to  the  last  generation  of  men,  they  are  inclined  to  rest  in 
this  to  the  neglect  of  the  spiritual  part  of  religion.  It  is  by 
their  actions,  doubtless,  not  by  their  words,  that  they  say  they 
are  rich,  and  increased  w4th  goods.  Having  so  much  light  and 
so  much  truth,  what  can  they  want  besides  ?  And  if,  with  a 
commendable  tenacity,  they  defend  the  theory,  and  in  the  let- 
ter, so  far  as  their  outward  life  is  concerned,  conform  to  the 
increasing  light  upon  the  commandments  of  God  and  the  faith 
of  Jesus,  is  not  their  righteousness  complete  ?  Rich,  and 
increased  with  goods,  and  needing  nothing!  Here  is  their 
failure.  Their  whole  being  should  cry  out  for  the  spirit,  the 
zeal,  the  fervency,  the  life,  the  power,  of  a  living  Christianity, 
and  their  righteousness  should  consist  in  a  swallowing  up  of 
self  and   all  its  w^orks   in  the  merits  of   their  Redeemer. 

The  Tol-en  of  Love. —  This,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  is  chas- 
tisement. "As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten."  If 
we  are  with()ut  chastisement,  we  are  not  sons.      Hebrews  12. 


CHAPTER  3,  VERSES  1^-22  Vol 

"A  general  law,"  says  Thompson,  "■  of  his  gracious  economy 
is  here  set  forth.  As  all  need  chastisement  in  some  measure, 
they  in  some  measure  receive  it,  and  thus  have  proof  of  the 
Saviour's  attachment.  This  is  a  hard  lesson  to  learn,  and  be- 
lievers are  dull  scholars;  yet  here  and  throughout  God's  word 
and  providence  it  stands,  that  trials  are  his  benedictions,  and 
that  no  child  escapes  the  rod.  The  incorrigibly  misshapen  and 
coarse-grained  blocks  are  rejected,  while  those  chosen  for  the 
glorious  structure  are  subjected  to  tlie  chisel  and  the  hanmier. 
There  is  no  cluster  on  the  true  vine  but  must  pass  through  the 
winepress.  '  For  myself,'  said  an  old  divine  under  atflictiou, 
'  for  myself,  I  bless  God  I  have  observed  and  felt  so  much 
mercy  in  this  angry  dispensation  of  God  that  I  am  almost 
trans])orted.  I  am,  surely,  highly  pleased  with  thinking  how 
infinitely  sweet  his  mercies  are,  when  his  judgments  are  so 
gracious.'  In  view,  then,  of  the  origin  and  design  of  the 
chastisements  you  receive,  '  Be  zealous  and  repent.'  Lose  no 
time;  lose  not  a  Idow  of  the  rod,  but  repent  at  once.  Be  fer- 
vent in  spirit.      Such  is  the  first  appliance  of  encouragement." 

Be  Zealous  and  Repent. —  Although,  as  we  have  seen,  tha 
state  represented  by  coldness  is  preferable  to  one  of  lukewarm- 
ness,  yet  that  is  not  a  state  in  which  our  Lord  ever  desires  to 
find  us.  We  are  never  exhorted  to  seek  that  state.  There  is 
a  far  better  one  which  we  are  counseled  to  attain;  and  that 
is  to  be  zealous,  to  l)e  fervent,  and  to  have  our  hearts  all 
aglow  in  the  service  of  our  Master. 

Christ  Knocl-ing  at  the  Door. —  Let  us  listen  again  to  the 
author  above  quoted  :  ''  Here  is  the  heart  of  hearts.  Notwith- 
standing their  oifensive  attitude,  their  unlovely  character,  such 
is  his  love  to  their  souls  that  he  humbles  himself  to  solicit  the 
])rivilege  of  making  them  blessed.  '  Behold,  T  stand  at  the 
door,  and  knock.'  Why  does  he  ?  Xot  because  he  is  without 
home  elsewhere.  Among  the  mansions  in  his  Father's  house 
there  is  not  one  entrance  closed  to  him.  He  is  the  life  of 
every  heart,  the  light  in  every  eye,  the  song  on  every  tongue, 
in  glory.  But  he  goes  round  from  door  to  door  in  Laodicea. 
He  stands  at  each,  and  knocks,  because  he  came  to  seek  and 
to  save  that  which  is  lost,  because  he  cannot  give  up  the  pur- 


458  THE  REVELATION 

pose  of  cuiiiiiiiuiicatiiig  eternal  life  to  as  manj  as  the  Father 
has  given  him,  and  because  he  cannot  become  known  to  the  in- 
mate imless  the  door  be  opened  and  a  welcome  given  him. 
Have  you  bought  a  piece  of  ground  i  have  you  bought  fi\-e 
yoke  of  oxen  ?  is  your  hat  in  your  hand,  and  do  you  pray  to 
be  excused  ?  He  knocks  and  knocks.  But  you  cannot  receive 
company  at  present ;  you  are  worn  out  with  labor ;  you  have 
wheeled  round  the  sofa ;  you  are  making  yourself  comfortable, 
and  send  word  that  you  are  engaged.  He  knocks  and  knocks. 
...  It  is  the  hour  for  church  prayer-meeting  or  for  monthly 
concert;  there  is  opportunity  to  pay  a  Christian  visit  to  an 
individual  or  a  family;  but  you  move  not.  .  .  .  Oh,  nauseous 
lukewarmness !  Oh,  fatal  worldliness !  The  Lord  of  glory 
comes  all  the  way  from  his  celestial  palace  —  comes  in  poverty, 
in  sAveat,  in  blood  —  comes  to  the  door  of  a  i)rofessed  friend, 
who  owes  all  to  him,  and  cannot  get  in !  —  comes  to  rescue  a 
man  whose  house  is  on  fire,  and  he  will  not  admit  him  I  Oh. 
the  height,  the  depth,  of  Jesus  Christ's  forbearance !  Even 
t]ie  heathen  Pul)lius  received  Paul,  and  lodged  him  three  davs 
courteously.  Shall  nominal  Christians  tell  the  Lord  of  apostles 
that  they  have  no  room  for  him  ?  " 

If  Any  Man  Hem-  My  yoke. —  The  Lord  entreats,  then, 
as  well  as  knocks.  And  the  Avord  //  implies  that  some  will 
not  hear.  Though  he  stands  and  knocks  and  entreats  till  his 
locks  are  wet  with  the  dews  of  night,  yet  some  will  close  their 
ears  to  his  tender  entreaties.  But  it  is  not  enough  simply  to 
hear.  "We  must  hear,  and  open  the  door.  And  numy  who  at 
first  hear  the  voice,  and  for  a  time  feel  inclined  to  heed,  will 
doul)tless,  alas !  fail  in  the  end  to  do  that  which  is  necessary 
to  secure  to  themselves  the  communion  of  the  heavenly  Guest. 
Reader,  are  your  ears  open  to  the  entreaties  which  the  Saviour 
directs  to  you  ?  Is  the  sound  of  his  voice  a  welcome  sound  ? 
Will  you  heed  it  ?  Will  you  open  the  door  and  let  him  in  1 
Or  is  the  door  of  your  heart  held  fast  by  heaps  of  this  world's 
rubbish,  Avhich  you  are  unwilling  to  remove?  Remember  that 
the  Lord  of  life  never  forces  an  entrance.  He  conde.-icenils  \o 
come   and  knock,    and   seek   admittance;   biif   he   takes   up   his 


CIlAl'TKh'  .',,  VFAl^E^  IJf-^J  450 

abode   in   tliotie  licurLs  only   \\liere  lie   is   then   u   welcome   and 
invited  guest. 

And  then  the  promise!  "i  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will 
sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me."  How  forcible  and  touching 
the  figure!  Friend  wiih  friend,  partaking  of  the  cheerful  and 
social  meal !  Mind  with  mind,  holding  free  and  intimate  con- 
verse! And  what  a  festal  scene  nmst  that  be  where  the  King 
of  glory  is  a  guest  1  jSIo  common  degree  of  iinion,  no  ordinary 
blessing,  no  usual  privilege,  is  denoted  by  this  language.  Who, 
under  such  tender  entreaty  and  so  gracious  a  promise,  can  re- 
main indiiferent '(  Xor  are  Ave  required  to  furnish  the  table 
for  this  exalted  Guest.  This  he  does  hin^self,  not  with  the 
gross  nutriment  of  earth,  but  with  viands  from  his  own  heav- 
enly storehouse.  Here  he  sets  before  us  foretastes  of  the  glory 
soon  to  be  revealed.  Here  he  gives  us  earnests  of  our  future 
inheritance,  which  is  incorruptible,  uudetiled,  and  fadeth  not 
away.  Verily,  when  we  shall  comply  with  the  conditions,  and 
receive  this  promise,  we  shall  experience  the  rising  of  the  day 
star  in  our  hearts,  and  behold  the  dawn  of  a  glorious  morning 
for  the  church  of  God. 

The  Final  Promise. —  The  promise  of  supping  with  his  dis- 
ciples is  nunle  by  the  Lord  before  the  final  promise  to  the  over- 
comer  is  given.  This  shows  that  the  blessings  included  in  that 
promise  are  to  be  enjoyed  in  this  probationary  state.  And 
now,  su})eradded  to  all  these,  is  the  promise  to  the  overcomer: 
"■  To  him  that  overcometh  Avill  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my 
throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  throne."  Here  the  promises  of  the  Lord  culmi- 
nate. From  being  at  first  rebellious,  and  then  fallen,  de- 
graded, and  polluted,  nuui  is  brought  by  the  work  of  the 
Redeemer  back  into  reconciliation  Avith  God,  cleansed  from 
his  pollutions,  redeemed  from  the  fall,  made  immortal,  and 
finally  raised  to  a  seat  upon  the  A-ery  throne  of  his  Saviour. 
Honor  and  exaltation  could  go  no  farther.  Human  minds 
cannot  conceive  that  state,  human  language  cannot  describe  it. 
We  can  only  labor  on  till,  if  overcomers  at  last,  avo  shall 
"  know  Avhat  it  is  to  be  there." 

In  this  ATrse  there  is  not  only  a  glorious  promise,  l)tit  there 


4G0  THE  BEVEL  ATI  OX 

is  also  an  important  doctrine.  Wo  learn  bv  this  that  Christ 
reigns  consecntively  npon  two  thrones.  One  is  the  throne  of 
his  Father,  the  other  is  his  own  throne.  He  declares  in  this 
verse  that  he  has  overcome,  and  is  now  set  down  with  his 
Father  in  his  throne.  lie  is  iww  associated  with  the  Father 
in  the  throne  of  universal  dominion,  placed  at  his  right  hand, 
far  above  all  principality,  power,  miglit,  and  dominion.  Eph. 
1  :'20  -  22,  etc.  ^Miile  in  this  position,  he  is  a  priestdving. 
He  is  a  jDriest,  "a  minister  of  the  sanctuary;  "  but  at  the 
same  time  he  is  ""  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Maj- 
esty in  the  heavens."  Ileb.  8:1,  2.  This  position  and  work 
of  our  Lord  "was  thus  predicted  by  the  prophet  Zechariah : 
"And  speak  unto  him,  saying.  Thus  speaketh  the  Lord  of  hosts 
[God],  saying,  Behold  the  man  whose  name  is  the  Branch 
[Christ]  ;  and  he  shall  grow  up  out  of  his  place,  and  he  shall 
build  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  .  .  .  And  he  [Christ]  shall  sit 
and  rule  upon  his  [God's]  throne;  and  he  [Christ]  shall  be  a 
priest  upon  his  [God's]  throne;  and  the  counsel  of  peace  [in 
the  sacrifice  and  priestly  work  of  Christ  in  behalf  of  repent- 
ing man]  shall  be  between  them  both."  Zech.  0 :  12,  13. 
But  tlie  time  is  coming  when  ho  is  to  change  his  position, 
and,  leaving  the  throne  of  his  Father,  take  his  own  throne ; 
and  this  nuist  be  when  the  time  comes  for  the  reward  of  the 
overcomers ;  for  when  they  enter  upon  tlieir  reward,  they  are 
to  sit  with  Christ  on  his  throne,  as  he  has  overcome,  and  is 
now  seated  with  the  Father  upon  his  throne.  This  change 
in  the  position  of  Christ  is  set  forth  l)y  Paul  in  1  Cor.  15: 
24:-2S,    as   follows:— 

"  Then  conieth  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up 
the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father;  when  he  shall  have  ]>ut 
down  all  rule  and  all  authority  and  power.  For  he  must  reign 
till  he  hath  ])ut  all  enemies  under  his  feet.  The  last  enemy 
that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  For  he  hath  put  all  tilings 
iiiKicr  his  feet.  But  when  he  saith  all  things  are  ])nt  under 
hii'i,  it  is  manifest  that  he  is  exc(»))t('d  which  did  ]Uit  all  things 
imder  him.  And  when  all  things  shall  be  subdued  unto  him, 
then  shall  the  Son  also  liiinself  be  subject  unto  him  that  put  all 
ihiniis    undo-  liini,   th;!(    (lod    \\\:\\   b"   ;:!1    in    all." 


Gil  AFTER  3,  VERSES  l'^-22  461 

The  truths  taught  in  this  portion  of  Scripture  may  perhaps 
be  most  briefly  expressed  by  a  slight  paraphrase,  and  by  giving, 
in  e^•ery  instance,  instead  of  the  pronouns,  the  nouns  to  which 
they  respectively  refer.      Thus : — 

"  Then  cometh  the  end  (of  the  present  dispensation),  when 
Christ  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  (which  he  now 
holds  conjointly  Avith  the  Father)  to  God,  even  the  Father; 
when  God  shall  have  put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority  and 
power  (that  is  opposed  to  the  work  of  the  Son).  For  Christ 
must  reign  (on  the  throne  of  his  Father)  till  the  Father  hath 
put  all  enemies  under  Christ's  feet.  [See,  Ps.  110:  1.]  The 
last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  For  God  (then) 
hath  put  all  things  under  Christ's  feet.  But  when  God  saith, 
All  things  are  i)ut  under  Christ  (and  he  commences  his  reign 
upon  his  own  throne),  it  is  manifest  that  God  is  excepted, 
who  did  put  all  things  under  Christ.  And  when  all  things 
shall  be  subdued  imto  Christ,  then  shall  Christ  also  himself 
be  subject  imto  God  that  put  all  things  under  him,  that  God 
may  be  all  in  all." 

That  this  is  a  correct  version  of  this  scripture  may  be  easily 
verified.  The  only  question  that  can  be  raised  is  concerning 
the  persons  to  whom  the  pronouns  refer;  and  any  attempt  to 
make  the  pronouns  refer  to  Christ  which  in  the  foregoing  para- 
phrase are  referred  to  God,  will  be  foun.d,  Avhen  traced  through 
the  quotation,  to  make  poor  sense  of  Paul's  language. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  kingdom  which  Christ 
delivers  up  to  the  Father  is  that  which  he  holds  at  the  present 
time  upon  his  Father's  throne,  where  he  tells  us  he  is  now 
seated.  He  delivers  up  this  kingdom  at  the  end  of  this  dis- 
pensation, when  the  time  comes  for  him  to  take  his  own  throne. 
After  this  he  reigns  on  the  throne  of  his  father  David,  and  is 
subject  only  to  God,  Avho  still  retains  his  position  upon  the 
throne  of  universal  dominion.  Tn  this  reign  of  Christ  the 
saints  participate.  "  To  him  that  overcometh  Avill  I  grant  to 
sit  with  me  in  my  throne."  "And  they  lived,"  says  John, 
dating  from  the  first  resurrection  (chapter  20:4),  "and 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  vears."  This  we  understand 
to  be  a  special  reign,  or  for  a  special  purpose,  as  will  l)e  noticed 


462  THE  HEY  ELATION 

ill  tliat  chapter;  for  the  actual  reign  of  the  saints  is  to  be 
"forever  and  ever."  Dan.  7:  IS,  27.  How  can  anv  earthly 
object  divert  our  gaze  from  this  durable  and  heavenly  pros- 
pect ? 

Thus  close  the  messages  to  the  seven  churches.  How 
pointed  and  searching  their  testimony!  What  lessons  do  they 
contain  for  all  Christians  in  all  ages!  It  is  as  true  with  the 
last  church  as  with  the  first,  that  all  their  works  are  known 
to  Him  who  walks  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks. From  his  scrutinizing  gaze  nothing  can  be  hidden. 
And  while  his  threatenings  to  the  hypocrites  and  evil  work- 
ers, as  in  justice  they  may  be,  are  awful,  how  ample,  how 
comforting,  how  gracious,  how  glorious,  his  promises  to  those 
who  love  and  follow  him  with  singleness  of  heart ! 

Gracious   words   of   counsel,    messages    of   love, 
Sent  to  all  his  children  from  the  Lord  on  liigh : 

Precious  are  these  warnings  from  the  throne  above. 
As  the  world's  last  crisis  swiftly  draweth  nigh. 

Weak  and  all  iniworthy  we,  his  children,  are — • 
Pure  and  perfect  miist  be  ere  we  see  his  face ; 

Now  for  us  the  Saviour  shows  his  tender  care. 
Offering  for  our  purchase  every  heavenly  grace. 

Let  each  boundless  promise  every  bosom  thrill. 
Pear  us  through  sad  ills  this  world  has  ever  knowii;, 

Till  we  reach  the  mansions  on  God's  holy  hill. 
Till  we  sit  with  Jesus  on  his  glorious  throne. 


^_„' 


■\'' 


MIIE^ 


/TrTimiX^'  \^ 


CHAPTER  IV 


Verse  1.  After  this  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  door  was  opened  in 
heaven :  and  the  first  voice  which  I  heard  was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet 
talking  with  me;  which  said,  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee 
thines  which  must  be  hereafter. 


IK  the  first  three  chapters,  John  presents  the  vision  lie  had 
of  the  Son  of  man,  comprising  a  description  of  his  majestic 
person,  and  a  record  of  the  words  Avliich,  with  a  voice  as 
the  sound  of  many  waters,  he  was  heard  to  utter.  A  new 
scene  and  a  new  vision  now  open  before  ns ;  and  the  expres- 
sion "  after  this  "  does  not  denote  that  what  is  recorded  in 
chapter  4  and  onward  was  to  take  place  after  the  fulfilment 
of  e^^ervthing  recorded  in  the  three  preceding  chapters,  but 
only  that  after  he  had  seen  and  lieard  what  is  there  recorded, 
he  had  the  new  vicAV  which  he  now  introduces. 

A  Door  ^Yas  Opened  in  Heaven. —  Let  it  be  noticed  that 
John  says,  "A  door  was  opened  in  heaven,"  not  ijito  heaven. 
Tt  was  not  an  opening  of  heaven  itself  before  the  mind  of 
John,  as  in  the  case  of  Stephen  .(Acts  7:  56)  ;  but  some  jJace, 
or  apartment,  in  heaven  was  opened  before  him,  and  he  was 
permitted  to  behold  what  was  transpiring  within.  That  this 
apartment  which  John  saw  open  was  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
will   ])lainly  ap])ear  from  other  portions  of  the  book. 

f4fiP.) 


4G4  THE  BEVELATION 

Things  WJiicJi  Alust  Be  Hereafter. —  Compare  with  this 
chapter  1:1.  The  great  object  of  the  Revelation  seems  to  be 
the  presentation  of  future  events,  for  the  i)urpose  of  informing, 
edifying,  and  comforting  the  church, 

Ve«se  2.  And  iinmediately  I  was  in  the  Spirit :  and,  behold,  a 
throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne.  3.  And  he  that 
sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone:  and  there 
was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald. 
4.  And  round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty  seats;  and  upon 
the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting,  clothed  in  white  rai- 
ment; and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold.  5.  And  out  of 
the  throne  proceeded  lightnings  and  thunderings  and  voices :  and 
there  were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are 
the  seven  Spirits  of  God. 

In  the  Spirit. —  Once  before  in  this  book  we  have  had  this 
expression;  namely,  in  chapter  1:  10,  ''  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on 
the  Lord's  day,"  where  it  was  taken  to  express  the  fact  that 
John  had  a  vision  upon  the  Sabbath,  or  Lord's  day.  If  it 
there  expressed  the  state  of  being  in  vision,  it  would  denote 
the  same  thing  here;  and  consequently  the  first  vision  ended 
with  cha23ter  3,  and  a  new  one  is  here  introduced.  Xor  is  it 
any  objection  to  this  view  that  John,  previous  to  this,  as  is 
learned  from  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter,  was  in  such  a 
spiritual  state  as  to  be  able  to  look  up  and  see  a  door  opened 
in  heaven,  and  to  hear  a  voice,  like  the  mighty  sound  of  a 
trumpet,  calling  him  up  to  a  nearer  prospect  of  heavenly 
things.  It  is  evident  that  there  may  be  such  states  of  ecstasy 
independent  of  vision,  just  as  Stephen,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
could  look  up  and  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man 
on  the  right  hand  of  God.  To  be  in  the  Spirit  denotes  a  still 
higher  state  of  spiritual  elevation.  On  what  day  this  vision 
was  given,  we   are  not  informed. 

Being  again  fully  wrapped  in  heavenly  vision,  the  first 
object  which  he  beholds  is  a  throne  set  in  heaven,  and  the 
Divine  Being  seated  thereon.  The  description  of  the  appear- 
ance of  this  personage,  clothed  in  the  mingled  colors  of  the 
jasy)er,  frequently  a  purple,  and  the  blood-red  sardine  stone,  is 
such  as  at  once  to  suggest  to  the  mind  a  monarcli  vested  wi^h 
his  roval  robes.      And  rouiul  about  the  throne  there  was  a  rain- 


ClIAL'THR  J,,  VEH.sES  2-5  465 

bow,  both  adding  to  the  graiuknir  of  the  scene,  and  reminding 
us  that  though  he  who  sits  u^jon  the  throne  is  an  ahnighty  and 
absolute  ruler,  he  is  nevertheless  the  covenant-keeping  God. 

The  Four  and  Tiveniy  Elders. —  The  (question  once  pro- 
posed to  John  concerning  a  certain  company,  has  frequently 
arisen  concerning  these  four  and  twenty  elders:  "  Who  are 
these  'i  and  whence  came  they  i  "  It  will  be  observed  that 
they  are  clothed  in  white  raiment,  and  have  on  their  heads 
crowns  of  gold,  which  are  tokens  both  of  a  conflict  coni})leted 
and  a  victory  gained.  From  this  Ave  conclude  that  they  were 
once  participants  in  the  Christian  warfare,  once  trod,  in  com- 
mon with  all  saints,  this  earthly  2:)ilgrimage,  but  have  over- 
come ;  and  for  some  good  jmrpose,  in  advance  of  the  great 
multitude  of  the  redeemed,  are  wearing  their  victor  crowns  in 
the  heavenly  world.  Indeed,  they  plainly  tell  us  as  much  as 
this  in  the  song  of  praise  which  they,  in  connection  with  the 
four  living  beings,  ascribe  to  the  Lamb,  in  the  Otii  verse  of  the 
following  chapter:  ''And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying.  Thou 
art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for 
thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood 
out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation." 
This  song  is-  sung  before  any  of  the  events  in  the  prophecy  of 
the  seven  seals  transpire ;  for  it  is  sung  to  set  forth  the  worthi- 
ness of  the  Land)  to  take  the  book  and  to  open  the  seals,  on 
the  ground  of  what  he  had  already  accomplished,  which  was 
their  redemption.  It  is  not,  therefore,  thrown  in  here  by 
anticipation,  having  its  application  in  the  future;  but  it  ex- 
presses an  absolute  and  finished  fact  in  the  history  of  those 
who  sang  it.  These,  then,  were  a  class  of  redeemed  persons, 
—  redeemed  from  this  earth,  redeemed  as  all  others  must  be 
redeemed,  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ. 

Do  we  in  any  other  place  read  of  such  a  class  of  redeemed 
ones  ?  —  AVe  think  Paul  refers  to  the  same  company  when  he 
writes  to  the  Ephesians  thus:  "Wherefore  he  saith,  AVhen  ho 
[Clirist]  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and 
gave  gifts  unto  men."  The  marginal  reading  is,  he  led  a 
"multitude  of  captives."  Eph.  -t:S.  Going  back  to  the 
events    tliat   occurred    in    connection    with    the   crucifixion    and 


4G(i  THE  llEV ELATION 

I'osiuTcetioii  of  Christ,  we  read:  "And  the  graves  were  opened; 
and  many  bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose,  and  came  out 
of  the  graves  after  his  resurrection,  and  went  into  the  holy 
city,  and  appeared  unto  many."  Matt.  27 :  52,  53.  Thus  the 
answer  to  our  question  comes  hack,  gathered  unmistakably 
from  the  sacred  page.  These  are  some  of  those  who  came  out 
of  their  graves  at  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  who  were 
numbered  with  the  illustrious  multitude  which  he  led  up 
from  the  captivity  of  Death's  dark  domain  when  he  ascended 
in  triumph  on  high.  Matthew  records  their  resurrection, 
Paul  their  ascension,  and  John  beholds  them  in  heaven,  per- 
forming the  sacred  duties  which  they  were  raised  up  to  ac- 
complish. 

In  this  view  we  are  not  alone.  Wesley  sjDeaks  as  follows 
concerning  the  four  and  twenty  elders :  ''  '  Clothed  in  white 
raiment.'  This,  and  their  golden  crowns,  show  that  they  had 
already  finished  their  course,  and  taken  their  places  among  the 
citizens  of  heaven.  They  are  never  termed  souls,  and  hence  it 
is  probable  that  they  had  glorified  bodies  already.  Compare 
Matt.  27 :  52." 

The  particular  attention  of  the  reader  is  asked  to  the  fact 
that  the  four  and  twenty  elders  are  said  to  be  seated  on  thrones. 
Our  translation,  it  is  true,  reads  "seats;"  but  the  Greek  is 
9p6voL,  "thrones;"  and  so  the  Revised  Version  reads:  ''And 
round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty  thrones,  and 
upon  the  thrones  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting."  This 
passage,  consequently,  throws  light  on  the  expression  found  in 
Dan.  7 :  9,  "  I  beheld  till  the  th-rones  were  cast  down."  These 
are  the  same  thrones ;  and,  as  has  been  shown  in  connnents  upon 
that  passage,  the  meaning  is  not  that  the  thrones  were  over- 
turned, or  cast  down,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  that  -expression, 
but  placed,  or  estal)lisli(Ml ;  and  the  tiiiiire  is  taken  from  the 
Eastern  custom  of  casting  down,  or  ])lacing,  mats  or  divans 
for  distinguished  guests  to  sit  u])on.  Tliese  four  and  twcnity 
elders  (see  on  cha]:)ter  5)  are  snpposed  to  be  assistants  of  Christ 
in  his  ni('(li;it;»i-i;d  work  in  the  sanctuary  on  high;  and  when 
the  judgment  scene  described   in   I);in.   7:0  commenced   in  the 


CI  I  AFTER  4,  VERSES  2-11  4G7 

most  lioly  place,  their  seats,  or  thrones,  would  he  set,  or  placed, 
there,  according  to  the  testimony  of  that  passage. 

Tlw  Sccen  Lamps  of  Fire. —  Tn  these  lamps  of  fire  we  liave 
an  ap})ropriat6  antitype  of  the  golden  candlestick  of  the  typical 
sanctuary,  with  its  seyen  eyer-hurning  lamps.  This  candle- 
stick was  placed,  hy  diyine  direction,  in  the  first  apartment  of 
the  earthly  sanctuary.  Ex.  25: -51,  32,  87;  20:35;  27: 
20 ;  etc.  And  now  when  John  tells  us  that  a  door  was  opened 
in  heayen,  and  in  the  apartment  thus  disclosed  to  yiew  he  sees 
the  antity])e  of  the  candlestick  of  the  earthly  sanctuary,  it  is 
good  proof  that  he  is  looking  into  the  first  apartment  of  the 
sanctuary  ahoye. 

Verse  6.  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of  glass  like 
unto  crystal:  and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the 
throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind.  7.  And  the 
first  beast  was  like  a  lion,  and  the  second  beast  like  a  calf,  and 
the  third  beast  had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast  was  like 
a  flying  eagle.  8.  And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six  wings 
about  him;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within:  and  they  rest  not  day 
and  night,  saying.  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was, 
and  is,  and  is  to  come.  9.  And  when  those  beasts  give  glory  and 
honor  and  thanks  to  him  that  sat  on  tlie  throne,  who  liveth  forever 
and  ever,  10.  The  four  and  twenty  elders  fall  down  before  him  that 
sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  and 
cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying,  11.  Thou  art  worthy,  O 
Lord,  to  receive  glory  and  honor  and  power :  for  thou  hast  created 
all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created. 

The  Sea  of  Glass. —  Xot  composed  of  glass,  but  a  broad 
expanse  resembling  glass ;  that  is,  says  Greenfield,  transparent, 
brilliant.  This  idea  is  further  carried  out  by  its  being  likened 
to  crystal,  which  is  defined  to  mean  ''  anything  concrete  and 
pellucid,  like  ice  or  glass."  The  position  of  this  sea  is  such 
as  to  show  that  it  bears  no  analogy  to  the  layer  of  the  ancient 
typical  service. 

It  may  extend  under,  and  be  the  foundation  of,  the  throne, 
and  even  fiirther,  of  the  city  itself.  It  is  again  brought  to 
view  in  chapter  15  :  2,  as  the  place  where  the  oyercomers,  in 
the  ecstatic  joy  of  final  yictory,  Avill  soon  stand. 

Tlir  Four  Beasts. —  It  is  a  very  unhappy  translation  whicli 
has  o'iven  us  the  word  heasis  in  this  verse.       Tlie  Greek  word 


408  THE  BE V ELATION 

Cwov  donotes  properly  a  living  creature.  liluoiutield  says, 
"■'Four  living  creatures'  (not  beaf^ts).  So  lleinr.  renders  it. 
.  .  .  The  propriety  of  this  correction  is  now,  1  believe,  gen- 
erally agreed  upon  by  commentators.  The  word  is  very  differ- 
ent from  OrjpLov,  used  to  designate  the  prophetic  beasts  in  the 
13th  and  following  chapters.  ( Scholelield. )  It  may  be  added 
that  Bulkeley  adduces  several  examples  of  ^Cjov  to  denote,  not 
only  creature,  but  even  a  human  being,  especially  one  from 
Origen,  who  uses  it  of  our  Lord  Jesus." 

Similar  imagery  is  used  in  the  first  chapter  of  Ezekiel. 
The  qualities  which  would  seem  to  be  signified  by  the  emblems 
are  strength,  perseverance,  reason,  and  swiftness, —  strength  of 
affection,  perseverance  in  carrying  out  the  requirements  of 
duty,  reason  in  comprehending  the  di\'ine  will,  and  swiftness 
in  obeying.  These  living  beings  are  even  more  intimately 
connected  with  the  throne  than  are  the  four  and  twenty  elders, 
being  represented  as  in  the  midst  of  it,  and  round  about  it. 
Like  the  elders,  these,  in  their  song  to  the  Land),  ascribe  to 
him  praise  for  having  redeemed  them  from  the  earth.  They 
therefore  belong  to  the  same  company,  and  represent  a  part 
of  the  great  midtitu'Ie,  wlio,  as  already  described  (see  remarks 
on  verse  4 ) ,  have  been  led  up  on  high  from  the  captivity  of 
death.  Concerning  the  object  of  their  redemption,  see  re- 
marks on  chapter  5  :  8. 

They  Best  Not. —  "  Oh  !  happy  unrest !  "  beautifully  ex- 
claims John  AVesley ;  and  the  theme  of  their  constant  worship 
is,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is, 
and  is  to  come.''  Xo  sublimer  strain  ever  issued  from  created 
lips.  And  they  repeat  it  "  day  and  night,"  or  continually, 
these  tc^Mus  only  denoting  the  manner  in  which  time  is  reck- 
oned here;  for  there  can  be  no  night  where  the  throne  of 
God  is. 

AVe  mortals  are  a])t  to  tire  of  the  repetition  of  the  sim])lo 
testimony  we  bear  here  to  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God ; 
and  we  are  sometimes  tempted  to  say  nothing,  because  we  can- 
not continually  say  something  new.  But  may  we  not  learn  a 
profitable  lesson  from  the  course  of  these  holy  beings  above, 
who   never   grow   weary   of    the   ceaseless   repetition   of   these 


CHAPTER  7/,  VERSES  0-11  4GD 

words,  "Holy,  lioly,  lioly.  Lord  God  Aliniglityi  ''  and  to  whom 
these  words  never  grow  old,  because  their  hearts  ever  glow  with 
a  sense  of  his  holiness,  goodness,  and  love  i  Praise  does  not 
become  to  them  monotonous;  for  with  every  utterance  they 
gain  a  new  view  of  the  attributes  of  the  xVlmighty ;  they  reach 
a  greater  height  of  comprehension  in  their  vision  of  his  perfec- 
tions ;  the  horizon  expands  before  them ;  their  hearts  enlarge ; 
and  the  new  emotions  of  adoration,  from  their  new  standpoint, 
draw  from  them  a  fresh  utterance  of  their  holy  salutation,  new 
even  to  themselves,  "Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty!  " 

So,  even  with  us  here,  though  remarks  are  often  repeated 
ill  reference  to  the  goodness,  the  mercy,  and  the  love  of  God, 
the  value  of  his  truth,  and  the  attractions  of  the  Avorld  to  come, 
these  should  not  grow  stale  upon  the  ear ;  for  we  should  all 
our  lives  be  rising  to  new  conceptions  of  the  blessings  em- 
braced in  these  glorious   themes. 

Concerning  the  expression,  "  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to 
come,"    see   remarks   on   chapter    1 : 4. 

"  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory  and  honor  and 
power."  How  worthy,  we  never  shall  be  able  to  realize  till, 
like  the  holy  beings  who  utter  this  language,  changed  to  immor- 
tality, we  are  presented  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his 
glory.       Jude   24. 

Thou  Hast  Created  All  Things. —  The  Avorks  of  creation 
furnish  the  foundation  for  the  honor,  glory,  and  power  ascribed 
to  God.  "And  for  thy  pleasure,"  or  through  thy  will,  ha  ro 
OiXrffjid  (Tov,  they  are,  and  were  created.  God  willed,  and  all 
things  came  into  existence ;  and  by  the  same  power  they  are 
preserved   and  sustained. 


^^,>^ii^jprw^i||l[| 


^ 


VlHO  tS    WOR"     ^ 
TO  0>EN    THE   BOOff 


rHBWBNLY 


CHAPTER  V. 

Yehse  1.  And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the 
throne  a  book  written  within  and  on  the  backside,  sealed  with  seven 
seals. 

AiSTEW  cliaptor  hero  u})eiis,  but  not  a  new  scene.  The 
same  view  is  still  before  the  mind  of  the  apostle.  By 
the  words  "  him  that  sat  on  the  throne,"  is  evidently 
meant  the  Father,  as  the  Son  is  subsequently  introduced  as  "  a 
Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain."  The  book  which  John  here  saw, 
contained  a  revelation  of  scenes  that  were  to  transpire  in  the 
history  of  the  church  to  the  end  of  time.  Its  being  held  in 
the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne  may  signify  that 
a  knowledge  of  the  future  rests  with  God  alone,  except  so  far 
as  he  sees  fit  to  reveal  it  to  others. 

The  Book. —  The  books  in  use  at  the  time  the  Revelation 
was  given  were  not  in  the  form  of  books  as  now  made.  They 
did  not  consist  of  a  series  of  leaves  bound  together,  but  were 
com]wsed  of  strips  of  parchment  or  other  nmterial,  longer  or 
shorter,  one  or  more,  and  rolled  up.  On  this  ]ioint,  Wesley 
remarks : — 

"  The  usual  bo(jks  of  the  ancients  were  not  like  ours,  but 
were  volumes,  or  long  pieces  of  parchment,  rolh^d  u]iou  a  long- 
stick,  as  we  frequently  roll  silks.  Such  was  this  re]>resented, 
wliieli  AVits  sealed  with. seven  seals.  jSTot  as  if  the  apostle  saw 
(470) 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  1  -  Jf  471 

all  the  seals  at  once ;  for  tlicre  were  seven  volumes  wrapped  up 
one  within  another,  each  of  which  was  sealed;  so  that  upon 
opening  and  unrolling  the  first,  the  second  appeared  to  be 
sealed  up  till  that  was  opened,  and  so  on  to  the  seventh." 

On  the  same  point  Scott  remarks :  "  It  appeared  as  a  roll 
consisting  of  several  parchments,  according  to  the  custom  of 
those  times;  and  though  it  Avas  supposed  to  be  written  witliin, 
yet  nothing  could  be  read  till  the  seals  were  loosed.  It  was 
afterward  found  to  contain  seven  parchments,  or  small  volumes, 
each  of  which  Avas  separately  sealed ;  but  if  all  the  seals  had 
been  on  the  outside,  nothing  could  have  been  read  till  they  had 
all  been  loosed ;  whereas  the  loosing  of  each  seal  was  followed 
by  some  discovery  of  the  contents  of  the  roll.  Yet  the  appear- 
ance on  the  outside  seems  to  have  indicated  that  it  consisted 
of  seven,  or  at  least  of  several  parts," 

Bloomfield  says :  "  The  long  7-oUs  of  parchment  used  by 
the  ancients,  wdi.ich  we  call  hools,  were  seldom  written  but  on 
one  side;  namely,  that  which  was  in  rolling  turned  inward." 
So,  doubtless,  this  book  was  not  written  within  and  on  the 
backside,  as  the  punctuation  of  our  common  version  makes 
it  read.  "  Grotius,  Lowman,  Fuller,  etc.,"  says  the  Cottage 
Bible,  ''remove  the  comma,  thus:  'Written  Avithin,  and  on 
the  back  (or  outside)  sealed,'  etc."  How  these  seals  were 
placed,  is  sufficiently  explained  in  the  notes  from  Wesley  and 
Scott,  given  above. 

Verse  2.  And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming-  with  a  loud  voice, 
Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?  3. 
And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither  luider  the  earth,  was 
able  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon.  4.  And  I  wept  much, 
because  no  man  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  to  read  the  book, 
neither  to  look  thereon. 

The  Challenge. —  God,  as  it  Avere,  holds  forth  this  book  to 
the  vicAv  of  the  universe,  and  a  strong  angel,  one  doubtless  of 
great  eminence  and  poAver,  comes  forth  as  a  crier,  and  Avith  a 
mighty  \'oice  challenges  all  creatures  in  the  uniA^erse  to  try 
the  strength  of  their  Avisdom  in  opening  the  counsels  of  God. 
AYho  can  be  found  Avorthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the 
seals  tliereof  I  A  pause  ensues.  In  silence  the  universe  OAvns 
30 


472  thu  revelation 

its  inability  and  unworthiness  to  enter  into  the  counsels  of  the 
Creator.  "And  no  man  in  heaven/'  ovM<:  not  merely  no  man, 
but  no  one,  no  being,  in  heaven.  Is  not  here  proof  that  the 
faculties  of  angels  are  limited,  like  those  of  man,  in  respect  to 
penetrating  the  future  and  disclosing  what  is  to  come  'I  And 
when  the  apostle  saw  that  no  one  came  forward  to  open  the 
book,  he  greatly  feared  tliat  the  counsels  of  God  which  it  con- 
tained in  reference  to  his  people,  would  never  be  disclosed; 
and  in  the  natural  tenderness  of  his  feelings,  and  his  concern 
for  the  church,  he  wept  much.  "  How  far  are  they,"  says 
Wesley,  "  from  the  temper  of  St.  J  ohn,  who  inquire  after  any- 
thing rather  than  the  contents  of  this  book !  " 

Upon  the  phrase,  "  I  wept  much,"  Benson  offers  the  fol- 
lowing beautiful  remarks:  "Being  greatly  affected  with  the 
thought  that  no  being  whatever  was  to  be  found  able  to  under- 
stand, reveal,  and  accomplish  the  divine  counsels,  fearing  they 
would  stiil  remain  concealed  from  the  church.  This  weeping 
of  the  apostle  sprang  from  greatness  of  mind.  The  tenderness 
of  heart  which  he  always  had,  appeared  more  clearly  now  he 
was  out  of  his  own  power.  The  Revelation  was  not  written 
without  tears,  neither  without  tears  will  it  be  understood." 

Verse  5.  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me,  Weep  not :  behold, 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to 
open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof.  6.  And  I  beheld, 
and,  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  elders,  stood  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,  having"  seven 
horns  and  seven  eyes,  which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth 
into  all  the  earth.  7.  And  he  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the 
right  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  throne. 

ISTot  long  is  John  permitted  to  weep.  God  is  not  willing 
that  any  knowledge  which  can  benefit  his  people  shall  be  with- 
held. Provision  is  made  for  the  opening  of  the  book.  Hence 
one  of  the  elders  says  to  him,  "  Weep  not ;  behold,  the  Lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Hoot  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to 
open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."  ^Vhy 
one  of  the  elders  should  impart  this  information  to  John  in 
preference  to  some  other  being,  does  not  appear,  unless  it  is 
that  having  been  redeemed,  they  would  be  csi)ecially  interested 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  5-7  473 

in  all  that  jJertaiiied  to  the  welfare  of  the  church  011  earth. 
Christ  is  here  called  the  "  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah/"  Why 
called  a  lion  ^  and  why  of  the  tribe  of  Judah '^  —  As  to  the 
first,  it  is  probably  to  denote  his  strength.  As  the  lion  is  the 
king  of  beasts,  the  monarch  of  the  forest,  he  thus  becomes  a 
lit  emblem  of  kingly  authority  and  power.  "  Of  the  tribe  of 
Judah."  Doubtless  he  receives  this  appellation  from  the  proph- 
ecy in  Gen.  49:  i),  10. 

The  Boot  of  David. —  The  source  and  sustainer  of  David 
as  to  his  position  and  ])owor.  That  David's  position  was  spe- 
cially ordained  of  Christ,  and  that  he  was  specially  sustained 
by  him,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  David  was  the  type,  Christ 
the  antitype.  David's  throne  and  reign  over  Israel  was  a  type 
of  Christ's  reign  over  his  people.  He  shall  reign  npon  the 
throne  of  his  father  David.  Luke  1:32,  33.  As  Christ  ap- 
peared in  the  line  of  David's  descendants  when  he  took  upon 
himself  our  nature,  he  is  also  called  the  offspring  of  David, 
and  a  root  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse.  Isa.  11:1,  10;  Rev. 
22  :  10.  His  connection  with  the  throne  of  David  being  thus 
set  forth,  and  his  right  thus  shown  to  rule  over  the  people  of 
God,  there  was  a  propriety  in  intrusting  to  him  the  opening  of 
the  seals. 

Hath  Prevailed. — ■  These  words  indicate  that  the  right  to 
open  the  book  was  acquired  by  a  victory  gained  in  some  pre- 
^'ious  conflict;  and  so  we  find  it  set  forth  in  subsequent  por- 
tions of  this  chapter.  The  very  next  scene  introduces  us  to  the 
great  work  of  Christ  as  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  and  the 
shedding  of  his  blood  for  the  remission  of  sin  and  the  salvation 
of  man.  In  this  work  he  was  subjected  to  the  fiercest  assaults 
of  Satan.  But  he  endured  his  temptations,  bore  the  agonies  of 
the  cross,  rose  a  victor  over  death  and  the  grave,  made  the 
way  of  redemption  sure  —  triiunphed!  Hence  the  four  living 
lacings  and  the  four  and  twenty  elders  sing,  "  Thou  art  Avortliy 
to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof ;  for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood." 

John  looks  to  see  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  be- 
holds a  Land)  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four  living 
beings  and  the  elders,  as  it  had  been  slain. 


474  THE  HE V ELATION 

III  the  Midst  uf  the  Thrune. —  Doddridge  translates  thus: 
"And  I  beheld  in  the  middle  space  between  the  throne  and 
the  four  living  creatures,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders  there 
stood  a  Land),"  etc.  In  the  center  of  the  scene  was  the  throne 
of  the  i^ather,  and  standing  in  the  open  space  which  surronndetl 
it  was  the  Son,  set  forth  under  the  symbol  of  a  slain  lamb. 
.Vround  these  there  stood  those  saints  who  had  been  redeemed : 
tirst,  those  represented  l)y  the  four  living  creatures,  then  the 
elders  forming  the  second  circle,  and  the  angels  (verse  11) 
forming  a  third  circle.  The  worthiness  of  Christ,  as  he  thus 
stands  forth  under  the  figure  of  a  slain  lamb,  is  the  admira- 
tion of  all  the  holy  throng. 

As  It  Had  Been  Slain. —  Woodhouse,  as  quoted  in  the 
Compherensive  Connnentarv,  says:  ''The  Greek  implies  that 
the  Landj  appeared  with  a  wounded  neck  and  throat,  as  if 
smitten  at  the  altar  as  a  victim."  On  this  phrase,  Clarke 
says:  "As  if  now  in  the  act  of  being  offered.  This  is  very 
remarkable.  So  important  is  the  sacrificial  offering  of  Christ 
in  the  sight  of  God,  that  he  is  still  rejiresented  as  being  in 
the  ver}'  act  of  pouring  out  his  blood  for  the  offences  of  man. 
This  gives  great  advantage  to  faith ;  when  any  soul  conies  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  he  find  a  sacrifice  there  provided  for  him 
to  ofler  to  God." 

Seven  Horns  and  Seven  Eyes. —  Horns  are  symbols  of 
power,  eyes  of  wisdom ;  and  seven  is  a  nund^er  denoting  com- 
pleteness, or  perfection.  We  are  thus  taught  that  perfect  poM'er 
and  perfect  wisdom  inhere  in  the  Lamb,  through  the  operation 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  called  the  seven  Spirits  of  God,  to  denote 
the  fulness  and  perfection  of  its  operation. 

He  Came  and  Tool-  the  Bool-. —  Connnentators  have  found 
an  incongrtiity  in  the  idea  that  the  book  was  taken  by  a  land), 
and  ha\e  had  recourse  to  several  ox])edients  to  avoid  the  diffi- 
culty. But  is  it  not  a  well-establislied  principle  that  any  ac- 
tion may  be  attributed  to  a  symlxd  which  coidd  be  ap]n-opriately 
])erformed  by  the  person  or  being  represented  by  the  synd)ol  ( 
And  is  not  this  all  the  explanation  that  the  passage  needs  ? 
The  Lamb,  we  know,  is  a  syndxd  of  Christ.  We  know  there 
is  nothing  incongruous   in   Christ's  taking  a   book;    and  Avheii 


CHAPTER  .'T,  VERSES  5-10  475 

Ave  read  that  the  hook  was  taken,  we  think  of  the  action,  not 
as  performed  hy  the  hinib,  bnt  by  the  one  of  whom  the  lamb 
is  a  symboL 

Verse  8.  And  when  he  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  beasts  and 
four  and  twenty  eklers  fell  down  before  the  Lamb,  having-  every  one 
of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of  odors,  which  are  the  prayers 
of  saints.  9.  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying.  Thou  art  worthy 
to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast  slain, 
and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of  every  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation ;  10.  And  hast  made  us  unto  our 
God  kings  and  priests :  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth. 

Vials  Full  of  Odors. —  From  this  expression  we  iorm  an 
idea  of  the  employment  of  those  redeemed  ones  represented  by 
the  fonr  living  creatnres  and  the  four  and  twenty  elders.  They 
have  golden  vials,  or  vessels,  full  of  odors  —  or,  as  the  margin 
reads,  incense  —  which  are  the  prayers  of  saints.  This  is  a 
work  of  ministry  such   as  pertains  to  priests. 

Scott  says :  "  It  is  indisputably  manifest  that  the  four  liv- 
ing creatures  join  in,  or  rather  lead,  the  worship  of  the  Lamb 
as  having  redeemed  them  to  God ;  and  this  proves  beyond  con- 
troversy that  part  of  the  redeemed  church  is  meant  by  this 
emblem,  and  not  angels,  whose  worship  is  next  described,  but 
in  lang-uage  entirely  different." 

A.  Barnes,  in  his  notes  on  this  passage,  remarks:  "  Tlu 
idea  here  is,  therefore,  that  the  representatives  of  the  church 
in  heaven,  the  elders,  spoken  of  as  '  priests,'  are  described  ,h3 
officiating  in  the  temple  above  in  behalf  of  the  church  stJll 
below,  and  as  offering  incense  Avhile  the  church  is  engaged  in 
prayer." 

The  reader  will  remember  that  In  the  ancient  typical 
service  the  high  priest  had  many  assistants ;  and  when  we  con- 
sider that  we  are  now  looking  into  the  sanctuary  in  heaven, 
the  conclusion  at  once  follows  that  these  redeemed  ones  are  the 
assistants  of  our  great  High  Priest  above.  For  this  purpose 
they  were  doubtless  redeemed.  And  what  could  be  more  ap- 
propriate than  that  our  Lord,  in  his  priestly  w^ork  for  the 
buman  race,  should  be  assisted  by  noble  members  of  that 
race,  whose  holiness  of  life,  and  purity  of  character,  had  fitted 


^7G  THE  UEVELATIOX 

tlieiii  to  be  raised  up  lor  that  purposed  (See  remarks  on 
chapter  4:4.) 

We  are  aware  that  many  entertain  a  great  aversion  to  the 
idea  of  there  being  anything  real  and  tangible  in  heaven ;  and 
we  can  easily  anticipate  that  the  views  here  presented  will  be 
altogether  too  literal  for  such.  To  sustain  themselves  in  their 
position,  they  dwell  much  on  the  fact  that  the  language  is 
highly  figurative,  and  that  we  cannot  suppose  there  are  or 
were  any  such  things  in  heaven  as  John  describes.  We  reply 
that,  though  the  Revelation  deals  largely  in  figures,  it  does  not 
deal  in  fictions.  There  is  reality  in  all  the  things  described; 
and  we  gain  an  understanding  of  the  reality  when  we  get  a 
correct  interpretation  of  the  figures.  Thus,  in  this  vision  we 
know  that  the  One  upon  the  throne  is  God.  lie  is  really  there. 
We  know  the  Lamb  symbolizes  Christ,  lie  too  is  really  there. 
He  ascended  with  a  literal,  tangible  body;  and  who  can  say 
that  he  does  not  still  retain  it  ?  If,  then,  our  great  High  Priest 
is  a  literal  being,  he  must  have  a  literal  place  in  which  to  min- 
ister. And  if  the  four  living  creatures  and  the  four  and 
twenty  elders  represent  those  whom  Christ  led  up  from  the 
captivity  of  death  at  the  time  of  his  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion, why  are  they  not  just  as  literal  beings  while  there  in 
heaven  as  they  were  when  they  ascended  ? 

The  Song. —  It  is  called  "  a  new  song,"  new,  probably,  in 
respect  to  the  occasion  and  the  composition.  They  were  the 
first  that  could  sing  it,  being  the  first  thnt  were  redeemed. 
They  call  themselves  kings  and  priests.  In  what  sense  they 
are  priests  has  already  been  noticed,  they  l)oing  the  assistants  of 
dirist  in  his  priestly  work.  In  the  same  sense,  doubtless,  they 
are  also  kings ;  for  Christ  is  set  down  with  his  Father  on  his 
throne,  and  (loiil)tless  these,  as  ministers  of  his,  have  some  iiart 
to  act  in  connection  with  the  government  of  heaven  in  refer- 
ence to  this  world. 

71i('  A  itfiripnl ion. —  "  We  shall  reign  on  the  earth."  Thus, 
notwithstanding  they  are  redeemed,  and  snrround  the  throne 
of  God,  and  are  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb  that  redeemed 
them,  and  are  surrounded  with  the  angelic  hosts  of  heaven, 
where   all   is  glory   ineffable,   their   song  contemplates   a    still 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  S  - 12  477 

higher  state,  when  the  great  work  of  redemption  shall  be  com- 
pleted, and  they,  with  the  whole  redeemed  family  of  God,  of 
every  age,  shall  reign  on  the  earth,  which  is  the  promised  in- 
heritance, and  is  to  be  the  final  and  eternal  residence  of  the 
saints.  Eom.  4 :  13 ;  GaL  3  :  29  ;  Ps.  37:11;  Matt.  5:5;  2 
Peter  3:13;     Isa.   65:17-25;    Eev.   21:1-5. 

Verse  11.  And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels 
round  about  the  throne  and  the  beasts  and  the  elders :  and  the  num- 
ber of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of 
thousands;  12.  Saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 
and  honor,   and  glory,   and  blessing. 

The  Heavenly  Sanctuary. —  How  little  conception  have  we 
of  the  magnitude  and  glory  of  the  heavenly  temple !  Into  that 
temple  John  was  introduced,  at  the  opening  of  chaj)ter  4,  by 
the  door  which  was  opened  in  heaven.  Into  the  same  temple, 
be  it  remembered,  he  is  still  looking  in  verses  11  and  12.  And 
now  he  beholds  the  heavenly  hosts.  (1)  Round  about  the 
throne  are  those  represented  by  the  four  living  creatures.  (2) 
Xext  come  the  four  and  twenty  elders.  (3)  Then  John  views, 
surrounding  the  whole,  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  angels. 
How  many  ?  How  many  would  we  suppose  could  convene 
within  the  heavenly  temple  ?  ''  Ten  thousand  times  ten  thou- 
sand !  "  exclaims  the  seer.  In  this  expression  alone  we  have 
one  hundred  million !  And  then,  as  if  no  numerical  expres- 
sion was  adequate  to  embrace  the  countless  throng,  he  further 
adds,  '^'And  thousands  of  thousands !  "  Well  might  Paul  call 
this,  in  Heb.  12 :  22,  "  an  innumerable  company  of  angels." 
And  these  were  in  the  sanctuary  above.  Such  Avas  the  com- 
pany that  John  saw  assembled  at  the  place  where  the  worship 
of  a  universe  centers,  and  where  the  wondrous  plan  of  human 
redemption  is  going  forward  to  completion.  And  the  central 
object  in  this  innumerable  and  holy  throng  was  the  Lamb  of 
God;  and  the  central  act  of  his  life,  which  claimed  their  ad- 
miration, was  the  shedding  of  his  blood  for  the  salvation  of 
fallen  man  ;  for  every  voice  in  all  that  heavenly  host  joined  in 
the  ascription  which  was  raised,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was    slain   to   receive    power,   and    riches,    and  wisdom,    and 


478  THE  REVELATION 

strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing.""  Fitting  .as- 
semblage for  such  a  place !  Fitting  song  of  adoration  to  be 
raised  to  Him  who  by  the  shedding  of  his  blood  became  a 
ransom  for  niany,  and  who,  as  our  great  High  Priest,  still 
pleads  its  merits  in  the  sanctuary  above  in  our  behalf.  And 
here,  before  such  an  august  assemblage,  must  our  characters 
soon  come  up  in  final  review.  What  shall  lit  us  for  the 
searching  ordeal  i  What  shall  enable  us  to  rise  and  stand 
at  last  with  the  sinless  throng  above  i  O,  infinite  merit  of  the 
blood  of  Christ !  which  can  cleanse  us  from  all  our  pollutions, 
and  make  us  meet  to  tread  the  holy  hill  of  Zion !  O,  infinite 
grace  of  God!  which  can  prepare  us  to  endure  the  glory,  and 
give  us  boldness  to  enter  into  his  presence,  even  with  exceed- 
ing joy! 

.Vkrse  13.  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that 
are  in  them,  heard  I  saying',  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
power,  be  luito  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb 
forever  and  ever.  14.  And  the  four  beasts  said,  Amen.  And  the 
four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worshiped  him  that  liveth  for- 
ever and  ever. 

A  Clean  Universe. —  In  verse  13  we  have  an  instance  of 
what  very  frequently  occurs  in  the  Scriptures ;  namely,  a  decla- 
ration thrown  in  out  of  its  chronological  order  for  the  purpose 
of  following  out  to  its  completion  some  previous  statement  or 
allusion.  In  this  instance  the  time  is  anticipated  when  redemp- 
tion is  finished.  In  verse  10  the  four  living  creatures  and  four 
and  twenty  elders  had  declared,  "  We  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 
l^ow  the  prophet's  mind  is  carried  forward  to  that  time.  The 
greatest  act  of  Christ's  intervention  for  nuiu  —  the  shedding  of 
his  blood  —  having  been  introduced,  nothing  could  be  more 
natural  than  that  the  vision  should,  for  a  moment,  look  over 
to  the  time  when  the  grand  residt  of  the  work  then  inaugu- 
rated should  be  accomplished,  the  number  of  the  redeemed  be 
made  up,  the  universe  be  freed  from  sin  and  sinners,  and  a 
universal  song  of  adoration  go  up  to  God  and  the  Lamb. 

It  is  futile  to  attempt  to  apj^ly  this  to  the  church  in  its 
present  state,  as  most  conmientators  do,  or  to  auv  tiuu>  in  the 


CHAPTER  5,  VERSES  IS,  I4  479 

past  since  sin  entered  the  world,  or  even  since  Satan  fell  from 
Lis  high  position  as  an  angel  of  light  and  love  in  heaven.  For 
at  the  time  of  which  John  speaks,  every  creature'  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,  without  any  excei)tion,  was  sending  np  its  an- 
them of  hlessings  to  God.  l]ut  to  s])eak  only  of  this  world 
since  the  fall,  cursings  instead  of  hlessings  have  been  breathed 
out  against  God  and  his  throne  from  the  great  majority  of 
our  apostate  race.      And  so  it  will  ever  be  while  sin  reigns. 

We  find,  then,  no  place  for  this  scene  which  John  describes, 
unless  we  go  forward,  according  to  the  position  above  taken,  to 
the  time  when  the  whole  scheme  of  redemption  is  completed, 
and  the  saints  enter  upon  their  promised  reign  on  the  earth,  to 
which  the  living  creatures  and  elders  looked  forward  in  their 
song  in  verse  10.  With  this  view,  all  is  harmonious  and  plain. 
That  reign  on  the  earth  commences  after  the  second  resurrec- 
tion. Dan.  7:27;  2  Peter  3:13;  Eev.  21:1.  At  that 
resurrection,  which  takes  place  a  thousand  years  subsequently 
to  the  first  resurrection  (Rev.  20:4,  5),  occurs  the  perdition 
of  ungodly  men.  2  Peter  3:7.  Then  fire  comes  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven  and  devours  them  (Rev.  20:  9)  ;  and  this 
fire  that  causes  the  perdition  of  ungodly  men  is  the  fire  that 
melts  and  purifies  the  earth,  as  we  learn  from  2  Peter  3:7-  13. 
Then  sin  and  sinners  are  destroyed,  the  earth  is  purified,  the 
curse  with  all  its  ills  is  forever  wiped  away,  the  righteous 
"  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father,"  and 
from  a  clean  universe  an  anthem  of  praise  and  thanksgiving 
ascends  to  God.  In  all  the  fair  domain  of  the  great  Creator, 
there  is  then  no  room  for  a  vast  receptacle  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone, where  myriads,  preserved  by  the  direct  power  of  a  God 
of  mercy,  shall  burn  and  writhe  in  unspeakable  and  eternal 
torment.  In  this  glad  anthem  of  jubilee  there  is  no  room  for 
the  discordant  and  hopeless  wailings  of  the  damned,  and  the 
curses  and  blasphemies  of  those  who  are  sinning  and  sufiering 
beyond  the  pale  of  hope.  Every  rebel  voice  has  been  hushed 
in  death.  They  have  been  burned  up  root  and  branch, —  Sa- 
tan and  all  his  followers,  deceiver  and  deceived.  ^Mal.  4:1; 
Heb.  2:  14.  Into  smoke  have  they  consumed  away.  Ps.  ;>7: 
20.      Like  the  perishable  chaff  have  they  vanished  in  the  flames. 


4S0  THE  liEVELATWy 

Matt.  3 :  12.  They  have  been  annihilated,  not  as  matter,  but 
as  conscious  and  intelligent  beings ;  for  they  have  become  as 
though  they  had  not  been.      Obadiah  1(5. 

To  the  Lamb,  equally  with  the  Father  who  sits  upon  the 
throne,  praise  is  ascribed  in  this  song  of  adoration.  Com- 
mentators, with  great  unanimity,  have  seized  upon  this  as 
proof  that  Christ  must  be  coeval  with  the  Father;  for  other- 
wise, say  they,  here  would  be  Avorship  paid  to  the  creature 
wliicli  belongs  only  to  the  Creator.  But  this  does  not  seem  to 
be  a  necessary  conclusion.  The  Scriptures  certainly  clearly 
intimate  that  the  existence  of  Christ  had  a  beginning  (John 
1:1),  which  was  not  so  in  the  case  of  the  Father.  (See  re- 
marks on  Rev.  3 :  11:,  where  it  is  shown  that  Christ  is  not  a 
created  being.)  But  while  he  does  not  possess  a  co-eternity 
of  past  existence  with  the  Father,  the  beginning  of  his  exist- 
ence, as  the  begotten  of  the  Father,  antedates  the  entire  work 
of  creation,  in  relation  to  which  he  stands  as  joint  creator  with 
God.  John  1:3;  Heb.  1 :  2.  Could  not  the  Father  ordain 
that  to  such  a  being  worship  should  be  rendered  equally  with 
himself,  A\ithout  its  being  idolatry  on  the  part  of  the  worshiper  ? 
He  has  raised  him  to  positions  which  make  it  proper  that  he 
should  be  worshiped,  and  has  even  connnanded  that  worship 
should  be  rendered  him,  which  would  not  have  been  necessary 
had  he  been  equal  with  the  Father  in  eternity  of  existence. 
Christ  himself  declares  that  "  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  him- 
self, so  hath  lie  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself."  John 
5  :  20.  The  Father  has  "  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him 
a  name  which  is  above  every  name."  Phil.  2  :  1).  And  the 
Father  himself  says,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him." 
Ileb.  1 :  6.  These  testimonies  show  that  Christ  is  now  an 
ol)ject  of  worship  (Mpuilly  with  the  Father;  but  they  do  not 
])n)ve  that  witli  him  ho  holds  an  eternity  of  past  existence. 

Coming  back  from  the  glorious  scene  anticipated  in  verse 
l;>  to  events  transpiring  in  tlie  heavenly  sanctuary  before  him, 
llie  ]irophet  lunirs  the  four  living  crentures  exclaim,  Amen. 


CHAPTER  VL 


Verse  1.  And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the  seals,  and 
I  heard,  as  it  were  the  noise  of  thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts  say- 
ing. Come  and  see.  2.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse;  and  he 
that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow;  and  a  crown  was  given  unto  him:  and 
he  went  forth  conquering,  and  to  conquer. 

HAVIXG  taken  the  book,  the  Lamb  proceeds  at  once  to 
open  the  seals ;  and  the  attention,  of  the  apostle  is  called 
to  the  scenes  that  transpire  nnder  each  seal.  The  nnni- 
l)er  seven  has  already  been  noticed  as  denoting  in  the  Scriptures 
completeness  and  perfection.  The  seven  seals  therefore  em- 
brace the  Avhole  of  a  certain  class  of  events,  reaching  do^\^l  to 
the  close  of  probati(jnarv  time.  Hence  to  say,  as  some  do, 
that  the  seals  denote  a  series  of  events  reaching  down  perhaps 
to  the  time  of  Constantine,  and  the  seven  trumpets  another 
series  from  tliat  time  farther  on,  cannot  be  correct.  The  trum- 
pets denote  a  series  of  events  whieli  transpire  contemporane- 
ously with  the  events  of  the  seals,  but  of  an  entirely  different 
character.  A  trumpet  is  a  synd^ol  of  war ;  hence  the  trumpets 
denote  great  political  commotions  to  take  place  among  tiie  na- 
tions during  the  gospel  age.  The  seals  denote  events  of  a 
religious  character,  and  contain  the  history  of  the  church  from 
the  opening  of  the  Christian  era  to  the  coming  of  Christ. 

Commentators  have  raised  a  question  concerning  the  man- 
ner in  which  these  scenes  were  represented  before  the  apostle. 
Was  it  merely  a  written  description  of  the  events  which  was 

(481) 


4:b2  THE  BEV ELATION 

read  to  hhu  as  each  successive  seal  was  opened  'i  or  was  it 
a  pictorial  illustration  of  the  events  wliicli  the  book  contained, 
and  which  was  i)resented  before  him  as  the  seals  were  broken  'i 
or  was  it  a  scenic  representation  which  passed  before  him, 
the  different  actors  coming  forth  and  performing  their  parts? 
IJarnes  decides  in  favor  of  calling  them  pictorial  illustrations ; 
for  he  thinks  a  merely  written  descrij^tion  would  not  answer 
to  the  language  of  the  apostle  setting  forth  what  he  saw,  and 
a  mere  scenic  representation  could  have  no  connection  with 
the  opening  of  the  seals.  But  to  the  view  held  by  Dr.  Barnes 
there  are  two  serious  objections:  (1)  The  book  was  said  to 
contain  only  writing  within,  not  pictorial  illustrations ;  and 
(2)  John  saw  the  characters  which  made  up  the  various  scenes, 
not  fixed  and  motionless  upon  canvass,  but  living  and  moving, 
and  engaged  actively  in  the  parts  assigned  them.  The  view 
which  to  us  seems  most  consistent  is  that  the  book  contained  a 
record  of  events  which  were  to  transpire;  and  when  the  seals 
Avere  broken,  and  the  record  was  brought  to  light,  the  scenes 
wore  presented  before  John,  not  by  the  reading  of  the  descrip- 
tion, but  by  a  representation  of  what  was  described  in  the  book 
being  made  to  pass  before  his  mind  in  living  characters,  in  the 
place  where  the  reality  was  to  transpire;  namely,  on  the  earth. 
The  first  symbol,  a  white  horse,  and  the  rider  wdio  bears  a 
bow  and  to  whom  a  crown  is  given,  and  wjho  goes  forth  con- 
quering and  to  conquer,  is  a  fit  emblem  of  the  triumphs  of 
the  gospel  in  the  first  century  of  this  dispensation.  The  white- 
ness of  the  horse  denotes  the  purity  of  faith  in  that  age ;  and 
the  crown  which  was  given  to  the  rider,  and  his  going  forth 
conquering  and  to  make  still  further  conquests,  tlie  zeal  and 
success  with  Avliich  the  truth  was  promulgated  by  its  earliest 
ministers.  To  this  it  is  objected  that  the  ministers  of  Christ 
and  the  progress  of  the  gos])el  could  not  be  proj)erly  rei)re- 
sented  by  such  warlike  symbols.  But  we  ask.  By  what  sym- 
bols could  the  work  of  Christianity  l)etter  be  represented  when 
it  went  forth  as  an  aggressive  ]irinci]d(^  against  the  huge  sys- 
tems of  error  with  which  it  had  at  first  to  contend  ?  The  rider 
upon  this  horse  went  forth  —  where  ?  His  commission  was  un- 
limited.     The  gos]iel  was  to  all  the  world. 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  S,  ^  4^5 

Verse  3.  And  when  lie  had  opened  the  second  seal,  1  hearil  the 
second  beast  say.  Come  and  see.  4.  And  there  went  out  another  horse 
that  was  red:  and  power  was  given  to  him  that  sat  thereon  to  take 
l)eace  from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  another :  and 
there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword. 

Perhaps  the  lirst  noticeable  feature  iu  these  symbols  is  the 
contrast  in  the  color  of  the  horses.  This  is  doubtless  designed 
to  be  significant.  If  the  whiteness  of  the  first  horse  denoted 
the  purity  of  the  gospel  in  the  period  which  that  symbol  covers, 
the  redness  of  the  second  horse  would  signify  that  in  this  pe- 
riod that  original  purity  began  to  be  corrupted.  The  mystery 
of  iniquity  already  worked  in  Paul's  clay;  and  the  professed 
church  of  Christ,  it  would  seem,  was  now  so  far  corrupted  by- 
it  as  to  require  this  change  in  the  color  of  the  symbol.  Errors 
began  to  arise.  Worklliness  came  in.  The  ecclesiastical  power 
sought  the  alliance  of  the  secular.  Troubles  and  commotions 
were  the  result.  The  spirit  of  this  period  perhaps  reached  its 
climax  as  we  come  down  to  the  days  of  Constantine,  the  first 
so-called  Christian  emperor,  whose  conversion  to  Christianity  is 
dated  by  Mosheim  in  a.  d.  323. — Ecclesiastical  Commentaries. 

Of  this  period  Dr.  Rice  remarks :  "  It  represents  a  secular 
period,  or  union  of  church  and  state.  Constantine  aided  the 
clergy,  and  put  them  under  obligations  to  him.  He  legislated 
for  the  church,'  called  the  Council  of  Xicfpa,  and  was  most 
prominent  in  that  Council.  Constantine,  not  the  gospel,  had 
the  glory  of  tearing  down  the  heathen  temples.  The  state  had 
the  glory  instead  of  the  church.  Constantine  made  decrees 
against  some  errors,  and  was  praised,  and  suffered  to  go  on 
and  introduce  many  other  errors,  and  oppose  some  important 
truths.  Controversies  arose;  and  when  a  new  emperor  took 
the  throne,  there  was  a  rush  of  the  clergy  to  get  him  on  the 
side  of  their  peculiar  tenets.  ]\Iosheim  says  of  this  period, 
'  There  was  continual  war  and  trouble.'  " 

This  state  of  things  answers  well  to  the  declaration  of  the 
prophet  that  power  was  given  to  him  that  sat  on  the  horse  "  to 
take  peace  from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  an- 
other: and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword."  The 
Christianity  of  that  time  had  mounted  the  throne,  and  bore 
the  emblem  of  the  civil  power. 


48G  THE  REVELATION 

V'ERisE  5.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the 
third  beast  &ay,  Come  and  see.  And  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  black  horse; 
and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  balances  in  his  hand.  G.  And 
I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  beasts  say,  A  measure  of 
wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley  for  a  penny;  and  see 
thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine. 

11  ow  rapidly  the  work  of  corruption  progresses !  AVliat  u 
contrast  in  color  between  this  symbol  and  the  lirst  one:  A 
black  horse  —  the  very  opposite  of  white !  A  period  of  great 
darkness  and  moral  corruption  in  the  church  must  be  denoted 
by  this  symbol.  By  the  events  of  the  second  seal  the  way  was 
fully  opened  for  that  state  of  things  to  be  brought  about  which 
is  here  presented.  The  time  that  intervened  between  the  reign 
of  Constantine  and  the  establishment  of  the  pajiacy  in  a.  d. 
538  may  be  justly  noted  as  the  time  when  the  darkest  errors 
and  grossest  superstitions  sprang  up  in  the  church.  Of  a 
l)eriod  immediately  succeeding  the  days  of  Constantino,  Mos- 
lieini  says : — 

*'  Those  vain  lictions,  which  an  attachment  to  the  Platonic 
philosophy  and  to  popular  opinions  had  engaged  the  greatest 
part  of  the  Christian  doctors  to  adopt  before  the  time  of  Con- 
stantine, were  now  contirmed,  enlarged,  and  embellished  in 
\'arious  ways.  Hence  arose  that  extravagant  veneration  for 
departed  saints,  and  those  absurd  notions  of  a  certain  fire  des- 
tined to  purify  separate  souls,  that  now"  prevailed,  and  of  which 
the  public  marks  were  everywhere  to  be  seen.  Hence  also  the 
celibacy  of  priests,  the  worship  of  images  and  relics,  which  in 
])rocess  of  time  almost  utterly  destroyed  the  Christian  religion, 
or  at  least  eclipsed  its  luster,  and  corrupted  its  very  essence  in 
the  most  deplorable  manner.  An  enormous  train  of  supersti- 
tions was  gradually  substituted  for  true  religion  and  genuine 
piety.  This  odious  revolution  proceeded  from  a  variety  of 
causes.  A  ridiculous  precipitation  in  receiving  new  opinions, 
a  ])re])osterous  desire  of  imitating  the  pagan  rites,  and  of  blend- 
ing tluMu  Avitli  the  Christian  worship,  and  that  idle  propensity 
which  the  generality  of  nntnkind  have  toward  a  gaudy  and 
ostentatious  religion,  all  contributed  to  establish  the  reigii  of 
sn])erstition  u])on  the  ruins  of  Christianity.  Accordingly,  fre- 
quent  j)ilgrinuiges    were    uiuk^rtaken    to   Palestine    and    to    the 


CIIArTEli  6',  VERSES  5,  6  4^7 

tombs  of  the  luartvr.-!,  lu  if  there  alone  the  sacred  principles  of 
virtue  and  the  certain  hope  of  salvation  were  to  be  acpiired. 
The  reins  being  once  let  loose  to  superstition,  which  knows  no 
bounds,  absurd  notions  and  idle  ceremonies  multiplied  aluKJst 
ever}'  day.  (Quantities  of  dust  and  earth  brought  from  Pales- 
tine, and  other  places  remarkable  for  their  su])posed  sanctity, 
were  handed  about  as  the  most  wonderful  remedies  against  the 
violence  of  wicked  spirits,  and  were  sold  and  bought  every- 
where at  enormous  prices.  The  public  processions  and  suppli- 
cations by  which  the  pagans  endeavored  to  a})pease  their  gods, 
were  now  adojjted  into  the  Christian  worshi]),  and  celebrated  in 
many  places  with  great  pomp  and  magniticence.  The  virtues 
which  had  formerly  been  ascribed  to  the  heathen  temples,  to 
their  lustrations,  to  the  statues  of  their  gods  and  heroes,  were 
now  attributed  to  Christian  churches,  to  water  consecrated  by 
certain  forms  of  prayer,  and  to  the  inuiges  of  holy  men.  And 
the  same  jjrivileges  that  the  former  enjoyed  under  the  darkness 
of  i>aganis]n,  were  conferred  upon  the  latter  under  the  light  of 
the  gospel,  or,  rather,  under  that  cloud  of  suj)erstition  which 
was  obscuring  its  glory.  It  is  true  that,  as  yet,  inuiges  were 
not  very  common,  nor  were  there  any  statues  at  all.  But  it  is 
at  the  same  time  as  undoubtedly  certain  as  it  is  extravagant 
and  monstrous,  that  the  worship  of  the  martyrs  was  modeled, 
by  degrees,  according  to  the  religious  services  that  were  paid 
to  the  gods  before  the  coming  of  Christ. 

"  From  these  facts,  which  are  but  small  specimens  of  the 
state  of  Christianity  at  this  time,  the  discerning  reader  will 
easily  perceive  what  detriment  the  church  received  from  the 
peace  and  prosperity  procured  by  Constantino,  and  from  the 
imprudent  methods  employed  to  allure  the  different  nations  to 
embrace  the  gos])el.  The  brevity  we  have  pro])osed  to  observe 
in  this  liistory  ])revents  our  entering  into  an  auqde  detail  of  the 
dismal  effects  that  arose  from  the  progress  and  the  baneful 
influence  of  superstition,   which  had   now   become   universal."" 

Again  he   says:     "A  whole   volume   would   be   requisite   to 

contain    an   enumeration   of   the   various    frauds    which    artful 

knaves   practiced    with    success   to   delude   the    ignorant,    when 

true  religion  was  almost  entirely  superseded  by  hcu'rid  super- 

31  . 


488  THE  REVELATION 

stitioii.'' — Ecclesiastical  History,  J^th   cent.,  part  2,   chap.   3. 

This  extract  from  Moslieiin  contains  a  description  of  tlie 
period  covered  bv  the  black  horse  of  the  third  seal  that  answers 
accurately  to  the  prophecy.  It  is  seen  by  this  how  paganism 
was  incorporated  into  Christianity,  and  how,  during  this  pe- 
riod, the  false  system  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of 
the  papacy,  rapidly  rounded  out  its  full  outlines,  and  ripened 
into  all  its  deplorable  perfection  of  strength  and  stature. 

The  Balances. —  "The  balances  denoted  that  religion  and 
civil  power  would  be  united  in  the  person  who  would  adminis- 
ter the  executive  power  in  the  government,  and  that  he  would 
claim,  the  judicial  authority  both  in  church  and  state.  This 
was  true  among  the  Roman  emperors  from  the  days  of  Con- 
stantine  imtil  the  reign  of  Justinian,  when  he  gave  the  same 
judicial  power  to  the  bishop  of  Rome.'' — Miller's  Lectures, 
p.   181. 

The  ^Vheat  and  Barley. —  "  The  measures  of  wheat  and 
barley  for  a  penny  denote  that  the  members  of  the  church 
Avould  be  eagerly  engaged  after  worldly  goods,  and  the  love  of 
money  would  be  the  prevailing  spirit  of  the  times;  for  they 
would  dispose  of  anything  for  money."  —  Id. 

The  Oil  and  the  ^V^ne. —  These  '^  denote  the  graces  of  the 
Spirit,  faith  and  love,  and  there  was  great  danger  of  hurting 
these,  under  the  influence  of  so  much  of  a  worldly  spirit.  And 
it  is  well  attested  by  all  historians  that  the  prosperity  of  the 
church  in  this  age  produced  the  corruptions  which  finally  ter- 
minated in  the  falling  away,  and  the  setting  up  of  the  anti- 
christian    abominations."  —  Id. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  voice  limiting  the  amount  of 
wheat  for  a  penny,  and  saying,  "  Hurt  not  the  oil  and  the 
wine,"  is  not  spoken  by  any  one  on  earth,  but  comes  from  the 
midst  of  the  four  living  creatures;  signifying  that,  though  the 
under  shepherds,  the  professed  ministers  of  Christ  on  earth, 
had  no  care  for  the  flock,  yet  the  Lord  was  not  unmindful  of 
them  in  this  period  of  darkness.  A  voice  comes  from  heaven. 
He  takes  care  that  the  spirit  of  worldliness  does  not  prevail 
to  such  a  degree  that  Christianity  sh<^nld   b(>  (Mifirely  lost,  or 


CHAPTER  G,,  VEESES  5-11  4SU 

tliat  the  oil  and  the  wine,  the  graces  of  genuine  piety,  shoiihl 
entirely  perish  from  the  earth. 

Verse  T.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the 
voice  of  the  fourth  beast  say,  Come  and  see.  8.  And  I  looked,  and 
behold  a  pale  horse:  and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  Death,  and 
Hell  followed  with  him.  And  power  was  given  unto  him  over  the 
fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword,  and  with  hunger,  and 
with  death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth. 

The  color  of  this  horse  is  reniarkahle.  The  colors  of  the 
white,  red,  and  hlack  horses,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  verses, 
are  natural ;  but  a  pale  color  is  unnatural.  The  original  word 
denotes  the  "  pale  or  yellowish  color  "  that  is  seen  in  blighted 
or  sickly  plants.  \  strange  state  of  things  in  the  professed 
church  must  be  denoted  by  this  symbol.  The  rider  on  this 
horse  is  named  Death ;  and  Hell  (aSiys,  the  grave)  follows  with 
him.  The  mortality  is  so  great  during  this  period  that  it 
would  seem  as  if  "  the  pale  nations  of  the  dead  "  had  come 
upon  earth,  and  were  following  in  the  wake  of  this  desolating 
po^^'€^r.  The  period  during  which  this  seal  applies  can  hardly 
1)0  mistaken.  It  must  refer  to  the  time  in  which  the  papacy 
bore  its  unrebuked,  unrestrained,  and  persecuting  rule,  com- 
mencing about  A.  D.  538,  and  extending  to  the  time  when  the 
Reformers  commenced  their  work  of  exposing  the  corruptions 
of  the  paj^al  systems. 

^'And  power  was  given  unto  them" — him,  says  the  mar- 
gin ;  that  is,  the  power  personified  by  Death  on  the  pale  horse ; 
namely,  the  papacy.  By  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth  is  doubt- 
less meant  the  territory  over  wliieh  this  power  had  jurisdiction  ; 
Avhile  the  words  sword,  himger,  death  (that  is,  some  infliction 
which  causes  death,  as  exposure,  torture,  etc.),  and  beasts  of 
the  earth,  are  figures  denoting  the  means  by  which  it  has  put 
to  death  its  martyrs,  fifty  millions  of  wliom,  according  to  the 
lowest  estimate,  call  for  vengeance  from  beneath  its  bloody 
altar. 

Ykrse  9.  And  when  ]io  luid  opened  the  iifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the 
altar  the  soids  of  them  tliat  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God  and  for 
the  testimony  whieh  they  held  :  10.  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voiee. 
saying,  How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and 
avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earths      11.  And  white 


490  THE  REVELATION 

robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of  them;  and  it  Avas  said  unto  tnem, 
that  they  should  rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow  serv- 
ants also  and  their  brethren,  that  should  be  killed  as  they  were,  should 
be  fidfilled. 

The  ('\'onts  sot  forth  as  transpiring  under  the  fifth  seal  arc 
the  crying'  of  the  martyrs  for  vengeance,  and  the  giving  to  them 
of  Avhite  rohes.  The  questions  that  at  once  suggest  themselves 
for  solution  are,  Does  this  seal  cover  a  period  of  time  'i  and 
if  so,  what  period  ?  Where  is  the  altar  under  which  these 
souls  were  seen  ?  What  are  these  souls,  and  what  is  their  con- 
dition ?  AVhat  is  meant  by  their  cry  for  vengeance  ?  AVliat 
is  meant  by  white  robes  being  given  to  them  ?  When  do  they 
rest  for  a  little  season  ?  and  wdiat  is  signified  by  their  brethren 
being  kilh'd  as  they  were  ^  To  all  these  questions  we  believe 
a  satisfactory  answer  can  be  returned. 

1.  The  Fifth  8eal  Covers  a  Period  of  Time. —  It  seems  con- 
sistent that  this  seal,  like  all  the  others,  should  cover  a  period 
of  time;  and  the  date  of  its  application  cannot  be  mistaken,  if 
the  preceding  seals  have  been  rightly  located.  Following  the 
period  of  the  papal  persecution,  the  time  covered  by  this  seal 
Avould  commence  when  the  Reformation  l;)egan  to  undermine 
the  antichristian  ])a]ial  fabric,  and  restrain  the  persecuting 
])ower  of  the  Tiomish  Church. 

2.  The  Altar. — -This  cannot  denote  any  altar  in  heaven,  as 
it  is  evidently  the  place  Avhcre  these  victims  had  been  slain, — 
the  altar  of  sacrifice.  On  this  point,  Dr.  A.  Clarke  says:  "A 
symbolical  vision  was  exhibited,  in  which  he  saw  an  altar. 
And  tinder  it  the  souls  of  those  who  had  been  slain  for  the 
word  of  God  —  martyred  for  their  attachment  to  Christianity 
—  are  rej)rcsented  as  being  newly  slain  as  victims  to  idolatry 
and  superstition.  Tltc  allai-  is  upon  earth,  not  in  heaven." 
A  confirmation  of  this  view  is  found  in  tlic  fact  that  John  is 
beliolding  scenes  upon  the  carlh.  The  souls  arc  rc])rcsented 
under  llic  altar,  just  as  victims  slain  upon  it  would  ]iour  out 
tlicir  blood   l)cucath   it,   and    fall   by   its   side. 

;!.  The  Soiits  under  the  Attar. —  Tliis  represent  al  ion  is 
p()])tdarly  regarded  as  a  strong  ])roof  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
disembodied    and    conscious    state    of    the    dead.       TTcrc,    it    is 


CHAPTER  G,  VERSES  0-11  4j)i 

claimed,  are  souls  seen  by  John  in  a  diseiubudied  state;  and 
tliev  were  conscious,  and  had  knowledge  of  passing  events; 
for  they  cried  for  vengeance  on  their  persecutors.  This  view 
of  the  passages  is  inadmissible,  for  several  reasons:  (1)  The 
})opular  view  places  these  souls  in  heavcni ;  but  the  altar  of 
sacrifice  on  which  they  were  slain,  and  beneath  which  they 
were  seen,  cannot  l)e  there.  The  only  altar  We  read  of  in 
heaven  is  the  altar  of  incense;  but  it  Avould  not  be  correct  to 
represent  victims  just  slain  as  under  the  altar  of  incense,  as 
that  altar  was  never  devoted  to  such  a  use.  (2)  It  would  be 
re])ugnant  to  all  our  ideas  of  the  heavenly  state,  to  represent 
souls  in  heaven  shut  up  under  an  altar.  (3)  (Jan  we  sup- 
pose that  the  idea  of  vengeance  would  reign  so  supreme  in  the 
minds  of  souls  in  heaven  as  to  render  them,  despite  the  joy 
and  glory  of  that  ineffable  state,  dissatisfied  and  uneasy  till 
vengeance  Avas  inflicted  upon  their  enemies  ?  Would  they  not 
rather  rejoice  that  persecution  raised  its  hand  against  them, 
and  thus  hastened  them  into  the  presence  of  their  Redeemer, 
at  whose  right  hand  there  is  fulness  of  joy,  and  ]deasures  for- 
cvermore  ?  But,  further,  the  popular  view  which  puts  these 
souls  in  heaven,  puts  the  wicked  at  the  same  time  in  the  lake 
of  fire,  writhing  in  unutterable  torment,  and  in  /'(///  vieiv  of 
the  heavenly  host.  This,  it  is  claimed,  is  proved  by  the  ])ar- 
able  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  as  recorded  in  Luke  10. 
Xow  the  souls  brought  to  view  under  the  fifth  seal  were  those 
who  had  been  slain  under  the  preceding  seal,  scores  of  years, 
and  most  of  them  centuries,  before.  Beyond  any  question, 
their  persecutors  had  all  passed  oft'  the  stage  of  action,  and, 
according  to  the  view  under  consideration,  were  suft'eriug  all 
the  torments  of  hell  right  before  their  eyes. 

Yet,  as  if  not  satisfied  with  this,  they  cry  to  God  as  though 
he  were  delaying  vengeance  on  their  murderers.  What  greater 
vengeance  could  they  want  ?  Or,  if  their  persecutors  were  still 
on  the  earth,  they  must  know  that  they  would,  in  a  few  years 
at  most,  join  the  vast  multitude  daily  pouring  through  the  gate 
of  death  into  the  world  of  woe.  Their  amiability  is  put  in  no 
better  light  even  by  this  supposition.  One  thing,  at  least,  is 
evideut :    The  popular  theory  concerning  the  condition  of  the 


4:[)-2  THE  UEV ELATION 

dead,  righteous  and  wicked,  eannot  be  correct ;  or  the  interpre- 
tation usually  given  to  this  passage  is  not  correct ;  for  they 
devour  each  other. 

I3ut  it  is  urged  that  these  souls  must  be  conscious ;  for  they 
cuy  to  God.  This  argument  would  be  of  weight,  were  there 
no  such  figure  of  speech  as  personihcation.  But  while  there 
is,  it  Avill  be  proper,  on  certain  conditions,  to  attribute  life, 
action,  and  intelligence  to  inanimate  objects.  Thus  the  blood 
of  Abel  is  said  to  have  cried  to  God  from  the  ground.  Gen. 
■i:  9,  10.  The  stone  cried  out  of  the  wall,  and  the  beam  out 
of  the  timber  answered  it.  Hab.  2:11.  The  hire  of  the  labor- 
ers kept  back  by  fraud  cried,  and  the  cry  entered  into  the  ears 
of  the  Lord  of  sabaoth.  James  5 :  -1.  So  the  souls  mentioned 
in  our  text  could  cry,  and  not  thereby  be  proved  to  be  conscious. 

The  incongruity  of  the  popular  view  on  this  verse  is  so 
apparent  that  Albert  iJarnes  makes  the  following  concession: 
"  We  are  not  to  suppose  that  this  lite  rail  i/  occurred,  and  that 
John  actually  saw  the  souls  of  the  martyrs  l)eneath  the  altar, 
for  the  whole  representation  is  symbolical ;  nor  are  we  to  sup- 
pose that  tlie  injured  and  the  wronged  in  heaven  actually  pray 
for  vengeance  on  those  who  wronged  them,  or  that  the  re- 
deemed in  heaven  will  continue  to  pray  with  reference  to 
tilings  on  earth ;  Ijut  it  may  be  fairly  inferred  from  this  that 
there  Avill  be  as  real  a  remembrance  of  the  wrongs  of  the  per- 
secuted, the  injured,  and  the  oppressed,  as  if  such  a  prayer 
were  offered  there;  and  that  the  oppressor  has  as  much  to  dread 
from  the  divine  vengeance  as  if  those  whom  he  has  injured 
should  cry  in  heaven  to  the  God  who  hears  prayer,  and  who 
takes  vengeance." — Azotes  on  Revelation  0. 

On  such  passages  as  this,  the  reader  is  misled  by  the  popu- 
lar definition  of  tlu^  word  soul.  From  that  deiinition,  he  is 
le(l  to  suppose  that  this  text  speaks  of  an  immaterial,  invisible, 
immortal  essence  in  man,  which  soars  into  its  coveted  freedom 
on  tlie  death  of  its  hindrance  and  clog,  the  mortal  body.  Xo 
instance  of  the  occurrence  of  the  word  in  the  original  TTel)r(^w 
or  Greek  will  sustain  sucli  a  definition.  Tt  oft(>nest  means 
life,  and  is  not  infrequently  rendered  person.  Tt  applies  to 
llie  dead  as  wv]\  as  to  tlu;  livim>'.  as  mav  be  seen  bv  reference 


CHAPTER  6.  VERSES  9-11  403 

to  Gen.  2:7,  wlicrc^  the  word  living  need  not  have  been  ex- 
pressed were  life  an  inseparable  attribute  of  the  sonl ;  and  to 
Xiim.  11) :  i;3,  Avliore  the  Hebrew  Concordance  reads  '"  dead 
sonl."  ^loreover,  these  souls  pray  that  their  hlood  may  be 
avenged, —  an  article  which  the  immaterial  sonl,  as  popularly 
understood,  is  not  supposed  to  possess.  The  Avord  souls  may 
be  regarded  as  here  meaning  simply  the  martyrs,  those  who 
had  been  slain,  the  words  souls  of  them  being  a  periphra- 
sis for  the  whole  person.  They  were  represented  to  John  as 
having  been  slain  upon  the  altar  of  papal  sacrifice,  on  this 
eartli,  and  lying  dead  beneath  it.  They  certainly  were  not 
alive  when  John  saw  them  under  the  fifth  seal ;  for  he  again 
brings  to  view  the  same  company,  in  almost  the  same  lan- 
guage, and  assures  us  that  the  first  time  they  live  after  their 
martyrdom,  is  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just.  Rev.  20 :  4  -  0. 
Tying  there,  victims  of  papal  bloodthirstiness  and  oppression, 
they  cried  to  God  for  vengeance  in  the  same  manner  that 
Abel's  blood  cried  to  him  from  the  ground.       Gen.  4:  10. 

4.  The  White  i?o&f. s.— These  were  given  as  a  j^artial  an- 
swer to  their  cry,  "  How  long,  O  Lord,  .  .  .  dost  thou  not 
judge  and  avenge  our  blood  ?  "  How  was  it  ?  — ■  They  had 
gone  down  to  the  grave  in  the  most  ignominious  manner. 
Their  lives  had  been  misrepresented,  their  reputations  tar- 
nished, their  names  defamed,  their  motives  maligned,  and  their 
graves  covered  with  shame  and  reproach,  as  containing  the 
dishonored  dust  of  the  most  vile  and  despicable  of  characters. 
Thus  the  Church  of  Rome,  which  then  molded  the  sentiment 
of  the  princi])al  nations  of  the  earth,  spared  no  pains  to  make 
her  victims   an   abhorring  unto  all  flesh. 

But  the  Reformation  began  its  work.  It  began  to  be  seen 
that  the  church  was  the  corrupt  and  disreputable  party,  and 
those  against  whom  it  vented  its  rage  were  the  good,  the  pure, 
and  the  true.  The  work  went  on  among  the  most  enlightened 
nations,  the  reputation  of  the  church  going  down,  and  tliat  <»f 
tlie  martyrs  coming  up,  until  the  corrnptions  of  the  ])apal 
abominations  were  fully  exposed,  and  that  huge  system  of  in- 
iquity stood  forth  before  the  world  in  all  its  naked  deformity, 
while  the  martyrs  were  vindicated  from  all  the  aspersions  un- 


494  THE  REVELATION 

Jer  Avliicli  that  anticliristiaii  cliurcli  had  sought  to  bury  them. 
Then  it  was  seen  that  they  had  suft'ered,  not  for  being  vile  and 
criminal,  but  "  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony 
which  they  held."  Then  their  praises  were  sung,  their  vir- 
tues admired,  their  fortitude  ajiplauded,  their  names  honored, 
and  their  memories  cherished.  White  robes,  were  thus  given 
unto  every  one  of  them. 

5.  The  Little  Season. —  The  cruel  work  of  Romanism  did 
not  altogether  cease,  even  after  the  work  of  the  Reformation 
had  become  wide-spread  and  well  established.  ]S'ot  a  few  ter- 
rible outbursts  of  Romish  hate  and  persecution  were  yet  to  be 
felt  by  the  church.  Multitudes  more  were  to  be  punished  as 
heretics,  and  to  join  the  great  army  of  martyrs.  The  full  vin- 
dication of  their  cause  was  to  be  delayed  a  little  season.  And 
during  this  time,  Rome  added  hundreds  of  thousands  to  the 
vast  throng  of  whose  blood  she  had  already  become  guilty. 
(See  Buck's  Theological  Dictionary,  art.  Persecution.)  But 
the  spirit  of  persecution  was  finally  restrained;  the  cause  of 
the  martyrs  was  vindicated ;  and  the  "  little  season "  of  the 
fifth  seal  came  to  a  close. 

Verse  12.  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and, 
lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake;  and  the  sun  became  black  as  sack- 
cloth of  hair,  and  the- moon  became  as  blood;  13.  And  the  stars  of 
heaven  fell  vmto  the  earth,  even  as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs, 
when  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind.  14.  And  the  heaven  departed 
r.s  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled  together ;  and  every  mountain  and  island 
v.-ere  moved  out  of  their  places.  15.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and 
the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men,,  and  the  chief  captains,  and  the 
mighty  men,  and  every  bond  man,  and  every  free  man,  hid  them- 
selves in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  momitains;  16,  And  said 
to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of 
him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb: 
17.  For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come;  and  who  shall  be  aide 
to  stand  ? 

S\U'h  are  the  solemn  and  sid)]ime  scenes  that  transpire  \u\- 
der  tlie  sixth  seal.  And  a  thought  well  calculated  to  awaken 
in  every  heart  an  intense  interest  in  divine  things,  is  the  cdii- 
sideration  that  Ave  are  now  living  amid  the  nK:)nient()us  events 
of  tliis  seal,  as  will  presently  be  proved. 

Between  the  fiftli  and  sixth  seals  there  seems  to  be  a  smblen 


CHAPTER  e,  VERSES  12-11  4U5 

and  entire  change  in  the  language,  from  the  highly  hgurative 
to  tlie  strictly  literal.  Whatever  may  be  the  cause  of  this 
change,  the  change  itself  cannot  well  be  denied.  By  no  prin- 
ciple of  interpretation  can  the  language  of  the  preceding  seals 
be  made  to  be  literal,  nor  can  the  language  of  this  any  more 
easily  be  made  to  be  figurative.  We  must  therefore  accept  the 
change,  qxqw  though  we  should  be  unable  to  explain  it.  There 
is  a  great  fact,  however,  to  which  we  Would  here  call  attention. 
It  was  in  the  period  covered  by  this  seal  that  the  prophetic 
j^ortions  of  God's  word  were  to  be  unsealed,  and  many  run  to 
and  fro,  or  ''  give  their  sedulous  attention  to  the  understanding 
of  these  things,"  and  thereby  knowledge  on  this  part  of  God's 
word  was  to  be  greatly  increased.  And  we  suggest  that  it 
may  be  for  this  reason  that  the  change  in  the  language  here 
occurs,  and  that  the  events  of  this  seal,  transpiring  at  a  time 
when  these  things  were  to  be  fully  understood,  are  couched  in 
no  figures,  but  are  laid  before  us  in  plain  and  unmistakable 
language. 

The  Great  Earthquake. —  The  first  event  under  this  seal, 
perhaps  the  one  which  marks  its  opening,  is  a  great  earthquake. 
As  the  most  j^robable  fulfilment  of  this  prediction,  we  refer  io 
the  great  earthquake  of  Nov.  1,  1755,  known  as  the  earth- 
quake of  Lisbon.  Of  this  earthquake.  Sears,  in  his  Wonders 
of  the  World,  pp.  50,  58,  381,  says: — 

"  The  great  earthquake  of  Nov.  1,  1755,  extended  over  a 
tract  of  at  least  4,000,000  square  miles.  Its  effects  were  even 
extended  to  the  waters  in  many  places,  where  the  shocks  were 
not  perceptible.  It  pervaded  the  greater  portion  of  Europe, 
.Vfrica,  and  America ;  but  its  extreme  violence  was  exercised 
on  the  southwestern  part  of  the  former.  In  Africa,  this  earth- 
quake was  felt  almost  as  severely  as  it  had  been  in  Europe. 
A  great  part  of  Algiers  was  destroyed.  ]\Iany  houses  were 
thrown  down  at  Fez  and  Mequinez,  and  multitudes  were  buried 
beneath  the  ruins.  Similar  effects  were  realized  at  Morocco. 
Its  efi^ects  were  likewise  left  at  Tangier,  at  Tetuan,  at  Funchal 
in  the  Island  of  Madeira.  It  is  probable  that  all  Africa  was 
shaken.  At  the  north,  it  extended  to  Norway  and  Sweden. 
Germany,  Holland,  France,  Great  Britain,  and  Ireland  were 


40G  ^'^^^'^'  llEV ELATION 

all  inore  ur  less  agitated  by  the  same  great  commotion  of  the 
elements.  Lisbon  (Portugal),  previous  to  the  earthquake  in 
1755,  contained  150,000  inhabitants.  Mr.  Barretti  sajs  that 
90,000  persons  '  were  lost  on  that  fatal  day.'  " 

On  page  200  of  the  same  work,  we  again  read:  ''  The  ter- 
ror of  the  people  was  beyond  description.  Xobody  wept;  it 
Avas  beyond  tears.  They  ran  hither  and  thither,  delirious  with 
horror  and  astonishment,  beating  their  faces  and  breasts,  cry- 
ing, ' Misericonlla;  the  world's  at  an  end!'  Mothers  forgot 
their  children,  and  ran  about  loaded  with  crucifixed  images. 
Unfortunately,  many  ran  to  the  churclies  for  protection;  but 
in  vain  was  the  sacrament  exposed ;  in  vain  did  the  poor  crea- 
t\ires  embrace  the  altars;  images,  priests,  and  people  were 
buried  in  one  common  ruin." 

The  Encyclopedia  Americana  states  that  this  earthquake 
extended  also  to  Greenland,  and  of  its  effects  upon  the  city  of 
Lisbon  further  says:  '"  The  city  then  contained  about  150,000 
inhabitants.  The  shock  was  instantly  followed  l)y  the  fall  of 
e\'ery  church  and  convent,  almost  all  the  large  public  build- 
ings, and  mure  than  one  fourth  of  the  houses.  In  about  two 
hours  after  the  shock,  fires  In-oke  out  in  different  quarters,  and 
raged  with  such  violence  for  the  space  of  nearly  three  days  that 
the  city,  was  completely  desolated.  The  earthquake  happened 
on  a  holy  day,  when  the  churches  and  convents  were  full  of 
people,  very  few  of  whom  escaped." 

Sir  Charles  Lyell  gives  the  following  graphic  description  of 
this  remarkable  phenomenon: — 

"  Tn  no  part  of  the  volcanic  region  of  southern  Europe  has 
so  tremendous  an  earthquake  occurred  in  modern  times  as  that 
M'hich  began  on  the  1st  of  Xovember,  1755,  at  Lisbon.  A 
sound  of  tlnmder  Avas  heard  underground,  and  immediately 
afterward  a  violent  shock  threw  doAvn  the  greater  part  of  that 
city.  In  the  course  of  about  six  minutes,  sixty  thousand  per- 
sons perished.  The  sea  first  retired,  an<l  hiid  the  l)ar  dry;  it 
then  rolled  in,  rising  fifty  feet  above  its  ordinary  level.  The 
mountains  of  Arrabida,  Estrella,  Julio,  j\Iarvan,  and  Cintra, 
l)eing  some  of  the  largest  in  Portugal,  were  impetuously  shaken, 
as   it  were   from   their   verv   foundations;    and   some   of   them 


CHAPTER  0,  VERSES  12-11  490 

opened  at  their  suiiimits,  wliicL  were  sjjlit  and  rent  in  a  won- 
derful manner,  liuge  masses  of  them  being  thrown  down  into 
the  adjacent  valleys.  Flames  are  related  to  have  issued  from 
these  mountains,  which  are  supposed  to  have  been  electric; 
they  are  also  said  to  have  snioke<l ;  but  vast  clouds  of  dust 
may  luive  given  rise  to  this  appearance. 

"  The  most  extraordinary  circumstance  which  occurred  at 
Lisbon  during  the  catastro})he,  was  the  subsidence  (jf  the  new 
quay,  built  entirely  of  marble,  at  an  innnense  expense.  A 
great  concourse  of  people  had  collected  there  for  safety,  as  a 
spot  where  they  might  be  beyond  the  reach  of  falling  ruins ; 
but  suddenly  the  (piay  sunk  down  with  all  the  people  on  it, 
and  not  one  of  the  dead  bodies  ever  Hoated  to  the  surface. 
A  great  number  of  boats  and  small  vessels  anchored  near  it, 
all  full  of  people,  were  swallowed  up  as  in  a  whirlpool.  No 
fragments  of  these  wrecks  ever  rose  again  to  the  surface,  and 
the  water  in  the  place  where  the  quay  had  stood  is  stated,  in 
numy  accounts,  to  be  unfathomable ;  l)ut  Whitehurst  says  he 
ascertained  it  to  be  one  hundred  fathoms. 

"  In  this  case  we  must  either  suppose  that  a  certain  tract 
sunk  down  into  a  subterranean  hollow,  which  would  cause  a 
'  fault '  in  the  strata  to  the  depth  of  six  hundred  feet,  or  we 
may  infer,  as  s<jme  have  done,  from  the  entire  disappearance  of 
the  substances  engidfed,  that  a  chasm  opened  and  closed  again. 
Yet  in  adopting  this  latter  hypothesis,  we  must  suppose  that  the 
ui)per  part  of  the  chasm,  to  the  depth  of  one  hundred  fathoms, 
renuiined  open  after  the  shock.  According  to  the  observations 
nuide  at  Lisbon  in  1837  by  Mr.  Sharpe,  the  destroying  effects 
of  this  earthquake  were  confined  to  the  tertiary  strata,  and 
were  most  violent  on  the  blue  clay,  on  which  the  lower  part  of 
the  city  is  constructed.  Xot  a  building,  he  says,  on  the  sec- 
ondary limestone  or  the  basalt  was   injured. 

^^  The  great  area  over  which  this  Lisbon  earthquake  ex- 
tended is  very  remarkable.  The  movement  was  most  violent 
in  Spain,  Portugal,  and  the  north  of  Africa;  but  nearly  the 
whole  of  Euro]"»e,  and  even  the  West  Indies,  felt  tlie  shock  on 
the  same  day.  A  seaport  called  St.  Ubes,  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  Lisbon,  was  engulfed.      At  Algiers  and  Fez  in  Africa, 


500  THE  EEV ELATION 

lilt'  agiiatiou  of  the  earth  was  equally  violent,  and  at  the  dis- 
tance of  eight  leagues  from  Morocco,  a  village,  with  the  inhab- 
itants to  the  number  of  about  eight  or  ten  thousand  persons, 
together  with  all  their  cattle,  was  swallowed  up.  Soon  after, 
the  earth  closed  again  over  them. 

"  The  shock  was  felt  at  sea,  on  the  deck  of  a  ship  to  the 
^^'est  of  Lisbon,  and  produced  very  much  the  same  sensation  as 
on  dry  land.  Oil'  St.  Lucas,  the  captain  of  the  ship  '  Nancy  ' 
felt  his  vessel  shaken  so  A'iolently  that  he  thought  she  had 
struck  the  ground,  but,  on  hea^'ing  the  lead,  found  a  great 
depth  of  water.  Caj^tain  Clark,  from  Denia,  in  latitude  36° 
24'  jST.,  between  nine  and  ten  in  the  morning,  had  his  ship 
shaken  and  strained  as  if  she  had  struck  upon  a  rock.  An- 
other ship,  forty  leagues  west  of  St.  Vincent,  experienced  so 
violent  a  concussion  that  the  men  were  thrown  a  foot  and  a 
half  perpendicularly  up  from  the  deck.  In  Antigua  and 
Larbadoes,  as  also  in  Xorway,  Sweden,  Germany,  Holland, 
Corsica,  Switzerland,  and  Italy,  tremors  and  slight  oscillations 
of  the  gro\md  Avere  felt. 

"  The  agitation  of  lakes,  rivers,  and  springs  in  Great  IJritain 
was  remarkable.  At  Loch  Lomond,  in  Scotland,  for  examj)le, 
the  water,  without  the  least  apparent  cause,  rose  against  its 
banks,  and  then  subsided  below  its  usual  level.  Tlie  greatest 
perpendicular  height  of  this  swell  was  two  feet  four  inches.  It 
is  said  that  the  movement  of  this  earthquake  was  undulatory, 
and  that  it  traveled  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  a  minute.  A 
great  wave  swept  over  the  coast  of  Spain,  and  is  said  to  ha\-e 
Ix'on  sixty  feet  high  at  Cadiz.  At  Tangier,  in  Africa,  it  rose 
and  fell  eighteen  times  on  the  coast;  at  Funchal,  in  Maderia, 
it  rose  full  fifteen  feet  perpendicular  above  high-water  mark, 
although  the  tide,  which  obits  and  Hows  there  seven-  feet,  was 
then  at  half  ebb.  ]]esides  entering  the  city  and  connnitting 
gi'cat  havoc,  it  overflowed  other  seaports  in  the  island.  At 
K'insale,  in  Ireland,  a  body  of  Avater  rusliod  into  tli-,'  harbor, 
whirled  round  several  vessels,  and  itourod  into  the  niarket- 
]^lace. 

"It  was  before  stated  that  the  sea  iirst  retired  at  Lisbon; 
anl  ihis  ri^treaf  of  the  ocean  from  the  shore  al   the  coninKMicc- 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  U  - 17  :,ul 

ment  of  an  eartliquakc,  and  its  subsequent  return  in  a  violent 
wave,  is  a  common  occurrence.  in  order  to  account  fur  the 
phenomenon,  Mitchell  imagines  a  subsidence  at  the  bottom  of 
the  sea  from  the  giving  way  of  the  roof  of  some  cavity,  in 
consequence  of  a  vacuum  produced  by  the  condensation  of 
steam.  Such  condensation,  he  observes,  might  be  the  first 
effect  of  tlie  introduction  of  a  large  body  of  water  into  fissures 
and  cavities  already  filled  with  steam,  before  there  had  been 
suificient  time  for  the  heat  of  the  incandescent  lava  to  turn 
so  large  a  supply  of  water  into  steam,  which,  being  soon  ac- 
complished, causes  a  gTcater  explosion."  —  Library  of  Clioice 
Literature^   Vol.   YII,  pp.  162,  163. 

If  the  reader  "svill  look  on  his  atlas  at  the  countries  above 
mentioned,  he  will  see  how  large  a  portion  of  the  earth's  sur- 
face was  agitated  by  this  awful  convulsion.  Other  earthquakes 
may  have  been  as  severe  in  particular  localities,  but  no  other 
one  of  which  we  have  any  record,  coinljining  so  great  an  ex- 
tent with  such  a  degree  of  severity,  has  ever  been  felt  on  this 
earth.  It  certainly  supplies  all  the  conditions  necessary  to 
constitute  it  a  fitting  event  to  mark  the  opening  of  the  seal. 

The  Darkening  of  the  Sun. —  Following  the  earthquake,  it 
is  announced  that  "  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair." 
This  portion  of  the  prediction  has  also  been  fulfilled.  Into  a 
detailed  account  of  the  wonderful  darkening  of  the  sun.  May 
lU,  IT. SO,  we  need  not  here  enter.  Most  persons  of  general 
reading,  it  is  presumed,  ha^'e  seen  some  account  of  it.  The 
following  detached  declarations  from  different  authorities  will 
give  an  idea  of  its  nature : — 

''  The  dark  day  of  Xorthern  .Vmerica  was  one  of  those 
wonderful  phenomena  of  nature  which  will  always  be  read  of 
with  interest,  l)ut  which  philosophy  is  at  a  loss  to  explain."  — 
Ilerschel. 

"  In  the  month  of  May,  1780,  there  was  a  terrific  dark 
day  in  Xew  England,  when  '  all  faces  seemed  to  gather  l)hu'k- 
ness,'  and  the  people  were  filled  with  fear.  There  was  great 
distress  in  the  village  where  Edward  Lee  lived,  '  men's  hearts 
failing  them  for  fear'  that  the  Jndginent-day  was  at  liand ; 
and    the    neiaiibors    all    fiocked    ar(_)un(l    the    holy    man,"    who 


502  THE  BEVELITIOX 

"  spent  the  gloomy  hours  in  earnest  prayer  for  the  distressed 
multitude."  —  Tract  No.  379,  American  Tract  Society;  Life 
of  Edward  Lee. 

"  Candles  were  lighted  in  many  houses.  Birds  were  silent 
and  disappeared.  Fowls  retired  to  roost.  It  was  the  general 
opinion  that  the  day  of  Judgment  was  at  hand." — President 
Dirir/lit,  in  Connecticut  Historical   Collections. 

'"  The  darkness  was  such  as  to  occasion  farmers  to  leave 
Iheir  work  in  the  field,  and  retire  to  their  dwellings.  Lights 
l)ecame  necessary  to  the  transaction  of  business  within  doors. 
The  darkness  continued  through  the  day." —  Gage's  Ilistonj 
of  Rowley,  Mass. 

"  The  cocks  crew  as  at  daybreak,  and  everything  bore  the 
a})pearance  and  gloom  of  night.  The  alarm  produced  by  this 
unusual  aspect  of  the  heavens  was  very  great." — Portsnwidli 
Journal,  May  20,  18Jf3. 

"  It  was  midnight  darkness  at  noonday.  .  .  .  Thousands 
of  people  wdio  could  not  account  for  it  from  natural  causes, 
were  greatly  terrified ;  and  indeed,  it  cast  a  universal  gloom 
on  the  earth.  The  frogs  and  night-hawks  began  their 
notes." — Dr.    Adams. 

"  Similar  days  have  occasionally  been  known,  though  in- 
ferior in  the  deo;ree  or  extent  of  their  darkness.  The  causes 
of  these  phenomena  are  unknown.  They  certainly  were  not 
the  result  of  eclipses." —  Sears's  Guide  to  Knowledge. 

''Almost,  if  not  altogether  alone,  as  the  most  mysterious 
and  yet  unexplained  phenomenon  of  its  kind  in  nature's  diver- 
sified range  of  events,  during  the  last  century,  stands  the  darh 
day  of  May  19th,  1780, —  a  most  unaccountable  darkening  of 
the  whole  visible  heavens  and  atmosphere  in  New  England, — 
Avhich  brought  intense  alarm  and  distress  to  multitudes  of 
minds,  as  W(dl  as  dismay  to  the  l)rute  creation,  the  fowls  flee- 
ing, bewildered,  to  their  roosts,  and  the  birds  to  their  nests, 
and  the  Ciittle  returning  to  their  stalls.  Indeed,  thousands  of 
the  good  peoph^  of  that  day  became  fully  convinced  that  the 
end  of  all  things  terrestrial  had  come.  .  .  .  The  extent  of 
this  darkness  was  also  very  remarkable.  It  was  observed  at 
the  most  easterly   i-c"ions  of   New  Euii'land ;   westward  to  the 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  12- n  503 

fartlicst  parts  of  Connecticut,  and  at  Albany;  to  the  soutli- 
\var(l,  it  Avas  observed  all  along  the  seacoast;  and  to  the 
nortli,  as  far  as  the  American  settlements  extended.  It  prob- 
ably far  exceeded  these  boundaries,  but  the  exact  limits  were 
iiL'ver  })ositively  known.'' —  Our  Firat  Centunj,  hij  11.  M. 
D evens,   pp.    SU,    VO. 

The  poet  ^Vhittier  thus  speaks  of  this  event: — 

"  'Twas  on  a  May-day  of  the  far  old  year 
Seventeen  hundred  eighty,  that  there  fell 
Over  the  bloom  and  sweet  life  of  the  spring. 
Over  the  fresh  earth  and  the  heaven  of  noon, 
A  horror  of  great  darkness,  like  the  night 
In  day  of  which  the  Norland  sagas   tell  - — 
The  Twilight  of  the  Gods.      The  low-hung  sky 
Was  black  with  ominous  clouds,  save  where  its  rim 
Was  fringed  with  a  dull  glow,  like  that  which  climbs 
The  crater's  sides  from  the  red  hell  below. 
Birds  ceased  to  sing,  and  all  the  barnyard  fowls 
lioosted ;  the  cattle  at  the  pasture  bars 
Lowed,  and  looked  homeward ;  bats  on  leathern  wings 
Flitted  abroad;  the  sounds  of  labor  died; 
Men  prayed,  and  women  wept ;  all  ears  grew  sharp 
To  hear  the  doom-blast  of  the  trumpet  shatter 
The  black  sky,  that  the  dreadful  face  of  Christ 
Might  look  from  the  rent  clouds,  not  as  he  looked 
A  loving  guest  at  Bethany,  but  stern 
As  justice  and  inexorable  law." 

The  next  most  notable  dark  day,  compared  with  that  of 
1780,  was  in  1762.  Of  this,  Mr.  Devens  (Our  First  Century, 
p.  96)  speaks  as  follows: — 

"  There  was  also  a  remarkable  darkness  at  Detroit  and 
vicinity,  Oct.  19,  1762,  being  almost  total  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  day.  It  was  dark  at  daybreak,  and  this  continued  till 
nine  o'clock,  when  it  cleared  up  a  little,  and  for  the  space  of 
about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  body  of  the  sun  was  visible,  it 
appearing  as  red  as  blood,  and  more  than  three  times  as  large 
as  usual.  The  air  all  this  time  was  of  a  dingy  yellowish  color. 
At  half  past  one  o'clock  it  was  so  dark  as  to  necessitate  the 
lighting  of  candles,  in  order  to  attend  to  domestic  duties.  At 
about  three  in  the  afternoon  the  darkness  became  more  dens(>, 
incr\asing  in  intensity  until  half  past  three,  when  the  wind 
32' 


504  THE  REVELATION 

breezed  up  from  the  southwest,  and  brought  on  a  slight  fall  of 
rain,  accompanied  with  a  profuse  quantity  of  hnc,  black  parti- 
cles, in  appearance  much  like  sulphur  both  in  smell  and 
quality.  A  sheet  of  clean  paper  held  out  in  the  rain  was 
rendered  quite  black  wherever  the  drops  fell  upon  it;  but 
when  held  near  the  lire,  it  turned  to  a  yellow  color,  and, 
when  burned,  it  fizzed  on  the  paper  like  wet  powder.  So 
black  did  these  powdery  particles  turn  everything  upon  which 
they  fell,  that  even  the  river  Avas  covered  Avitli  a  black  frotli, 
which,  when  skimmed  oft'  the  surface,  resembled  the  lather  of 
soap,-  with  this  difference,  that  it  was  more  greasy,  and  its 
color  as  black  as  ink.  At  seven  in  the  evening  the  air  was 
more  clear.  This  phenomenon  was  observed  throughout  a  vast 
region  of  count vy;  and  though  various  conjectures  were  in- 
dulged in  as  to  the  cause  of  so  extraordina:"  /  an  occurrence, 
the  same  degree  of  mystery  attaches  to  it  as  to  that  of  1780, 
confounding  the  wisdom  of  the  most  learned  philosophers  and 
men  of  science." 

Let  it  be  noticed  that  this  darkness  also  falls  within  the 
time  specified  in  the  prophecy  for  the  occurrence  of  this  sign ; 
namely,  between  the  years  1755  and  1798.  This  point  is  fur- 
ther discussed  on  pages  42G-431. 

The  Moon  Became  as  Blood. —  The  darkness  of  the  follow- 
ing night,  May  19,  1780,  was  as  unnatural  as  that  of  the  day 
had  been. 

"  The  darkness  of  the  following  evening  was  probably  as 
gross  as  has  ever  been  observed  since  the  Almighty  hat  gave 
birth  to  light.  I  could  not  help  conceiving  at  the  time  that 
if  every  kiminous  body  in  the  universe  had  been  shrouded  in 
impenetrable  darkness,  or  struck  out  of  existence,  the  darkness 
could  not  have  been  more  comjdete.  A  sheet  of  white  paper 
lield  within  a  few  inches  of  the  eyes,  was  equally  invisible  with 
the  blackest  velvet." — Mr.  Tenney,  of  Exeter,  N.  II.,  quoted 
by  Mr.   Gage  to  the  ''Historical  Society." 

Dr.  Adams,  already  quoted,  wrote  concerning  ihe  night 
following  the  dark  day: — 

"Ahnost  every  one  who  happened  to  be  out  in  the  evening 
got  lost  in  going  home.       Ihe  darkness  was  as  uncommon  in 


CllAL'TKl!  i;.   VFA!SKS  U-ll  507 

tlic  night  as  it  was  in  the  'lay,  as  the  moon  had  fulled  the 
day    before." 

This  statement  respecting;  the  ])hasc  of  the  iiKx-n  ])roves  the 
impossibility  of  an  eelii)se  of  ihe  sun  at  that  time. 

And  whenever  on  this  memorable  niglit  the  moon  did  a})- 
pear,  as  at  certain  times  it  did,  it  had,  according  to  this  proph- 
ecy, the  appearance  of  blood. 

And  the  Stars  of  Heaven  Fell. —  The  voice  of  history  still 
is,  Fuljilled!  Being  a  much  later  event  than  the  darkening  of 
the  sun,  there  are  multitudes  in  whose  memories  it  is  as  fresh 
as  if  it  were  but  yesterday.  We  refer  to  the  great  mete- 
oric showier  of  Nov.  lo,  1833.  On  this  point  a  few  extracts 
will  snffice. 

"At  the  cry,  ^  Look  ont  of  the  window,'  I  sprang  from  a 
deep  sleep,  and  with  wonder  saw  the  east  lighted  iip  with  the 
dawn  and  meteors.  ...  I  called  to  my  wife  to  behold;  and 
A\'hile  robing,  she  exclaimed,  '  See  how  the  stars  fall !  '  I 
replied,  '  That  is  the  wonder;  '  and  we  felt  in  onr  hearts  that 
it  was  a  sign  of  the  last  days.  For  truly  ^  the  stars  of  heaven 
fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs, 
Avhen  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind.'  Rev.  6:  13.  This  lan- 
guage of  the  prophet  has  always  been  received  as  metaphorical. 
Yesterday  it  was  literally  fulfilled.  The  ancients  understood  by 
aster  in  Greek,  and  stella  in  Latin,  the  smaller  lights  of  heaven. 
The  refinement  of  modern  astronomy  has  made  distinctions 
between  stars  of  heaven  and  meteors  of  heaven.  Therefore 
the  idea  of  the  prophet,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  original 
Greek,  was  literally  fulfilled  in  the  phenomenon  of  yesterday, 
so  as  no  man  before  yesterday  had  conceived  to  be  ])ossible 
that  it  should  be  fulfilled.  The  immense  size  and  distance  of 
the  planets  and  fixed  stars  forbid  the  idea  of  their  falling 
litdn  the  earth.  Larger  bodies  cannot  fall  in  myriads  unto  a 
smaller  body;  and  most  of  the  jdanets  and  all  the  fixed  stars 
are  many  times  larger  than  our  earth;  but  tliesc^  fell  toward 
the  earth.  And  how  did  they  fall  ?  ISTeither  myself  nor  one 
of  the  family  heard  any  report;  and  were  T  to  hunt  through 
nature  for  a  simil(\  T  could  not  find  one  so  apt,  to  illustrate 
the  appearance  of  the  heavens,  as  that  which  St.   John  uses 


508  THE  REVELATION 

in  the  prophecy  before  quoted:  '  The  stars  of  heaven  fell  nnto 
the  earth.'  They  were  not  sheets,  or  Hakes,  or  drops  of  tire; 
but  they  were  wliat  the  world  understands  by  falling  stars; 
and  one  sjjeaking  to  his  fellow,  in  the  midst  of  the  scene, 
would  say,  '  See  how  the  stars  fall !  '  And  he  who  heard 
would  not  stop  to  correct  the  astronomy  of  the  speaker,  any 
more  than  he  would  reply,  '  The  sun  does  not  move,'  to  one 
who  should  tell  him,  '  The  sun  is  rising.'  Tlie  stars  fell  '  even 
as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of 
a  mighty  wind.'  Here  is  the  exactness  of  the  propliet.  The 
falling  stars  did  not  come  as  if  from  several  trees  shaken, 
but  from  one.  Those  Avhieli  appeared  in  the  east  fell  toward 
the  east ;  those  which  apj^eared  in  the  north  fell  toward  the 
north ;  those  which  appeared  in  the  west  fell  toward  the  west ; 
and  those  which  appeared  in  the  south  (for  I  went  out  of 
my  residence  into  the  park),  fell  toward  the  south.  And 
they  fell  not  as  ripe  fruit  falls ;  far  from  it ;  but  they  flew, 
they  were  cast,  like  the  unripe,  which  at  first  refuses  to  leave 
the  branch,  and  when,  under  a  violent  pressure,  it  does  break 
its  hold,  it  flies  swiftly,  straight  off,  descending;  and  in  the 
nudtitude  falling,  some  cross  the  track  of  others,  as  they  are 
tlirown  with  more  or  less  force,  but  each  one  falls  on  its  own 
side  of  the  tree." — Henry  Dana  ^yard. 

"  Extensive  and  magnificent  showers  of  shooting  stars  have 
been  known  to  occur  at  various  places  in  modern  times;  but 
the  most  universal  and  wonderful  which  has  ever  been  re- 
corded, is  that  of  the  13th  of  ISTovember,  1S33,  the  whole  fr- 
mament,  over  all  the  United  States,  heincj  tlirn,  for  hours,  in 
fiery  commotion.  IsTo  celestial  phenomenon  has  ever  occurred 
in  this  country  since  its  first  settlement,  Avhich  was  viewed 
with  such  intense  admiration  by  one  class  in  tlie  community, 
or  with  so  much  dread  and  alarm  by  anotlier.  .  .  .  During 
the  tliree  hours  of  its  coutiuuaiice,  tlu^  (hiy  of  judgment  was 
])('li('ved  to  be  only  waiting  for  sunrise."" — -  Our  First  Ceiituri/. 
p.   S20. 

The  effect  of  this  phenomenon  upon  the  negro  ]')opulation 
is   describe<l   by   a    Soutliern   ])laiiter   as   follows: — 

''  T   was   suddcnlv   awakened   l>v   the  most   distrcssiiii''  cries 


CHAPTEU  0,  VEnSh\<!  12-1^  509 

that  ever  fell  on  iiiv  ears.  Shrieks  <>f  horror  and  cries  for 
mercy  could  he  heard  from  most  of  the  negroes  of  three  plan- 
tations, amounting  in  all  to  some  six  or  eight  hundred.  While 
earnestly  and  breathlessly  listening  for  the  cause,  I  heard  a 
faint  voice  near  the  door,  calling  my  name.  I  arose,  and  tak- 
ing my  sword,  stood  at  the  door.  At  this  moment  I  heard 
the  same  voice  still  heseeching  me  to  rise,  and  saying,  '  O  my 
God!  the  world  is  on  fire!'  I  then  opened  the  door,  and  it 
is  difficult  to  say  Avhicli  excited  me  most,  the  awfulness  of  the 
scene  or  the  distressed  cries  of  the  negroes.  Upward  of  one 
hundred  lay  prostrate  on  the  ground,  some  speechless,  and 
others  uttering  the  bitterest  moans,  but  with  their  hands  raised, 
imploring  God  to  save  the  world  and  them.  The  scene  was 
truly  awful :  for  never  did  rain  fall  much  thicker  than  the 
meteors  fell  toward  the  earth ;  east,  west,  north,  and  south, 
it  was  the  same.  In  a  word,  the  whole  heavens  seemed  in 
motion/' — Id.,  p.  330. 

"Arago  computes  that  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  forty 
thousand  meteors  tvere  at  the  same  time  visible  above  the  hori- 
zon of  Boston."  And  of  the  display  at  Niagara  it  is  said  that 
'^  no  spectacle  so  terribly  grand  and  sublime  was  ever  before 
l)elield  by  man  as  that  of  the  firmament  descending  in  fiery 
torrents  over  the  dark  and  roaring  cataract." — Id.,  ih. 

These  signs  in  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  the  same  as 
those  so  strikingly  predicted  by  our  Lord,  and  recorded  by  the 
evangelists  in  Matthew  24,  Mark  13,  and  Luke  21.  In  these 
records,  not  only  the  same  signs  are  given,  but  the  same  time 
is  pointed  out  for  their  fulfilment;  namely,  a  period  com- 
mencing just  this  side  of  the  long  and  bloody  persecution  of 
the  papal  power.  In  Matt.  24:21,  22,  the  1260  years  of 
papal  supremacy  are  brought  to  view ;  and  "  immediately  after 
the  tribulation  of  those  days  "  (verse  29)  the  sun  was  to  be 
darkened,  etc.  Mark  is  still  more  definite,  and  says,  "  In 
those  days,  after  that  tribulation."  The  days,  commencing  in 
A.  D.  538,  ended  in  1798  ;  but  before  they  ended,  the  spirit  of 
persecution  had  been  restrained  by  the  Ttefornmtion,  and  that 
tribnlation  of  the  church  had  ceased.  And  in  this  ])eriod, 
exactly  at  the  time  specified  in  the  prophecy,  the  fulfilment 


olU  THE  REVELATION 

of  tliese  signs  coininenced  in  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and 
moon. 

The  first  instance  of  the  falling  of  the  stars  worthy  of  any 
notice,  though  others  of  local  and  minor  importance  mav  be; 
mentioned  before  it,  took  place  in  1799.  To  the  great  display 
of  1S33,  by  far  the  most  brilliant  of  any  on  record,  we  have 
already  referred.  Of  the  extent  of  this  shower,  Professor  01m- 
stead,  of  'Yale  College,  a  distinguished  meteorologist,  says : — 

"  The  extent  of  the  shower  of  1833  was  such  as  to  cover 
no  inconsiderable  part  of  the  earth's  surface;  from  the  middle 
of  the  Atlantic  on  the  ea:,t  to  the  Pacific  on  the  west,  and 
from  the  northern  coast  of  South  America  to  undefined  re- 
gions among  the  British  possessions  on  the  north,  the  exhibi- 
tion was  visible,  and  everywhere  presented  nearly  the  same 
appearance." 

From  this  it  appears  that  this  exhibition  was  confined 
exclusively  to  the  Western  Avorld.  But  in  the  year  1866,  an- 
other remarkable  occurrence  of  this  kind  took  place,  this  time 
in  the  East,  nearly  as  magnificent  in  some  places  as  that  of 
1833,  and  visible  so  far  as  ascertained,  throughout  the  greater 
part  of  Europe.  Thus  the  principal  portions  of  the  earth 
have  now  been  warned  by  this  sign. 

Observation  has  shown  that  these  meteoric  displays  occur 
at  regular  intervals  of  about  thirty-three  years.  The  skeptic 
^vill  doubtless  seize  upon  this  as  a  pretext  for  throwing  them 
out  of  the  catalogue  of  signs.  But  if  they  are  not  more  than 
ordinary  occurrences,  the  question  is  to  be  answered  why  they 
have  not  occurred  as  regularly  and  prominently  centuries  in 
the  past  as  in  the  last  hundred  years.  This  is  a  question 
science  cannot  answer,  nor  can  it  offer  anything  more  than 
conjecture  as  to  their  cause. 

One  significant  fact  will  be  noticed  in  connection  with  all 
thv-^  foregoing  signs:  They  were  each  instinctively  associated 
in  the  minds  of  the  people,  at  the  time  of  their  occurrence, 
with  the  great  day  of  which  they  were  the  forerunners.  And 
on  each  occasion  the  cry  was  raised,  "  The  judgment  has  come; 
the  world's  at  an  end." 

But   the   objector   answers,    These   phemonemi    in   tlie   sun, 


CHAPTER  (>.  ]'KL'SES  Li -17  511 

moon,  and  stars  cannot  be  signs  of  the  end,  because  there 
have  been  many  instances  of  such  occurrences;  and  pointing 
to  some  ten  other  periods  of  remarkable  darkness  besides  that 
of  1780,  and  to  several  occasions  when  stars  or  meteoric 
showers  have  fallen,  he  asks,  with  an  air  of  triumph,  which 
(tne  we  will  take  for  the  sign.  That  this  is  not  a  fanciful 
rejiresentation  of  the  objection,  the  following  facts  will  dem- 
onstrate. 

In  1878  we  noticed  in  one  of  the  leading  dailies  of  Chicago 
a  (piestion  from  a  correspondent  in  Vermont,  and  the  reply 
given  by  the  paper,  as  follows : — 

''  Will  you  give  the  causes  (and  proof)  of  the  '  dark  day  ' 
of  1780,  the  19th  of  j\Iay,  I  believe?  An  'Advent  preacher' 
has  been  preaching  in  this  neighborhood,  and  alluded  to  it  as 
a  sign  of  the  destruction  of  the  world." 

And  the  reply  is  given  thus : — 

"  The  dark  day  of  1780  was  produced  by  entirely  natural 
causes,  and  was  about  as  much  a  sign  of  the  destruction  of 
the  world  as  of  the  advent  of  the  potato-beetle.  The  darkness, 
said  Dr.  Samuel  Tenney,  of  Exeter,  IST.  H.,  was  produced  by 
common  clouds.  Between  these  common  clouds  and  the  earth 
intervened  another  stratum  of  great  thickness.  As  the  stratum 
advanced,  the  darkness  commenced,  and  increased  with  its 
progress.  The  uncommon  thickness  of  this  stratum  was  oc- 
casioned by  two  strong  currents  of  wind  from  the  southward 
and  westward,  condensing  the  vapors  and  drawing  them  in  a 
northwest  direction.  The  density  of  this  stratum  was  owing 
to  the  vapor  and  smoke  it  contained.  These  so-called  dark 
days  have  not  been  uncommon,  being  known  in  3G6  b.  c,  2i)5 
B.  c.,  252  A.  D.,  716,  775,  1732,  1702,  1780,  1783,  1807,  181G. 
The  one  was  as  prophetic  as  any  other,  and  no  more  so." 

It  would  have  been  a  little  more  to  the  satisfaction  of  any 
one  who  wishes  to  know  the  reasons  of  his  faith,  if  the  writer 
of  the  reply  had  stated  where  he  found  his  evidence  for  all  his 
assertions.  And  Ave  would  like  a  little  light  on  such  points  as 
this:  From  whence  came  that  ''stratum  of  great  thickness"? 
Of  what  was  it  composed  ?  How  was  it  formed  ?  This  cav- 
iler's  exjdanation  amounts  to  just  this:    It  was  dark  because 


51:^  THE  HE V ELATION 

there  was  great  darkness.  lie  siinplj  states  the  fact  in  an- 
other form,  and  calls  that  an  explanation.  His  own  statement 
needs  explaining  as  really  as  the  one  to  which  he  refers.  ''  The 
uncommon  thickness  of  the  stratum  was  caused  by  two  strong 
currents  of  wind,"  etc.  How  did  those  winds  chance  to  come 
just  then,  and  just  when  there  were  vapors  to  condense?  And 
what  caused  the  A'apors  l  Then  how  could  currents  from  the 
west  and  south  draw  the  vapors  ''in  a  northwest  direction"? 
Common  philosojihy  would  assign  them,  under  such  circum- 
stances, a  nortlieasterly  direction.  Our  friend  must  he  care- 
ful, or  he  will  make  the  dark  day  to  be  a  greater  phenomenon 
than  we  have  ever  claimed  it  to  be. 

But,  further,  we  would  ask  how,  according  to  the  reply 
above  given,  the  words  of  our  Lord  can  ever  be  fultilled.  He 
says  that  the  sun  shall  he  darkened;  and  he  means  the  literal 
sun,  for  he  speaks  of  men  and  things  on  the  earth  in  contrast 
with  it.  Luke  21:25.  And  he  says  that  when  it  is  thus 
darkened,  it  is  a  sign  of  the  end;  for  when  we  see  these 
things  come  to  pass,  he  tells  us  that  we  are  to  hnoiv  that  he 
is  near,  even  at  the  doors.  But  according  to  the  writer  of 
the  foregoing,  there  never  can  be  any  sign  of  this  nature.  He 
declares  there  never  has  been  in  the  past;  and  suppose  such 
a  phenomenon  should  occur  again,  would  it  be  a  sign  I  —  Not 
in  his  eyes :  for  the  hypothesis  of  vapors,  winds,  natural  laws, 
and  common  occurrences,  would  instantly  fly  to  his  scoffing 
lips.  But  something  of  this  kind  is  to  constitute  a  sign,  for 
the  Lord  himself  has  declared  it;  and  we  would  like  to  ask 
the  objector  how  a  darkening  of  the  sun  should  differ  from  that 
of  1780  to  answer  to  the  prophecy  and  constitute  it  a  sign  ? 

It  is  also  urged  that  there  have  been  many  such  events, 
hence  it  can  be  no  sign ;  and  seven  dark  days  are  mentioned 
by  our  writer  before  1780,  and  three  since,  for  which,  how- 
ever, he  forgot  to  give  his  authority.  But  how  does  it  happen 
that  nobody  has  seemed  to  pay  any  attention  to  these  days,  or 
make  any  account  of  them  ?  and  why  is  it  that  all  fix  upon 
^,Iay  19,  1780,  as  the  only  one  worthy  of  special  note,  giving 
it,  by  way  of  distinction,  the  title,   The  Dark  Day? 

The  answer  is  obvious.      It  occupies  a  pre-eminent  jiosition 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  IJ  - 17  51:] 

in  this  respect.  It  towers  up  far  above  all  others  as  the  one 
most  reniarkaLle  and  noteworthy  for  its  awful  phenomena. 

But  we  are  not  left  to  decide  the  matter  from  this  evidence 
alone;  for  our  Lord  has  not  only  told  us  that  such  an  event 
should  occur  as  a  sign  of  his  coming,  hut  he  has  told  us  also 
when  it  should  occur.  ''  Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of 
those  days,"  says  Matthew.  Mark  is  more  definite,  and  says, 
"In  those  days,  after  that  tribulation,  the  sun  shall  be  dark- 
ened," etc.  Mark  13  :  21-.  The  ''  days  "  are  the  days  of  papal 
supremacy,  the  12G0  years,  from  538  to  1798;  the  tribulation 
is  the  oppression  of  Christians  by  the  Catholic  power  till  re- 
strained l)y  the  work  of  the  Reformation.  The  tribulation 
may  be  said  to  have  ceased  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  The  "  days  "  ended  within  two  years  of  the  close 
of  that  century.  Thus,  by  the  fixed  terms  of  the  prophecy 
we  are  shut  \\])  to  a  period  of  about  fifty  years  in  length,  and 
ending  in  1798,  in  which  to  look  for  that  darkening  of  the 
sun  which  was  to  be  a  sign  of  the  Lord's  soon  coming. 

Again,  the  darkening  of  the  sun  was  to  be  the  second  gTcat 
event  to  take  place  under  the  sixth  seal.  Ilev.  G:12.  The 
first,  and  the  one  which  marked  the  opening  of  that  seal,  Avas 
a  great  earthquake,  shown  to  be,  by  comparison  with  the  pre- 
ceding seals,  the  great  earthquake  of  Lisbon,  l^ox.  1,  1755. 
BetAveen  this  point  and  the  end  of  the  papal  period  in  1798, 
the  sun  was  to  be  darkened  as  a  sign  of  the  end.  Here  we 
are  shut  up  to  a  period  of  time  positively  only  forty-three 
years  in  length,  in  -which  to  look  for  that  darkening  of  the 
sun  which  Avas  the  subject  of  the  prediction.  Xow  it  matters 
not  if  our  opponents  should  claim  seven  thousand  dark  days 
instead  of  seven,  each  as  notable  as  the  one  of  1780,  it  would 
not  affect  the  prediction  or  the  sign  in  the  least  degree.  It 
matters  not  how  many  nor  Avliat  kind  of  dark  days  there  may 
have  l)een  in  other  ages ;  we  look  for  one  which  was  to  take 
place  in  that  brief,  specified  period,  as  the  predicted  sign. 

We  fix  our  eyes  upon  that  time,  and  what  do  we  behold  ? 
We  find  not  only  the  darkening  of  the  sun,  as  foretold,  but  we 
find  a  dark  dav  so  much  more  notable  than  all  otlun-s  that  it 


514  THE  REVELATION 

it  set  foriii  bj  waj  of  2>i"t'-umiiioiicc  as  ■"  ihc  dark  day/'  while 
in  general  history  all  others  are  passed  by  in  silence. 

\"ie\ved  from  one  point,  it  is  very  strange  that  people  can 
overlook  considerations  of  this  nature  vhich  are  so  decisive 
n2)on  this  question ;  from  another,  it  is  not.  What  a  man 
does  n't  Avant  to  see,  he  can  very  easily  keep  from  seeing.  But 
we  apprehend  the  lack  both  of  inclination  and  ability  is  ac- 
counted for  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  when  he  says,  ''  The  wicked 
shall  do  wickedly;  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand." 

Of  the  dark  day,  Webster's  I7nabridged  Dictionary,  edition 
of  1884,  page  1604,  says: — 

"Dark  Day,  The.  May  ID,  1780;  so  called  on  account 
of  a  renuirkable  darkness  on.  that  day,  extending  over  all  ^ew 
England.  In  some  places  persons  could  not  see  to  read  com- 
mon print  in  the  open  air  for  several  hours  together.  Birds 
sang  their  evening  song,  disappeared,  and  became  silent;  fowls 
went  to  roost;  cattle  sought  the  barn-yard;  and  candles  were 
lighted  in  the  houses.  The  obscuration  began  about  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  continued  till  the  middle  of  the  next 
night,  but  with  diiferences  of  degree  and  duration  in  different 
places.  For  several  days  previous,  the  wind  had  been  vari- 
able, but  chiefly  from  the  southwest  and  the  northeast.  The 
true  cause  of  this  remarkable  phenomenon  is  not  known." 

While  the  learned  editor  of  Webster's  Dictionary  testifies 
so  positively  that  "  the  true  cause  of  the  phenomenon  is  not 
l-noivn,"  it  is  remarkable  how  flippantly  numy  smaller  minds 
proceed  to  offer  their  explanations,  and  account  for  it  from 
natural  causes.  Those  who  lived  at  the  time,  and  had  at  least 
as  good  an  opportunity  to  mark  all  its  strange  features  and 
unnatural  manifestations  as  people  of  the  present  time,  were 
filled  with  awe  at  the  occurrence,  and  for  years,  so  long  as 
tliose  who  saw  it  survived,  were  unable  to  explain  it;  but 
their  degenerate  sons,  the  wondrously  Avise  generation  of  the 
present,  living  over  a  hundresl  years  from  the  time  of  its  oc- 
currence, and  having  never  seen  anything  of  the  kind,  as- 
sume to  explain  it  with  all  the  (nise  and  nonchalance  with 
which    tliey  would  tell   us   that   two  and   two  make  four. 

As  the  time  when  we  were  to  look  for  the  beii'innin"'  of  the 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  IJ  - 17  515 

signs  is  su  detinitely  located,  it  is  further  objected  tliat  the 
falling  of  the  stars  in  1833  cannot  be  one  of  the  signs,  be- 
cause, according  to  Mark  13 :  21,  25,  they  also  should  have 
fallen  within  those  days,  or  previous  to  1798,  as  this  event 
is  immediately  connected  by  the  word  and  to  the  signs  in  the 
sun   and  moon. 

We  reply  by  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  there  are 
more  events  than  simply  the  falling  of  the  stars  that  are  linked 
to  the  series  by  the  word  and.  Thus:  "And"  the  stars  of 
heaven  shall  fall,  "  and  "  the  powers  that  are  in  heaven  shall 
be  shaken,  "  and  "  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming, 
"  and  "  then  shall  he  send  his  angels  to  gather  the  elect.  J^ow 
the  language  certainly  is  not  designed  to  convey  the  idea  that 
all  these  things  were  to  take  place  within  those  days ;  for 
in  that  case  we  would  have  the  coming  of  Christ  itself  take 
l)lace  before  the  days  ended.  Verse  20,  stating  the  conclusion 
of  the  argument,  says,  "  So  ye  in  like  manner,  wdien  ye  shall 
see  these  things  come  to  pass,  know  that  it  is  nigh,  even  at  the 
doors."  J\latthew  puts  it  in  still  stronger  language  when  he 
says,  "  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall  see  all  these  things, 
know  that  it  [margin,  he,  Christ]  is  near,  even  at  the  doors." 
But  it  would  be  absurd  to  say  that  we  must  wait  till  the  com- 
ing of  Christ  takes  place  before  Ave  can  know  that  that  event 
is  near,  even  at  the  doors. 

These  facts,  then,  plainly  appear;  namely,  that  a  series  of 
associated  events  is  given  us,  covering  quite  a  period  of  time, 
beginning  at  some  point  in  the  past,  and  reaching  down  to 
and  including  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  The  beginning 
of  the  series  is  placed  at  a  point  before  the  close  of  a  certain 
prophetic  period  designated  as  "  those  days,"  that  is,  the  12 GO 
years  of  papal  oppression  upon  the  church;  but  the  end  of 
the  series  lies  far  outside  of  that  period,  as  already  shown. 
Xow  the  question  to  be  decided  is,  IIow  many  events  of  the 
series  given  us  are  to  be  looked  for  before  the  date  by  which 
"those  days"  are  limited,  that  is,  before  17!>S,  where  Ihe 
1200  days,  or  years,  terminated?  The  oidv  dala  we  li:i\'e  on 
which  to  frame  an  answer  are  the  facts  already  noticed  ;  namely, 


51G  THE  REVELATION 

that  the  events  begin  within  that  period,  but  close  outside  of 
it,  and  no  specified  number  is  given  as  belonging  to  that  period. 

The  conclusion  is  therefore  inevitable  that  if  the  first  one 
of  the  events  designated  conies  to  pass  within  the  specified 
time,  the  prophecy  is  fulfilled,  though  all  the  others  lie  out- 
side of  that  time.  Had  the  sun  alone  been  darkened  before 
1798,  it  would  have  been  suiScient  to  fulfil  the  prophecy. 
The  moon  even  might  have  been  darkened  this  side  of  17D8 
without  vitiating  the  prophecy  in  the  least  degree.  The  sun 
and  moon  were  darkened  together  in  1780,  eighteen  years  be- 
fore the  days  ended;  the  stars  fell  in  1833,  thirty-five  years 
after  the  end  of  the  days.  We  have  now  reached  a  date 
more  than  one  hundred  years  this  side  the  ending  of  the  days, 
and  the  shaking  of  the  powers  of  heaven  will  be  completed 
not  far  hence,  as  other  prophecies  show;  and  in  immediate  con- 
nection with  that,  as  Joel  and  John  plainly  declare,  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord  is  to  take  place. 

If  the  objector  still  insists  that  according  to  our  application 
the  stars  should  have  fallen  before  1798,  because  the  prophecy 
says,  "And  the  stars  of  heaven  shall  fall,"  we  reply  that  then 
all  the  other  events  should  also  have  taken  place  before  1798 ; 
iov  they  are  all  connected  in  the  same  way.  But  this  w^e  have 
shown  to  be  impossible. 

And  the  Heaven  Departed  as  a  Scroll. — -In  this  event  our 
minds  are  turned  to  the  future.  From  looking  at  the  past, 
and  beholding  the  word  of  God  fulfilled,  we  are  now  called 
to  look  at  events  in  the  future,  which  are  no  less  sure  to  come. 
TTere  is  our  position,  unmistakably  defined.  We  stand  between 
the  l.'>th  and  14th  verses  of  this  chapter.  We  wait  for  the 
boavens  to  depart  as  a  scroll  Avhen  it  is  rolled  together.  And 
ibese  are  times  of  unparalleled  solemnity  and  im]X)rtaiice; 
for  we  know  not  how  near  we  may  be  to  the  fulfilment  of 
these  things. 

This  departing  of  the  heavens  is  included  in  what  the  evan- 
gelists call,  in  the  same  series  of  events,  the  shaking  of  the 
powers  of  the  heavens.  Other  scriptures  give  us  furtlier  par- 
ticulars concerning  this  prediction.       From  Ileb.   12:25-27; 


CHAPTER  a,  VERSES  12-11  517 

Joel  o:  1();  Jer.  25:30-33;  Kev.  IG  :  IT,  we  learn  that  it  is 
the  voice  of  God,  as  he  speaks  in  terrible  majesty  from  his 
throne  in  heaven,  that  causes  this  fearful  commotion  in  earth 
and  sky.  Once  the  Lord  spoke,  when  with  an  audible  voice 
he  declared  to  his  creatures  the  precepts  of  his  eternal  law, 
and  the  earth  shook.  He  is  to  speak  again,  and  not  only  the 
earth  will  shake,  but  the  heavens  also.  Then  will  the  earth 
"reel  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard;"  it  will  be  "dissolved" 
and  "  utterly  broken  down  "  (Isaiah  24)  ;  mountains  will  move 
from  their  firm  bases;  islands  will  suddenly  change  their  lo- 
cation in  the  midst  of  the  sea ;  from  the  level  plain  will  arise 
the  precipitous  mountain;  rocks  will  thrust  up  their  ragged 
forms  f rojn  earth's  broken  surface ;  and  while  the  voice  of  God 
is  reverberating  through  the  earth,  the  direst  confusion  will 
reign  over  tlje  face  of  nature. 

To  show  that  this  is  no  mere  conception  of  the  imagina- 
tion, the  reader  is  requested  to  mark  the  exact  phraseology 
which  some  of  the  prophets  have  used  in  reference  to  this  time. 
Isaiah  (21:  19,  20)  says:  "  The  earth  is  utterly  broken  down, 
the  earth  is  clean  dissolved,  the  earth  is  moved  exceedingly. 
The  earth  shall  reel  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard,  and  shall  be 
removed  like  a  cottage;  and  the  transgression  thereof  shall  be 
heavy  iipon  it;  and  it  shall  fall,  and  not  rise  again."  Jere- 
miah (4:23-27)  in  thrilling  language  describes  the  scene  as 
follows:  "I  beheld  the  earth,  and,  lo,  it  was  without  form, 
and  void;  and  the  heavens,  and  they  had  no  light.  T  beheld 
the  mountains,  and,  lo,  they  trembled,  and  all  the  hills  moved 
lightly.  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  there  was  no  man,  and  all  the 
birds  of  the  heavens  were  fled.  .  .  .  For  thus  hath  the  Lord 
said,  The  whole  land  shall  be  desolate."  (See  also  the 
scriptures  referred  to  above.) 

Then  will  the  world's  dream  of  carnal  security  be  effect- 
uallv  broken.  Kings,  who,  intoxicated  with  their  own  earthly 
authority,  have  never  dreamed  of  a  higher  power  than  them- 
selves, now  realize  that  there  is  One  who  reigns  King  of  kings; 
and  the  great  men  behold  the  vanity  of  all  earthly  pomp,  for 
there  is  a  greatness  above  that  of  earth;  and  the  rich  men 
throw  their  silver  and  gold  to  the  moles  and  bats,  for  it  cannot 


518  THE  REVELATION 

save  tliein  in  that  day ;  and  the  chief  captains  forget  their  little 
brief  authority,  and  the  mighty  men  their  might ;  and  every 
bondman  who  is  in  the  still  worse  bondage  of  sin,  antl  every 
freeman, —  all  classes  of  the  wicked,  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest, — ■  join  in  the  general  wail  of  consternation  and  de- 
spair. They  who  never  jjrayed  to  Him  whose  arm  could 
bring  sah'ation,  now  raise  an  agonizing  prayer  to  rocks  and 
mountains  to  bury  them  forever  from  the  sight  of  Him  whoso 
presence  brings  to  them  destruction.  Fain  would  they  now 
avoid  reaping  what  they  have  sown  by  a  life  of  lust  and  sin. 
Fain  woukl  they  no^\'  shun  the  fearful  treasure  of  wrath  which 
they  luive  been  heaping  up  for  themselves  against  this  day. 
Fain  would  they  bury  themselves  and  their  catalogue  of  crimes 
in  everlasting  darkness.  And  so  they  fly  to  the  rocks,  caves, 
caverns,  and  fissures,  which  the  broken  surface  of  the  earth 
now  presents  before  them.  But  it  is  too  late.  They  cannot 
conceal  their  guilt,  nor  escape  the  long-delayed  vengeance. 

"  It  will  te  in  vain  to  call. 
Rocks   and  mountains  on  us  fall ; 
For  His  hand  will  find  out  all, 
In   that   day." 

The  day  which  they  thought  never  would  come,  has  at  last 
taken  them  as  in  a  snare ;  and  the  involuntary  language  of  their 
anguished  hearts  is,  "  The  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  and 
who  shall  be  able  to  stand  ?  "  Before  it  is  called  out  by  the 
fearful  scenes  of  this  time,  we  pray  you,  reader,  give  your 
most   serious   and  candid   attention   to   this   subject. 

]\Iany  now  affect  to  desj^ise  the  institution  of  prayer;  but 
at  one  time  or  another  all  men  will  pray.  Those  who  will  not 
now  pray  to  God  in  penitence,  Avill  thou  pray  to  the  rocks  and 
mountains  in  despair;  and  this  will  be  the  largest  ]n-ayer-meet- 
ing  ever  held.  As  you  read  these  lines,  think  whether  you 
Avould  like  to  have  a  part  therein: — 

Ah!  better  fat- 
To  cease  the  xuiequal  war, 
While  pardon,  hope,  and  ])cace  may  yet  he  found; 

Nor  lonjior  rush  \\\wn  the  embossed  shield 

Of  the  Almighty,  hut  repentant  yield. 


CHAPTER  6,  VERSES  12-17  519 

And  all  your  weapons  of  rebellion  ground. 
Better  pray  now  in  love,  than  pray  ere  long  in  fear. 
Call  ye  upon  him,  while  he  waits  to  hear; 
So  in  the  coming  end, 

When  down  the  parted  sky 
The  angelic  hosts  attend 

The  Lord  of  heaven,  most  high. 
Before  whose  face  the  solid  earth  is  rent, 
You  may  behold  in  him  a  friend  omnipotent, 
And  safely  rest  beneath  his  sheltering  wings, 
Amid  the  ruin  of  all  earthly  things. 


33 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Verse  1.  And  after  these  things  I  saw  four  angels  standing  on  the 
four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding  the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  that 
the  wind  should  not  blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea,  nor  on  any  tree. 
2.  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascending  from  the  east,  having  the  seal 
of  the  living  God :  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice  to  the  four  angels, 
to  whom  it  was  given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the  sea,  3.  Saying,  Hurt 
not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the 
servants  of  our  God  in  their  foreheads. 

THE  chronology  of  the  work  here  introduced  is  established 
beyond  mistake.      The  sixth  chapter  closed  Avith  the  events 

of  the  sixth  seal,  and  the  seventh  seal  is  not  mentioned 
until  we  reach  the  opening  of  chapter  8.  The  whole  of  chap- 
ter 7  is  therefore  thrown  in  here  parenthetically.  Vliy  is  it 
thus  thrown  in  at  this  point  ?  —  Evidently  for  the  purpose  of 
stating  additional  particulars  concerning  the  sixth  seal.  The 
expression,  "  after  these  things,"  does  not  mean  after  the  ful- 
filment of  all  the  events  previously  described;  but  after  the 
prophet  had  been  carried  down  in  vision  to  the  close  of  the 
sixth  seal,  in  order  not  to  break  the  consecutive  order  of  events 
as  given  in  chapter  G,  his  mind  is  called  to  what  is  mentioned 
in  chapter  7,  as  further  ])articulars  to  transpire  in  connection 
Avith  that  seal.  Tlicn  we  in(|uire,  between  what  events  in  that 
seal  does  this  work  come  in  ?  It  must  transpire  before  the 
departing  of  the  heavens  as  a  scroll ;  for  after  that  event  there 
is  no  place  for  such  a  Avork  as  this.  And  it  must  take  place 
subsequently   to  the   signs   in   the   sun,   moon,   and  stars;    for 

(520)* 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  1-3  521 

these  signs  have  been  fulfilled,  and  such  a  work  has  not  yet 
been  accomplished.  It  comes  in,  therefore,  between  the  13th 
and  14th  verses  of  Ilevelation  G ;  but  there,  as  already  shown, 
is  just  where  we  now  stand.  Hence  the  first  part  of  Reve- 
lation 7  relates  to  a  work  the  accomplishment  of  which  may 
be  looked  for  at  the  present  time. 

Four  Angels. — Angels  are  ever-present  agents  in  the  affairs 
of  the  earth ;  and  why  may  not  these  be  four  of  those  heavenly 
beings  into  whose  hands  God  has  committed  the  work  here 
described ;  namely,  holding  the  Avinds  while  it  is  God's  pur- 
pose that  they  should  not  blow,  and  hurting  the  earth  with 
them  when  the  time  comes  that  they  should  be  loosed?  For 
it  will  be  noticed  (verse  3)  that  the  "hurting"  is  a  work 
committed  to  their  hands  equally  with  the  "  holding;  "  so  that 
they  do  not  merely  let  the  winds  go  when  they  are  to  blo\v, 
but  they  cause  them  to  blow;  they  impel  forward  the  work 
of  destruction  with  their  own  supernatural  energy.  But  the 
hurting  i^rocess  here  brought  to  view  does  not  include  the 
seven  last  plagues.  That  work  is  given  into  the  hands  of 
seven  special  angels;  this,  into  the  hands  of  four.  Or,  it 
may  be  that  when  the  time  comes  for  the  pouring  out  of  the 
plagues,  the  seven  angels  who  have  specific  charge  of  these 
judgments,  unite  with  the  four  whose  mission  it  is  to  cause 
the  winds  to  blow,  and  all  together  bring  on  that  pre-eminent 
exliibition  of  divine  vengeance  against  a  generation  which  is 
pre-eminent   in  guilt. 

Foui'  Corners  of  the  Earth. —  An  expression  denoting  the 
f(jur  quarters,  or  the  four  j^oints  of  the  compass,  and  signi- 
fying that  these  angels,  in  their  particular  sphere,  had  charge 
of  the  whole  earth. 

The  Four  ]Yinds. —  "Winds,  in  the  Bible,  symbolize  political 
commotion,  strife,  and  way.  Dan.  7:2;  Jer.  25:32.  The 
four  winds,  held  by  four  angels  standing  in  the  four  quarters 
of  the  earth,  must  denote  all  the  elements  of  strife  and  commo- 
tion that  exist  in  the  world;  and  when  they  are  all  loosed,  and 
all  blow  together,  it  will  constitute  the  great  whirhvind  just 
referred   to   in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah. 


522  THE  REVELATION 

The  Angel  Ascending  from  the  East. — Another  literal 
angel,  having  charge  of  another  specific  ^vork,  is  here  intro- 
duced. Instead  of  the  Avords  '"  ascending  from  the  cast," 
some  translations  read,  "  Ascending  from  the  sun  rising," 
which  is  a  more  literal  translation.  The  expression  evidently 
refers  to  manner  rather  than  locality ;  for  as  the  sun  arises 
with  rays  at  first  oblique  and  comparatively  powerless,  hut 
increases  in  strength  until  it  shines  in  all  its  meridian  power 
and  splendor,  so  the  work  of  this  angel  commences  in  weak- 
-ness,  moves  onward  with  ever-accumulating  influence,  and 
closes  in  strength   and  power. 

The  Seal  of  the  Living  God. — -  This  is  the  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  ascending  angel;  he  bears  with  him  the 
seal  of  the  living  God.  From  this  fact,  and  the  chronology  of 
his  work,  we  are  to  determine,  if  possible,  what  movement  is 
symbolized  by  his  mission.  The  nature  of  his  work  is  evi- 
dently embraced  in  his  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God ; 
and  to  ascertain  what  his  work  is,  the  inquiry  must  be  an- 
swered what  this  seal  of  the  living  God  is,  which  he  bears 
with  him. 

1.  The  Term  Seal  Defined. — A  seal  is  defined  to  be  an 
instrument  of  sealing;  that  which  "  is  used  by  individuals,  cor- 
porate bodies,  and  states,  for  making  impressions  on  wax,  upon 
instruments  of  Avriting,  as  an  evidence  of  their  authenticity." 
The  original  word  in  this  passage  is  defined,  '^A  seal,  i.  e.,  a 
signet  ring;  a  mark,  stamp,  badge;  a  token,  a  pledge."  Among 
the  significations  of  the  verb  are  the  following:  "  To  secure  to 
any  one,  to  make  sure ;  to  set  a  seal  or  mark  u])()n  anything 
in  token  of  its  being  genuine  or  approved ;  to  attest,  to  con- 
firm, to  establish,  to  distinguish  by  a  mark."  By  a  compari- 
son of  Gen.  17:  11  with  Rom.  4:  11,  and  Rev.  7:3  with  Eze. 
9 :  4,  in  connection  with  the  above  definition,  the  reader  will 
see  that  the  words  token,  sign,  seal,  and  marl,-  are  used  in  the 
Bible  as  synonymous  terms.  The  seal  of  God,  as  brought  to 
view  in  our  text,  is  to  l)e  applied  to  the  servants  of  God.  We 
are  not,  of  course,  to  suppose  that  in  this  case  it  is  some  literal 
mark  to  be  made  in  the  flesh,  but  that  it  is  some  institution 
or  observance  having  special  reference  to  God,  which  will  serve 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  1-S  523 

as  ci  "  mark  of  distiiictiuu  "'  between  the  wursliipers  of  God 
and  those  ^vho  are  not  in  truth  his  servants,  though  they  may 
profess  to  follow  him. 

2.  The  Use  of  a  Seal. — A  seal  is  used  to  render  valid  or 
authentic  any  enactments,  or  laws,  which  a  person  or  power 
may  promulgate.  Frequent  instances  of  its  use  occur  in  the 
Scriptures.  In  1  Kings  21:8,  we  read  that  Jezebel  "wrote 
letters  in  Aliab's  name,  and  sealed  them  with  his  seal."  These 
letters  then  had  all  th^  authority  of  King  Ahab.  Again,  in 
Esther  3:12:  "  In  the  name  of  King  Ahasuerus  was  it  writ- 
ten, and  sealed  with  the  king's  ring."  So  also  in  chapter  8:8: 
"  The  writing  which  is  written  in  the  king's  name,  and  sealed 
with  the  king's  ring,  may  no  man  reverse." 

3.  ^y]lere  a  Seal  is  Used. — Always  in  connection  with  some 
law  or  enactment  that  demands  obedience,  or  upon  documents 
that  are  to  be  made  legal,  or  subject  to  the  provisions  of  law. 
The  idea  of  law  is  inseparable  from  a  seal. 

4.  As  Applied  to  God. —  We  are  not  to  suppose  that  to 
the  enactments  and  laws  of  God  binding  upon  men,  there  must 
be  attached  a  literal  seal,  made  with  literal  instruments ;  but 
from  the  definition  of  the  term,  and  the  purpose  for  which  a 
seal  is  used,  as  shown  above,  we  must  understand  a  seal  to  be 
strictly  that  which  gives  validity  and  authenticity  to  enactments 
and  laws.  This  is  found,  though  a  literal  seal  may  not  be 
used,  in  the  name  or  signature  of  the  law-making  power,  ex- 
pressed in  such  terms  as  to  show  what  the  power  is,  and  its 
right  to  make  laws  and  demand  obedience.  Even  with  a  lit- 
eral seal,  the  name  must  always  he  used.  (See  the  references 
above  given.)  An  instance  of  the  use  of  the  name  alone 
seems  to  occur  in  Dan.  6:8:  "  N^ow,  O  king,  establish  the 
decree,  and  sign  the  writing,  that  it  be  not  changed,  accord- 
ing to  the  law  of  the  ]\redes  and  Persians,  which  altereth  not;  " 
that  is,  affix  the  signature  of  royalty,  showing  who  it  is  that 
demands  obedience,  and  his  right  to  demand  it. 

In  a  gospel  prophecy  found  in  Isaiah  8,  we  read :  "  Bind 
up  the  testimony,  seal  the  law  among  my  disciples."  This 
must  refer  to  a  work  of  reviving  in  the  minds  of  the  disciples 
some   of   the   claims   of   the   law   which   had   been    overlooked, 


5-24:  THJ^  BEY  ELATION 

or  perverted  from  their  true  meaning.  And  this,  in  the  proph- 
ecy, is  called  sealing  the  law,  or  restoring  to  it  its  seal,  which 
had  been  taken   from  it. 

Again,  the  144,000,  who  in  the  chapter  before  ns  are  said 
to  be  sealed  with  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  are  again 
brought  to  view  in  Rev.  14 :  1,  where  they  are  said  to  have 
the  Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads. 

From  the  foregoing  reasoning,  facts,  and  declarations  of 
Scripture,  two  conclusions  inevitably  follow: — 

1.  The  seal  of  God  is  found  in  connection  with  the  law 
of   God. 

2.  The  seal  of  God  is  that  part  of  his  law  which  contains 
liis  name,  or  descriptive  title,  showing  who  he  is,  the  extent 
of  his  dominion,  and  his  right  to  rule. 

The  law  of  God  is  admitted  b}^  all  the  leading  evangelical 
denominations  to  be  summarily  contained  in  the  decalogue,  or 
ten  commandments.  We  have,  then,  but  to  examine  these 
commandments  to  see  which  one  it  is  that  constitutes  the  seal 
of  the  law,  or,  in  other  words,  makes  known  the  true  God, 
the  law-making  power.  The  first  three  commandments  men- 
tion the  word  God;  but  we  cannot  tell  from  these  who  is 
meant,  for  there  are  multitudes  of  objects  to  which  this  name 
is  applied.  There  are  "  gods  many  and  lords  many,"  as  the 
apostle  says.  1  Cor.  8 :  5.  Passing  over  the  fourth  com- 
mandment for  the  time  being,  the  fifth  contains  the  words 
Lord  and  Ood,  but  does  not  define  them ;  and  the  remaining 
five  precepts  do  not  contain  the  name  of  God  at  all.  Xow 
what  shall  be  done  ?  With  that  portion  of  the  law  which 
we  have  examined,  it  would  be  impossible  to  convict  tlie  gross- 
est idolater  of  sin.  The  worshiper  of  images  could  say,  This 
idol  before  me  is  my  god  ;  his  name  is  god,  and  these  are  his 
precepts.  The  worshiper  of  the  heavenly  bodies  could  also 
say.  The  sun  is  my  god,  and  I  worship  him  according  to  this 
law.  Thus,  without  the  fourth  commandment,  the  decalogue 
is  null  and  void,  so  far  as  it  pertains  to  enforcing  the  worshi]) 
of  the  true  God.  But  let  us  now  add  the  fourth  command- 
ment, restore  to  the  law  this  precept,  which  many  are  ready 
to  contend  has  been  expimged,  and  see  how  the  case  will  then 


CUAl'TKIl  7,  VKUSKS  1-3  525 

stand.  As  we  exaniino  this  coinniaiKluicut,  Avliich  contains  the 
dochiration,  "  For  in  six  days  the  J.ord  made  heaven  and  earth, 
the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,"  etc.,  we  see  at  once  that  we 
are  reading  the  reciuirements  of  Him  who  created  all  things. 
The  snn,  then,  is  not  the  God  of  the  decalogue ;  the  true  God 
is  he  who  made  the  snn.  Xo  object  in  heaven  or  earth  is 
the  being  Avho  here  demands  obedience ;  for  the  God  of  this 
law  is  the  one  who  made  all  created,  things.  Xow  we  have 
a  Aveapon  against  idolatry.  Xow  this  law  can  no  longer  be 
applied  to  false  gods,  who  "  have  not  made  the  heavens  and 
the  earth."  Jer,  10:11.  Xow  the  author  of  this  law  has 
declared  who  he  is,  the  extent  of  his  dominion,  and  his  right 
to  rule ;  for  every  created  intelligence  must  at  once  assent  that 
He  who  is  the  Creator  of  all,  has  a  right  to  demand  obedi- 
ence from  all  his  creatures.  Thus  with  the  fonrth  command- 
ment in  its  place,  this  wonderful  document,  the  decalogue,  the 
only  document  among  men  which  God  ever  wrote  with  his  own 
finger,  has  a  signature;  it  has  that  which  renders  it  intelligible 
and  authentic;  it  has  a  seal.  But  without  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, it  lacks  all  these  things. 

From  the  foregoing  reasoning,  it  is  evident  that  the  fourth 
commandment  constitutes  the  seal  of  the  law  of  God,  or  the 
seal  of  God.  But  the  Scriptures  do  not  leave  us  without  di- 
rect testimony  on  this  point. 

We  have  seen  above  that  in  Scripture  usage,  sign,  seal, 
token,  and  mark  are  synonymous  terms.  Xow,  the  Lord  ex- 
pressly says  that  the  Sabbath  is  a  sign  between  him  and  his 
people.  "  Verily  my  Sabbaths  ye  shall  keep ;  for  it  is  a  sign 
betM'cen  me  and  you  throughout  your  generations ;  tJiat  ye  may 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord  that  doth  sanctify  you."  Ex.  31 :  13. 
The  same  fact  is  again  stated  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  chapter 
20:  12,  20.  Here  the  Lord  told  his  people  that  the  very  object 
of  their  keeping  the  Sabbath,  that  is,  observing  the  fourth 
commandment,  was  that  they  might  know  that  he  was  the  true 
God.  This  is  the  same  as  if  the  Lord  had  said,  "  The  Sab- 
bath is  a  seal.  On  my  part  it  is  the  seal  of  my  authority, 
the  sign  that  I  have  the  right  to  command  obedience ;  on  your 
part  it  is   a  token   that  you  take  me   to  be  your  God." 


526  THE  REVELATION 

Should  it  be  said  that  this  principle  can  have  no  applica- 
tian  to  Christians  at  the  j^resent  time,  as  the  Sabbath  was  a 
sign  between  God  and  the  Jews  only,  it  would  be  sufficient  to 
rej^ly  that  the  terms  Jew  and  Israel,  in  a  true  Scriptural 
sense,  are  not  confined  to  the  literal  seed  of  Abraham.  Abra- 
ham was  chosen  at  first  Ijecause  he  was  the  friend  of  God 
while  his  fathers  wore  idolaters ;  and  liis  seed  were  chosen  to 
be  God's  people,  the  guardians  of  his  law  and  the  depositaries 
of  his  truth,  because  all  others  had  apostatized  from  him;  and 
it  is  true  that  these  words  respecting  the  Sabbath  were  spoken 
to  them  while  they  enjo^'ed  the  honor  of  being  thus  set  apart 
from  all  others.  But  when  the  middle  wall  of  jDartition  Avas 
broken  down,  and  the  Gentiles  were  called  in  to  be  partakers 
of  the  blessings  of  Abraham,  all  God's  people,  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  were  brought  into  a  new  and  more  intimate  relation 
to  God  through  his  Son,  and  they  are  now  called  ''  Jews  in- 
wardly "  and  "'  Israelites  indeed."  And  now  the  declaration 
applies  to  all  such;  for  they  have  as  much  occasion  to  know 
the  Lord  as  had  his  people  of  old. 

Thus  the  fourth  commandment,  or  the  Sabbath,  is  taken 
by  the  Lord  as  a  sign  between  him  and  his  people,  or  the  seal 
of  his  law  in  both  dispensations ;  the  people  by  that  command- 
ment sigTiifying  that  they  are  the  worshipers  of  the  true  God, 
and  God,  by  the  same  commandment,  making  himself  known 
as  their  rightful  ruler,   inasmuch  as  he   is  their  Creator. 

In  harmony  with  this  idea,  the  sig-nificant  fact  is  to  be 
noticed  that  whenever  the  sacred  writers  wish  to  point  out  the 
true  God  in  distinction  from  false  gods  of  every  description, 
an  appeal  is  made  to  the  great  facts  of  creation,  upon  which 
the  fourth  commandment  is  based.  (See  2  Kings  19:15; 
2  Chron.  2:12;  Xeh.  9  :  G  ;  Ps.  115 :  4  -  7,  15  ;  121:2;  124 : 
8;  134:3;  140:6;  Isa.  37:16;  42:5;  44:24;  45:12;  Job 
9:8;  Isa.  51:13;  Jer.  10:10-12;  Ps.  9(;:5;  Jer.  32:17; 
51:15;  Acts  4:24;  14:15;   17:23,  24,  etc.) 

AVe  refer  again  to  the  fact  that  the  same  company  who  in 
Revelation  7  have  the  seal  of  the  living  God  in  their  foreheads, 
are  brought  to  view  again  in  Eev.  14:1,  having  the  Father's 
name  in  their  foreheads.      This  is  good  proof  that  the  "  seal  of 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  1-3  527 

the  living  God  "  and  the  "  Father's  name  "  are  used  synony- 
mously. The  chain  of  evidence  on  this  point  is  rendered  com- 
jDlete,  when  it  is  ascertained  that  the  fourth  commandment, 
which  has  heen  shown  to  be  the  seal  of  the  law,  is  spoken  of 
hy  the  Lord  as  that  which  contains  his  name.  The  proof  of 
this  will  be  seen  hy  referring'  to  Deut.  IG :  G  :  "  But  at  the 
place  which  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  choose  to  place  his  7}ame 
in,  there  shalt  thou  sacrifice  the  passover,''  etc.  What  was 
there  where  they  sacrificed  the  passover  ( —  There  was  the 
sanctuary,  having  in  its  holiest  apartment  the  ark  with  the  ten 
commandments,  the  fourth  of  which  declared  the  true  God, 
and  contained  his  name.  AVherever  this  fourth  command- 
ment was,  there  God's  name  was  placed ;  and  this  was  the 
only  object  to  which  the  language  could  be  applied.  (See 
Deut.  12:5,  11,  21;  14:23,  24,  etc. 

Having  now  ascertained  that  the  seal  of  God  is  his  holy 
Sabbath,  having  his  name,  we  are  prepared  to  proceed  with 
the  application,  l^y  the  scenes  introduced  in  the  verses  before 
us,  namely,  the  four  winds  apparently  about  to  blow,  bring- 
ing ^var  and  trouble  upon  the  land,  and  this  work  restrained 
till  the  servants  of  God  should  be  sealed,  as  though  a  prepara- 
tory work  must  be  done  for  them  to  save  them  from  this  trouble, 
we  are  reminded  of  the  houses  of  the  Israelites  marked  with 
the  blood  of  the  paschal  land),  and  spared  as  the  destroying 
angel  passed  over  to  slay  the  first-born  of  the  Egyptians  (Exo- 
dus 12)  ;  also  of  the  mark  nuide  ])v  the  man  with  a  writer's 
ink-horn  ( Ezekiel  !) )  ui)on  all  those  who  were  to  be  spared  by 
the  men  with  the  slaughtering  w^eapons  who  followed  after; 
and  we  conclude  that  the  seal  of  God,  here  placed  upon  his 
servants,  is  some  distinguishing  mark,  or  religious  character- 
istic, through  which  ihey  will  be  exempted  from  the  judgments 
of  God  that  fall  on  the  wicked   around  them. 

As  we  have  found  the  seal  of  God  in  the  fourth  command- 
ment, the  inquiry  follows,  Does  the  observance  of  that  com- 
mandment involve  any  peculiarity  in  religious  practice  ?  —  Yes, 
a  very  marked  and  striking  one.  It  is  one  of  the  most  singular 
facts  to  be  met  with  in  religious  history  that,  in  an  age  of  such 
boasted  gospel  light  as  the  present,  when  the  influence  of  Chris- 


528  THE  REVELATION 

tianitj  is  so  powerful  and  wide-sproad,  one  of  the  most  striking 
peculiarities  in  practice  which  a  person  can  adopt,  and  one 
of  the  greatest  crosses  he  can  take  up,  even  in  the  most  en- 
lightened and  Christian  lands,  is  the  simple  observance  of  the 
law  of  God.  For  the  fourth  commandment  requires  the  ob- 
servance of  the  seventh  day  of  each  week  as  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord;  but  almost  all  Christendom,  through  the  combined  influ- 
ences of  paganism  and  the  papacy,  have  been  beguiled  into 
the  keeping  of  the  first  day.  A  person  has  but  to  commence 
the  observance  of  the  (hiy  enjoined  in  the  commandment,  and 
a  mark  of  peculiarity  is  u])()n  him  at  once.  lie  is  distinct 
alike  from  the  i^rofessedly  religious  world  and  the  unconverted 
world. 

\\q  conclude,  then,  that  the  angel  ascending  from  the  east, 
having  the  seal  of  the  living  God,  is  a  divine  messenger  in 
charge  of  a  work  of  reform  to  be  carried  on  among  men  in 
reference  to  the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment.  The 
agents  of  this  work  on  the  earth  are  of  course  ministers  of 
Christ ;  for  to  men  is  given  the  commission  of  instructing  their 
fellow  men  in  I>ible  truth;  b\;t  as  there  is  order  in  the  execu- 
tion of  all  the  divine  counsels,  it  seems  not  improbable  that  a 
literal  angel  may  have  the  charge  and  oversight  of  this  work. 

We  have  already  noticed  the  chronology  of  this  work  as 
locating  it  in  our  own  time.  This  is  further  evident  from  the 
fact  that,  as  the  next  event  after  the  sealing  of  these  servants 
of  God,  we  behold  them  before  the  throne,  with  palms  of  vic- 
tory in  their  hands.  The  sealing  is  therefore  the  last  work 
to  be  accomplished  for  them  prior  to  their  redemption. 

In  Revelation  14  we  find  the  same  work  again  brought  to 
view  under  the  symbol  of  an  angel  flying  in  the  midst  of 
heaven  with  the  most  terrific  warning  that  ever  fell  upon  the 
ears  of  men.  \\q  shall  speak  of  this  more  fully  when  we 
reach  that  chapter.  We  refer  to  it  now,  as  it  is  the  last  work 
to  be  accomplished  for  the  world  before  the  coming  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  next  event  in  order  in  that  prophecy,  and  hence 
must  synchronize  with  the  work  here  brought  to  view  in  Rev. 
7:1-3.  The  angel  with  the  seal  of  the  living  God,  mentioned 
in  chapter  7,  is  therefore  the  same  as  the  third  angel  of  chapter 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  1-3  529 

1-4.  And  this  view  strengthens  the  foregoing  exposition  of  the 
seah  For  "while,  as  the  resnlt  of  the  work  in  chapter  7,  a 
certain  company  are  sealed  with  the  seal  of  the  living  God, 
as  the  result  of  the  third  message  of  chapter  l-i  a  company 
are  brought  out  rendering  Scriptural  obedience  to  all  the  '"  com- 
mandments of  God."  Yerse  12.  ■  But,  excepting  the  fourth, 
there  is  no  commandment  of  the  decalogue  upon  which  the 
Christian  world  theoretically  needs  reforming;  and  that  this 
is  the  representative  question  in  this  message  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  the  keeping  of  the  commandments,  observing,  with 
all  the  other  moral  precepts,  the  Lord's  Sabbath,  is  what  dis- 
tinguishes the  servants  of  God  from  those  who  worship  the 
beast  and  receive  his  mark,  which  is,  as  will  be  hereafter  shown, 
the  observance  of  a  counterfeit  sabbath. 

Having  thus  brieily  noticed  the  main  points  of  the  subject, 
we  now  come  to  the  most  striking  feature  of  all.  In  exact 
accordance  with  the  foregoing  chronological  argument,  we  lind 
this  work  already  in  process  of  fulfilment  before  our  eyes.  The 
third  angel's  message  is  going  forth;  the  angel  ascending  from 
the  east  is  on  his  mission ;  the  reform  on  the  Sabbath  question 
has  commenced;  it  is  surely,  though  yet  in  comparative  silence, 
working  its  way  through  the  land;  it  is  d-estined  to  agitate 
every  country  entitled  to  the  light  of  the  gospel;  and  it  will 
result  in  bringing  out  a  people  prepared  for  the  soon  coming  of 
the   Saviour,   and   sealed  for  his   everlasting  kingdom. 

With  one  more  question  we  leave  these  verses,  upon  which 
Ave  have  so  lengthily  dwelt.  Have  we  seen  among  the  nations 
any  movements  which  would  indicate  that  the.  cry  of  the  as- 
cending angel,  "  Hurt  not,"  etc.,  by  the  blowing  of  the  winds, 
"  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God,"  has  in  any 
manner  been  answered  ?  The  time  during  which  the  winds 
are  held  could  not,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  be  a  time  of 
profound  peace.  This  would  not  answer  to  the  prophecy. 
For  in  order  to  make  it  manifest  that  the  winds  are  being- 
held,  there  must  be  disturbance,  agitation,  anger,  and  jeal- 
ousy among  the  nations,  with  an  occasional  outburst  of  strife, 
like  a  fitful  gust  breaking  away  from  the  imprisoned  and 
struggling  tempest ;  and  these  outbursts  must  be  suddenly  and 


5;jO  THE  UEVELATWX 

unexpectedly  checked.  Then,  bnt  not  otherwise,  would  it  be 
evident  to  him  who  looked  at  events  in  tlie  light  of  prophecy, 
that  for  some  good  2:)urpose  the  restraining  hand  of  Omnipo- 
tence was  laid  upon  the  surging  elements  of  strife  and  war. 
And  such  has  been  the  aspect  of  our  times  for  nearly  half  a 
century.  Conunencing  with  the  great  revolution  of  18-iS, 
when  so  many  European  thrones  toppled  into  the  dust,  what 
a  state  of  anger  and  political  unrest  has  existed  among  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth !  Xew  and  unlooked-for  complications 
have  suddenly  sprung  u}),  throwing  nnitters  into  apparently  in- 
extricable confusion,  and  threatening  innnediate  and  direful 
war.  And  now  and  then  the  conflict  has  burst  forth  in  fury, 
and  a  thousand  voices  have  been  raised  to  jiredict  that  the 
great  crisis  had  come,  that  universal  war  must  result,  and  the 
termination  no  man  could  foretell,  when  suddenly  and  unac- 
countably it  has  been  extinguished,  and  all  subsided  into  quiet 
again. 

In  our  own  land  the  terrible  civil  war  of  1861  to  1865  is 
a  notable  instance.  I\y  the  spring  of  the  latter  year,  so  great 
had  become  the  pressure  upon  the  nation  for  men  and  means 
to  continue  the  war  that  it  began  seriously  to  im})ede  the  prog- 
ress of  the  Avork  symbolized  by  the  ascending  angel,  even  threat- 
ening to  arrest  it  entirely.  Those  interested  in  these  truths, 
believing  that  the  time  had  come  for  the  application  of  tlie 
prophecy,  and  that  the  words  of  the  angel,  "  Hurt  not,"  etc., 
indicated  a  movement  on  the  part  of  the  church,  accordingly 
raised  their  petitions  to  the  Ruler  of  nations  to  restrain  the 
cruel  work  of  tumult  and  war.  Days  of  fasting  and  prayer 
Avere  set  apart  for  this  purpose.  The  time  at  which  this  oc- 
curred was  a  dark  and  gloomy  period  of  the  war;  and  not  a 
few  high  in  political  life  predicted  its  indefinite  continmnice, 
and  an  appalling  intensity  of  all  its  evils.  Ihit  suddenly  a 
change  came;  and  not  three  months  had  elapsed  from  the  time 
of  which  we  speak,  ere  the  last  army  of  the  Southern  Con- 
federacy had  surrendered,  and  all  its  soldiers  had  laid  down 
their  arms.  So  sudden  and  entire  was  the  colla]ise,  and  so 
grateful  Avere  all  hearts  for  relief  from  the  i)ressure  of  the 
terrible  strife,  that  the  nati(m  broke  forth  into  a  song  of  jubi- 


CHAPTER  1,  VERSES  1-8  531 

lee,  and  these  words  were  conspicuously  displayed  at  the  na- 
tional cajoital:  ''This  is  tJie  Lord's  doing;  it  is  marvelous  in 
our  eyes."  There  are  those  who  believe  there  was  a  definite 
cause  for  this  sudden  cessation  of  the  strife,  of  which,  of 
course,  the  world  is  hut  little  aware.  The  sudden  conclusion 
of  the  Franco-German  war  of  1870,  of  the  war  between  Turkey 
and  Russia  in  1877  -  78,  the  Spanish- American  war  in  1896, 
and  the  recent  war  between  Russia  and  Japan,  may  be  cited 
as  still  later  examples. 

Verse  4.  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them  which  were  sealed: 
and  there  were  sealed  an  hmidred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  of  all 
the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel.  5.  Of  the  tribe  of  Juda  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Gad  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  6.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Aser  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Nep- 
thalim  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Manasses  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand.  7.  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Levi  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Issachar  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  8.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Zabulon  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Joseph 
were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand. 

The  number  sealed  is  here  stated  to  be  one  hundred  and 
forty-four  thousand ;  and  from  the  fact  that  twelve  thousand 
are  sealed  from  each  of  the  twelve  tribes,  many  suppose  that 
this  work  must  have  been  accomplished  as  far  back  at  least 
as  about  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  when  these  tribes 
were  literally  in  existence.  They  do  not  see  how  it  can  apply 
to  our  own  time,  when  every  trace  of  distinction  between  these 
tribes  has  been  so  long  and  so  completely  obliterated.  We 
refer  such  persons  to  the  opening  language  of  the  Epistle  of 
James :  "  James,  a  servant  of  God  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  the  twelve  tribes  which  are  scattered  abroad,  greet- 
ing. My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  Avhen  ye  fall  into  divers 
temptations,"  etc.  Those  whom  James  here  addresses  are 
(1)  Christians;  for  they  are  his  brethren;  (2)  They  are  not 
the  converts  to  Christianity  from  the  Jews,  the  twelve  trilx^s 
of  his  own  day;  for  he  addresses  them  in  view  of  the  coming 
of  the  Lord.  (See  chapter  5.")  TTe  is  thus  addressing  the 
last  generation  of  Christians,  the  Christians  of  our  own  day. 


532  THE  REVELATION 

and  lie  calls  them  the  twelve  tribes  scattered  abroad.  How 
can  this  be  ^  Paul  explains  in  liom.  11:17-24.  In  the 
striking  figure  of  grafting  which  he  there  introduces,  the  tame 
olive  tree  represents  Israel.  Some  of  the  branches,  the  natural 
descendants  of  xVbraham,  -were  broken  oft"  because  of  unbelief 
(in  Christ).  Through  faith  in  Christ  the  wild  olive  scions, 
the  Gentiles,  are  grafted  into  the  tame  olive  stock,  and  thus 
the  twelve  tribes  are  perpetuated.  And  here  we  find  an  ex- 
planation of  the  language  of  the  same  apostle :  '"  They  are 
not  all  Israel  which  are  of  Israel,"  and  "  he  is  not  a  Jew 
which  is  one  outwardly,  .  .  .but  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one 
inwardly."  Rom.  9:0-8;  2 :  28,  29.  So  we  find  on  the 
gates  of  the  iS^ew  Jerusalem  —  which  is  a  Xew  Testament  or 
Christian,  not  a  Jewish,  city  —  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes 
of  the  children  of  Israel.  On  the  foundations  of  this  city 
are  inscribed  the  names  of  the  twelve  ajjostles  of  the  Lamb, 
and  on  the  gates  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 
Rev.  21 :  12  - 14.  If  the  twelve  tribes  belong  exclusively  to 
the  former  dispensation,  the  more  natural  order  would  have 
been  to  have  their  names  on  the  foundations,  and  those  of  the 
twelve  apostles  on  the  gates ;  but  no,  the  names  of  the  tAvelve 
tribes  are  on  the  gates.  And  as  through  these  gates,  so  in- 
scribed, all  the  redeemed  hosts  will  go  in  and  out,  so,  as  be- 
longing to  these  twelve  tribes,  will  all  the  redeemed  be  reckoned, 
whether  on  earth  they  were  Jews  or  Gentiles.  Of  course  we 
look  in  vain  for  any  marks  of  distinction  between  the  tribes 
here  on  earth ;  and  since  Christ  has  appeared  in  the  flesh,  the 
preservation  of  the  genealogy  of  the  tribes  is  not  necessary. 
But  in  heaven,  where  the  names  of  the  church  of  the  first- 
born are  being  enrolled,  we  may  be  sure  there  is  order,  and 
that  each  name  is  enrolled  in  its  own  tribe.      Heb.  12  :  23. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  enumeration  of  the  tribes  here 
difi^ers  from  that  given  in  other  places.  The  twelve  sons  of 
Jacob,  who  became  the  heads  of  great  families,  called  tribes, 
were  Reuben,  Simeon,  Levi,  Judah,  Tssachar,  Zelmlun,  Ben- 
jamin, Dan,  ISTaphtali,  Gad,  Asher,  and  Joseph.  But  Jacob, 
on  his  dying  bed,  adopted  the  sons  of  Joseph,  Ephraim  and 
Manassch,   to  constitute   two  of   the   tribes  of  Israel.       Gen. 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  1^-12  533 

48 :  5.  This  divided  the  tribe  of  Joseph,  making'  thirteen 
tribes  in  all.  Yet  in  the  distribution  of  the  land  of  Canaan 
by  lot,  they  numbered  but  twelve  tribes,  and  made  but  twelve 
lots ;  for  the  tribe  of  Levi  was  left  out,  being  appointed  to  the 
service  of  the  tabernacle,  and  having  no  inheritance.  But  in 
the  passage  before  us,  Ei)liraim  and  Dan  are  omitted,  and 
Levi  and  Joseph  put  in  their  places.  The  omission  of  Dan 
is  accounted  for  by  commentators  on  the  ground  that  that  tribe 
was  the  one  chiefly  addicted  to  idolatry.  (See  Judges  18, 
etc.)  The  tribe  of  Levi  here  takes  its  place  Avith  the  rest, 
as  in  the  heavenly  Canaan  the  reasons  for  their  not  having 
an  inheritance  will  not  exist,  as  in  the  earthly ;  and  Joseph  is 
l^robably  put  for  Ephraim,  it  being  a  name  Avhich  appears  to 
have  been  applied  to  either  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  or  Manasseh. 
Xum.   13 :  11. 

Twelve  thousand  were  sealed  "  out  of  "  each  of  the  twelve 
tribes,  showing  that  not  all  Avho  in  the  records  of  heaven  had 
a  place  among  these  tribes  when  this  sealing  work  commenced, 
stood  the  test,  and  were  overcomers  at  last ;  for  the  names  of 
those  already  in  the  book  of  life  will  be  blotted  out,  unless  they 
overcome.      Rev.  3:5. 

Verse  9.  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which 
no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with 
white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands;  10.  And  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb.  11.  And  all  the  angels  stood  round  about  the 
throne,  and  about  the  elders  and  the  four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the 
throne  on  their  faces,  and  worshiped  God,  12.  Saying,  Amen :  Bless- 
ing, and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power, 
and  might,  be  unto  our  God  forever  and  ever.      Amen. 

The  sealing  having  been  accomplished,  John  beholds  a 
countless  multitude  worshiping  God  in  rapture  before  his 
throne.  This  vast  throng  are  undoubtedly  the  saved  out  of 
every  nation,  kindred,  tribe,  and  tongue,  raised  from  the  dead 
at  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  showing  that  the  sealing  is 
the  last  Avork  accomplished  for  the  people  of  God  prior  to 
translation. 

Verse  13.  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  \uito  me,  ^\^lat 
are  these  which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes?  and  whence  caTne  they'i 


534  THE  REVELATION 

14,  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said  to  me. 
These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  Vt^ashed 
their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  15. 
Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and 
night  in  his  temple;  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell 
among"  them.  16.  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any 
more;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  17.  For 
the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and 
shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters :  and  God  shall  wipe 
away  all  tears  from  their  eyes. 

The  questions  proposed  by  one  of  the  elders  to  John,  "  What 
are  these  Avhicli  are  arrayed  in  white  robes  ?  and  whence  came 
they  ?  "  taken  in  connection  with  John's  answer,  "  Sir,  thou 
knowest,"  implying  that  John  did  not  know,  would  seem  to  be 
devoid  of  all  point,  if  they  had  reference  to  the  whole  of  the 
great  multitude  now  before  him.  For  John  did  know  who 
they  were,  and  from  Avhence  tbey  came ;  inasmuch  as  he  had 
jt;st  said  that  they  were  peoi:)le  —  redeemed  of  course  —  out  of 
all  nations,  kindreds,  people,  and  tongues ;  and  John  could 
have  answered.  These  are  the  redeemed  ones  from  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth.  But  if  a  special  company  in  this  vast 
throng  were  referred  to,  distinguished  by  some  special  mark 
or  position,  then  it  might  not  he  so  evident  who  they  were, 
and  what  had  given  them  their  peculiarity ;  and  the  questions, 
as  applied  to  them,  would  be  appropriate  and  pertinent.  We 
therefore  incline  to  the  view  that  attention  is  called  to  a  spe- 
cial company  by  the  questions  which  were  proposed  by  one  of 
the  elders ;  and  no  company  is  brotight  to  view  to  which  special 
allusion  would  more  naturally  be  made  than  to  the  company 
spoken  of  in  the  first  part  of  the  chapter;  namely,  the  144,000. 
John  had  indeed  seen  this  company  in  their  mortal  state,  as 
they  were  receiving  the  seal  of  the  living  God  amid  the  troub- 
lous scenes  of  the  last  days;  but  as  they  here  stand  among 
the  redeemed  throng,  the  transition  is  so  great,  and  the  con- 
dition in  which  they  now  appear  so  different,  that  he  does  not 
recognize  them  as  the  s]X'cial  company  which  he  saw  sealed 
ii]H)n  the  earth.  .Viid  to  this  com])any,  the  8]ieciticati<ms  that 
follryw  seem  to  be  specially   a])plicable. 

1.  Tlicjj  Came  out  of  Great  Trihiilafioii.-  -  While  it  is  true 
in  some  degree  of  all  Christians  that  they  must  "  through  much 


CHAPTER  7,  VERSES  IS  - 17  535 

tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  it  is  true  in  a  very 
emphatic  sense  of  the  14-t,000.  They  pass  through  the  great 
time  of  trouble  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation. 
Dan.  12:1.  They  experience  the  mental  anguish  of  the  time 
of  Jacob's  trouble.  Jer.  30 :  -4  -  7.  They  stand  without  a  me- 
diator through  the  territic  scenes  of  tlie  seven  last  plagues,  those 
exhibitions  of  God's  unminglod  wrath  in  the  earth.  Kevela- 
tion,  chapters  15,  10.  They  pass  through  the  severest  time  of 
trouble  the  world  has  ever  known,  although  they  are  delivered 
out  of  it. 

2.  ^Y]lite  Rohes. —  They  wash  their  robes  and  make  them 
Avhite  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  To  the  last  generation  the 
testijnony  is  very  emphatic  on  the  subject  of  obtaining  the 
white  raiment.  Rev.  .3:  5,  IS.  xVnd  though  the  1-41:,000  are 
accused  of  rejecting  Christ,  and  trusting  to  their  own  works 
for  salvation,  because  they  refuse  to  violate  the  commandments 
of  God  (Rev.  1-4:  1,  12),  in  the  great  day  that  calumny  Avill 
be  wiped  oif.  It  will  be  seen  that  they  have  rested  their  hope 
of  life  on  the  merits  of  the  shed  blood  of  their  divine  Re- 
deemer, making  him  their  source  of  righteousness.  There  is 
peculiar  force  in  saying  of  these  that  they  have  washed  their 
robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

3.  The  First-fruits. —  Verse  15  describes  the  post  of  honor 
they  occupy  in  the  kingdom,  and  their  nearness  to  God.  In 
another  jjlace  they  are  called  "  the  first-fruits  unto  God  and 
the  Lamb."      Rev.  14:4. 

4.  They  SJiall  Hunger  x\o  More. —  In  verse  1(5  it  is  said, 
"  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more."  This 
shows  that  they  have  once  suffered  hunger  and  thirst.  To 
what  can  this  refer  ?  As  it  doubtless  has  reference  to  some 
special  experience,  may  it  not  refer  to  their  trials  in  the  time 
of  trouble,  more  especially  during  the  last  plagues  ?  In  this 
time  the  righteous  will  be  reduced  to  bread  and  water ;  and 
though  that  "will  be  sure"  (Isa.  33:1G),  enough  for  suste- 
nance, yet  may  it  not  be  that  when  the  pastures,  with  all  fruits 
and  vegetation,  are  dried  up  (Joel  1:18-20),  and  the  rivers 
and  fountains  are  turned  to  blood  (Rev.  16:4-0),  to  reduce 
their  connection   with   earth   and  earthly  things   to   the  lowest 

34 


530  TEE  REVELATION 

limit,  the  saints  wlio  j^ass  througli  that  time  will  be  brought  oc- 
casionally to  the  extreme  degrees  of  hnngcr  and  thirst?  But 
the  kingdom  once  gained,  "  they  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more."  .Vnd  the  pro2)het  continues  in  reference  to 
this  company,  "  i^either  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any 
heat."  We  remember  that  the  144,000  live  through  the  time 
when  power  is  given  unto  the  sun  "  to  scorch  men  with  fire." 
Ivev.  16:  S,  9.  And  though  they  are  shielded  from  the  deadly 
effect  which  it  has  u^Don  the  wicked  around  them,  we  cannot 
sui^pose  that  their  sensibilities  will  be  so  deadened  that  they 
will  feel  no  unpleasant  sensations  from  the  terrific  heat.  ]*^o ; 
as  they  enter  the  fields  of  the  heavenly  Canaan,  they  will  be 
prei)ared  to  appreciate  the  divine  assurance  that  the  sun  shall 
not  light  upon  or  injure  them,  nor  any  heat. 

5.  And  the  Lariih  Shall  Lead  Them. — Another  testimony 
concerning  the  same  company,  and  apjilying  at  the  same  time, 
says,  "  These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever 
he  goeth."  Rev.  14:4.  Both  cxjiressions  denote  the  state 
of  intimate  and  divine  companionship  to  M'hich  the  blessed 
Redeemer   admits   them   in   reference   to   himself. 

The  psalmist,  in  the  following  beautiful  passage,  seems  to 
allude  to  the  same  promise:  "^  They  shall  be  abundantly  satis- 
fied with  the  fatness  of  thy  house;  and  thou  shalt  make  them 
drink  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures."  Ps.  -30:  8.  The  phrase- 
ology of  this  promise  to  the  144,000  is  also  partially  found  in 
the  following  glowing  prophecy  from  the  pen  of  Isaiah  :  "  He 
will  swalloAv  up  death  in  victory;  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe 
away  tears  from  off  all  faces ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his  people 
shall  he  take  away  from  off'  all  the  earth;  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it."      Isa.  :35:8. 


WE  name  as  the  subject  of  this  cliapter  the  seven  trum- 
pets, as  these  constitute  the  main  theme  of  the  chap- 
ter, although  there  are  other  matters  introduced 
before  the  opening  of  that  series  of  events.  The  first  verse 
of  this  chapter  rehites  to  the  events  of  the  preceding  chapters, 
and  therefore  shouhl  not  have  been  separated  from  them  by 
the  division  of  the  cliapter. 

Verse  1.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was 
silence  in  heaven  about  the  space  of  half  an  hour. 

The  series  of  seven  seals  is  here  resumed  and  concluded. 
The  sixth  chapter  closed  with  the  events  of  the  sixth  seal,  and 
the  eighth  commences  with  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal ; 
hence  the  seventh  chapter  stands  parenthetically  between  the 
sixth  and  seventh  seals,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  sealing 
work  of  that  chapter  belongs  to  the  sixth  seal. 

Silence  in  Heaven. —  Concerning  the  cause  of  this  silence, 
only  conjecture  can  be  offered, —  a  conjecture,  however,  which 
is  supported  by  the  events  of  the  sixth  seal.  That  seal  does 
not  bring  us  to  the  second  advent,  although  it  embraces  events 
that  transpire  in  close  connection  therewith.  It  introduces  the 
fearful  commotions  of  the  elements,  described  as  the  rolling  of 
the  heavens  together  as  a  scroll,  caused  by  the  voice  of  God, 
the  breaking  up  of  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  the  confession 
on  the  part  of  the  wicked  that  the  great  day  of  God's  wrath  is 
come.      They  are  doubtless  in  momentary  expectation  of  seeing 

(537) 


538  THE  REV  ELATION 

tlie  King  appear  in,  to  tlu-ni,  iinendnrable  gioiy.  Bnt  the  seal 
stops  just  short  of  that  e\ent.  The  personal  appearing  of 
Christ  must  therefore  be  allotted  to  the  next  seal.  But  when 
the  Lord  appears,  he  conies  with  all  the  holj  angels  with 
him.  Matt.  25:31.  And  when  all  the  heavenly  harpers 
leave  the  courts  above  to  come  down  with  their  divine  Lord, 
as  he  descends  to  gather  the  fruit  of  his  redeeming  work,  will 
rliere  not  be  silence  in  heaven  i 

The  length  of  this  period  of  silence,  if  we  consider  it  pro- 
l^hetic  time,   Avould  be   about  seven   days. 

Versi-:  2.  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  slood  bft'tiiv  (iod; 
and  to  them  were  given  seven  trumpets. 

This  verse  introduces  a  new  and  distinct  series  of  events. 
In  the  seals  we  have  had  the  histury  of  the  church  during 
what  is  called  the  gospel  dispensation.  In  the  seven  trum- 
pets, now  introduced,  we  have  the  principal  political  and  war- 
like events  which  were  to  transpire  during  the  same  time. 

Verse  3.  And  another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having 
a  golden  censer;  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much,  incense,  that 
ho  should  offer  it  with  the.  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar 
which  was  before  the  throne.  4.  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which 
came  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up  before  Clod  out  of 
the  angel's  hand.  5.  And  the  angel  took  the  censer,  and  filled  it  with 
fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into  the  earth;  and  there  were  voices, 
and  thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake. 

Having  as  it  were,  in  verse  2,  brought  out  the  seven  angels, 
and  introduced  them  before  us  upon  the  stage  of  action,  John, 
for  a  moment,  in  the  three  verses  last  quoted,  directs  attention 
to  an  entirely  different  scene.  The  angel  which  approaches 
the  altar  is  not  one  of  the  seven  trum|)et  angels.  The  altar  is 
the  altar  of  incense,  which,  in  the  earthly  sanctuary,  was  jdaced 
in  the  first  apartment.  Here,  then,  is  another  proof  that  there 
exists  in  heaven  a  sanctuary  with  its  corresponding  vessels  of 
service,  of  Avhich  tbe  earthly  was  a  figure,  and  that  we  are 
taken  into  that  sanctuary  by  the  visions  of  John.  A  work  of 
ministration  for  all  the  saints  in  the  sanctuary  above  is  thus 
brought  to  view.  Doubtless  the  entire  work  of  mediation  for 
the  people  of  God  during  the  gospel  dispensation  is  here  pi'c- 


CUAL'TEU  S,  VERSES  S-7  539 

sciited.  This  is  uppareiit  from  the  fact  that  the  anii,el  otlers 
his  incense  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints.  And  that  ^ve  are 
here  carried  forward  to  the  end,  is  evident  from  the  act  of 
the  angel  in  filling  the  censer  with  fire  and  casting  it  unto  the 
earth;  for  his  work  is  then  done;  no  more  prayers  are  to  be 
offered  up  mingled  with  incense;  and  this  symbolic  act  can 
have  its  application  only  at  the  time  when  the  ministration  of 
Christ  in  the  sanctuary  in  behalf  of  mankind  has  forever  ceased. 
And  following  the  angel's  act  are  voices,  thunderings,  light- 
nings, and  an  earthquake, —  exactly  such  occurrences  as  we 
are  elsewhere  informed  transpire  at  the  close  of  human  pro- 
bation.      (See  Kev.    11:19;    16:17,   18.) 

But  why  are  these  verses  thus  thrown  in  here  ?  Answer : 
As  a  message  of  hope  and  comfort  for  the  church.  The  seven 
angels  with  their  warlike  trumpets  had  been  introduced;  terri- 
ble scenes  were  to  transpire  under  their  sounding;  but  before 
they  commence,  the  people  of  God  are  pointed  to  the  work  of 
mediation  in  their  behalf  above,  and  their  source  of  help  and 
strength  during  this  time.  Though  they  should  be  tossed  like 
feathers  upon  the  tumultuous  waves  of  strife  and  war,  they 
were  to  know  that  their  great  High  Priest  still  ministered  for 
them  in  the  sanctuary  in  heaven,  and  that  thither  they  could 
direct  their  prayers,  and  have  them  offered,  with  incense,  to 
their  Father  in  heaven.  Thus  could  they  gain  strength  and 
support  in  all  their  calamities. 

Verse  G.  And  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  trumpets  pre- 
pared themselves  to  sound. 

The  subject  of  the  seven  trumpets  is  here  resumed,  and  oc- 
cupies the  remainder  of  this  chaj^ter  and  all  of  chapter  9. 
The  seven  angels  prepare  themselves  to  sound.  Their  sound- 
ing comes  in  as  a  complement  to  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  2 
and  7,  commencing  with  the  breaking  up  of  the  old  Eoman 
empire  into  its  ten  divisions,  of  which,  in  the  first  four  trum- 
pets, we  have  a  description. 

Veuse  7.  The  first  angel  somided,  and  there  followed  hail  and  fire 
mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were  cast  Tipon  the  earth :  and  the  third 
part  of  trees  was  burnt  up,  and  all  green  grriss  was  burnt  up. 


540  THE  REVELATION 

A  full  exposition  of  the  seven  trumpets  is  given  in  a  work 
entitled,  An  Exposition  of  the  Seven  Trumpets  of  Kevelation 
VIll  and  IX,  for  sale  by  the  Southern  Publishing  Association, 
Xashville,  Tenn.,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred  for  a  more 
extended  examination  of  the  subject.  To  that  work  we  are 
chiefly  indebted  for  the  extracts  given  below. 

Mr.  Keith  has  very  justly  remarked  on  the  subject  of  this 
prophecy : — 

"  None  could  elucidate  the  texts  more  clearly,  or  expound 
them  more  fully,  than  the  task  has  been  performed  by  Gibbon. 
The  chapters  of  the  skeptical  philosopher  that  treat  directly  of 
the  matter,  need  but  a  text  to  be  prefixed,  and  a  few  unholy 
words  to  be  blotted  out,  to  form  a  series  of  expository  lectures 
on  the  eighth  and  ninth  chapters  of  Revelation."  ''  Little  or 
nothing  is  left  for  the  professed  interpreter  to  do  but  to  point 
to  the  pages  of  Gibbon." 

The  first  sore  and  heavy  judgment  which  fell  on  Western 
Rome  in  its  downward  course,  was  the  war  with  the  Goths 
under  Alaric,  who  opened  the  way  for  later  inroads.  The 
death  of  Theodosius,  the  Roman  emperor,  occurred  in  January, 
395,  and  before  the  end  of  the  Avinter  the  Goths  under  Alaric 
were  in  arms  against  the  empire. 

"  Hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood  "  were  cast  upon  the 
earth.  The  terrible  eifects  of  this  Gothic  invasion  are  repre- 
sented as  "  hail,"  from  the  fact  of  the  northern  origin  of  the 
invaders ;  "  fire,"  from  the  destruction  by  flame  of  both  city 
and  country;  and  "blood,"  from  the  terrible  slaughter  of  the 
citizens  of  the  empire  by  the  bold  and  intrepid  warriors. 

The  blast  of  the  first  trumpet  has  its  location  about  the 
close  of  the  fourth  century  and  onward,  and  refers  to  these 
desolating  invasions  of  the  Roman  empire  under  the  Goths. 

I  know  not  how  the  history  of  the  sounding  of  the  first 
trumpet  can  be  more  impressively  set  forth  than  by  presenting 
the  graphic  rehearsal  of  the  facts  which  are  stated  in  Gibbon's 
History,  by  Mr.  Keith,  in  his  Signs  of  the  Times,  Vol,  I, 
pp.  221  -  233  :— 

"  Large  extracts  show  how  amj^ly  and  well  Gibljon  has  ex- 
pounded his  text  in  the  history  of  the  first  trumpet,  the  first 


CHAPTER  S,  VERSE  7  541 

storm  that  pervaded  the  Ixomaii  earth,  and  the  tirst  fall  of 
Rome.  To  use  his  words  in  more  direct  comment,  ^ve  read 
thus  the  sum  of  the  matter:  '  The  Gothic  nation  was  in  arms 
at  the  first  sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  in  the  unconnnon  sever- 
ity of  the  winter,  they  rolled  their  ponderous  wagons  over  the 
hroad  and  icy  back  of  the  river.  The  fertile  fields  of  Phocis 
and  J3oeotia  were  crowded  with  a  deluge  of  barbarians;  the 
males  were  massacred ;  the  females  and  cattle  of  the  flaming 
villages  were  driven  away.  The  deep  and  bloody  traces  of  the 
march  of  the  Goths  could  easily  be  discovered  after  several 
years.  The  whole  territory  of  ^Vttica  was  blasted  by  the  bane- 
ful presence  of  Alaric.  The  most  fortunate  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Corinth,  Argos,  and  Sparta  were  saved  by  death  from  be- 
holding the  conflagration  of  their  cities.  In  a  season  of  such 
extreme  heat  that  the  beds  of  the  rivers  were  dry,  Alaric  in- 
vaded the  dominion  of  the  West.  A  secluded  "  old  man  of 
Verona,"  the  poet  Clandian,  pathetically  lamented  the  fate  of 
his  contemporary  trees,  which  must  blaze  in  the  conflagration 
of  the  icliole  country  [note  the  words  of  the  prophecy, — ''  The 
third  part  of  the  trees  was  burned  up  "]  ;  and  the  emperor  of 
the  Romans  fled  before  the  king  of  the  Goths.' 

"A  furious  tempest  was  excited  among  the  nations  of  Ger- 
many, from  the  northern  extremity  of  which  the  barbarians 
marched  almost  to  the  gates  of  Rome.  They  achieved  the 
destruction  of  the  West.  The  dark  cloud  which  was  collected 
along  the  coasts  of  the  Baltic,  burst  in  thunder  upon  the  banks 
of  the  upper  Danube.  The  pastures  of  Gaul,  in  which  flocks 
and  herds  grazed,  and  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  which  were 
covered  with  elegant  houses  and  well-cultivated  farms,  formed 
a  scene  of  peace  and  plenty,  which  Avas  suddenly  changed  into 
a  desert,  distinguished  from  the  solitude  of  nature  only  by 
smokmg  ruins.  Many  cities  were  cruelly  oppressed,  or  de- 
stroyed. Many  thousands  were  inhumanly  massacred ;  and 
the  consuming  flames  of  war  spread  over  the  greater  part  of 
the  seventeen  provinces  of  Gaul. 

"Alaric  again  stretched  his  ravages  over  Italy.  During 
four  years  the  Goths  ravaged  and  reigned  over  it  without  con- 
trol.     And  in  the  pillage  and  fire  of  Rome,  the  streets  of  the 


542  THE  REVELATION 

city  were  filled  with  dead  bodies;  the  flames  consumed  many 
public  and  private  buildings;  and  the  ruins  of  a  palace  re- 
mained (after  a  century  and  a  half)  a  stately  monument  of 
the   Gothic  conflagration. 

"  The  concluding  sentence  of  the  thirty-third  chapter  of 
Gibbon's  History  is  of  itself  a  clear  and  comprehensive  com- 
mentary; for  in  winding  up  his  own  description  of  this  brief 
but  }nost  eventful  period,  he  concentrates,  as  in  a  parallel 
reading,  the  sum  of  the  history  and  the  substance  of  the  pre- 
diction. But  the  words  which  precede  it  are  not  without  their 
meaning:  ^  The  public  devotion  of  the  age  Avas  impatient  to 
exalt  the  saints  and  martyrs  of  the  Catholic  Church  on  the 
altars  of  Diana  and  Hercules.  The  union  of  the  Ivoman  em- 
pire was  dissolved;  its  genius  was  humbled  in  the  dust;  and 
armies  of  unknown  barbarians,  issuing  from  the  frozen  regions 
of  the  Xorth,  liad  established  their  victorious  reign  over  the 
fairest  provinces  of  Europe  and  Africa.' 

"  The  last  word,  Africa,  is  the  signal  for  the  sounding  of 
the  second  trumpet.  The  scene  changes  from  the  shores  of  the 
Baltic  to  the  southern  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  or  from  the 
frozen  regions  of  the  jSTorth  to  the  borders  of  burning  Africa; 
and  instead  of  a  storm  of  hail  being  cast  upon  the  earth,  a 
burning  mountiiin  was  east  into  the  sea." 

Verse  8.  And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as  it  were  a  great 
mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the  sea :  and  the  third  part 
of  the  sea  became  blood;  9.  Ard  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  wdiich 
were  in  the  sea,  and  had  life,  died;  and  the  third  part  of  the  ships 
were  destroyed. 

The  Boman  empire,  after  Constantino,  was  divided  into 
three  parts ;  and  lience  the  frequent  remark,  "  a  third  part  of 
men,"  etc.,  in  alhision  to  the  third  part  of  the  empire  which 
was  under  the  seourg(\  This  division  of  the  Boman  kingdom 
was  made  at  the  death  of  (\:)nstantine,  among  his  three  sons, 
Constantius,  Constantine  II,  and  Constans.  Constantius  pos- 
sessed the  East,  and  fixed  liis  residence  at  Constantinoplo,  the 
metropolis  of  tlie  em]iire.  ( 'onstantine  the  Second  held  Britain, 
Gaul,  and  Spain.  Constans  held  lllyricum,  Africa,  and  Italy. 
(See  Sabine's  Ecclesiastical  History,  p.  155.)      Of  this  well- 


THE     VANDALS      INVADING     AFRICA 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  S,  0  545 

known  historical  fact,  Elliott,  as  quoted  l)y  Albert  Barnes,  in 
Lis  notes  on  Kev.  12:4,  sajs:  "Twice,  at  least,  befoi-e  the 
Roman  empire  became  divided  permanently  into  the  two  parts, 
the  Eastern  and  the  Western,  there  was  a  tripartite  division  of 
the  empire.  Tlie  first  occurred  a.  d.  311,  Avhen  it  was  divided 
between  Constantine,  Licinius,  and  Maximin;  the  other,  a.  d. 
oo7,  on  the  death  of  Constantine,  when  it  was  divided  between 
his  three  sons,   C'onstantine,  Constans,   and   Constantius." 

The  history  illustrative  of  the  sounding  of  the  second  trum- 
pet evidently  relates  to  the  invasion  and  conquest  of  Africa, 
and  afterward  of  Italy,  by  the  terrible  Genseric.  His  con- 
quests Avere  for  the  most  part  naval  ;  and  his  triumphs  were 
"  as  it  were  a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire,  cast  into  the 
sea."  What  figure  would  better,  or  even  so  w'ell,  illustrate 
the  collision  of  navies,  and  the  general  havoc  of  war  on  the 
maritime  coasts  ?  In  explaining  this  trumpet,  we  are  to  look 
for  some  events  which  will  have  a  particular  bearing  on  the 
commercial  woi'ld.  The  symbol  used  naturally  leads  us  to 
look  for  agitation  and  commotion.  Xothing  but  a  fierce  mari- 
time warfare  would  fulfil  the  prediction.  If  the  sounding  of 
the  first  four  trumpets  relates  to  four  remarkable  events  which 
contributed  to  the  downfall  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  the  first 
trumpet  refers  to  the  ravages  of  the  Goths  under  Alaric,  in 
this  we  naturally  look  for  the  next  succeeding  act  of  invasion 
which  shook  the  Roman  power  and  conduced  to  its  fall.  The 
next  great  invasion  teas  that  of  "  the  terrible  Genseric,"  at 
the  head  of  the  Vandals.  His  career  occurred  during  the 
years  a.  d.  428  -  468.  This  great  Vandal  chief  had  his  head- 
quarters in  Africa.  But  as  Gibbon  states,  "  The  discovery 
and  conquest  of  the  black  nations  [in  Africa],  that  might 
dwell  beneath  the  torrid  zone,  could  not  tempt  the  rational 
ambition  of  Genseric ;  but  he  cast  his  eyes  toward  the  sea  ; 
he  resolved  to  create  a  naval  power,  and  his  bold  resolution 
was  executed  with  steady  and  active  perseverance."  From  the 
port  of  Carthage  he  repeatedly  made  piratical  sallies,  and 
]")reyed  on  the  Roman  commerce,  and  waged  war  with  that 
empire.  To  cope  with  this  sea  monarch,  the  Roman  emperor, 
Majorian,   made   extensive   naval   preparations.       Three   bun- 


540  THE  BEVELATION 

dred  long  galleys,  with  an  adequate  proportion  of  transports 
and  smaller  vessels,  were  collected  in  the  secure  and  capacious 
harbor  of  Cartagena,  in  Spain.  But  Genseric  was  saved  from 
impending  and  inevitable  ruin  by  the  treachery  of  some  pow- 
erful subjects,  envious  or  apprehensive  of  their  master's  suc- 
cess. Guided  by  their  secret  intelligence,  he  surprised  the 
unguarded  fleet  in  the  ba}^  of  Cartagena ;  many  of  the  ships 
were  sunk,  taken,  or  burned,  and  the  preparations  of  three 
years  were  destroyed  in  a  single  day. 

Italy  continued  to  be  long  afflicted  by  the  incessant  depre- 
dations of  the  Vandal  pirates.  In  the  spring  of  each  year  they 
ccpiipped  a  formidable  navy  in  the  port  of  Carthage,  and  Gen- 
seric himself,  though  at  a  very  advanced  age,  still  commanded 
in  person  the  most  important  expeditions. 

The  Vandals  repeatedly  visited  the  coasts  of  Spain,  Liguria, 
Tuscany,  Campania,  Lucania,  Bruttium,  xVpulia,  Calabria, 
Venetia,   Dalmatia,   Epirus,   Greece,   and    Sicily. 

The  celerity  of  their  motion  enabled  them,  almost  at  the 
same  time,  to  threaten  and  to  attack  the  most  distant  objects 
which  attracted  their  desires ;  and  as  they  always  embarked  a 
sufficient  number  of  horses,  they  had  no  sooner  landed  than 
they  swept  the  dismayed  country  with  a  body  of  light  cavalry. 

A  last  and  desperate  attempt  to  dispossess  Genseric  of  the 
sovereignty  of  the  seas,  Avas  made  in  the  year  468  by  Leo, 
the  emperor  of  the  East.  Gibbon  bears  witness  to  this  as 
follows : — 

"  The  whole  expense  of  the  African  campaign  amounted  to 
the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  tliousand  pounds  of  gold, — 
about  five  million  two  hundred  thousand  poun<ls  sterling.  .  .  . 
The  fleet  that  sailed  from  Constantinople  to  Carthage  consiste<l 
of  eleven  hundred  and  thirteen  ships,  and  the  number  of  sol- 
diers and  mariners  exceeded  one  hundred  thousand  men.  .  .  . 
The  army  of  Ileraclius  and  the  fleet  of  Marcellinus  either 
joined  or  seconded  the  imperial  lieutenant.  .  .  .  The  wind 
l)eeame  favorable  to  the  designs  of  Genseric.  lie  manncnl  his 
largest  ships  of  war  with  the  bravest  of  the  Moors  ami  Van- 
dals, and  they  towed  after  them  many  large  barks  filled  with 
combustible  materials.       In  the  obscurity  of  the  night,   these 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  8  - 11  547 

destructive  vessels  were  impelled  against  the  unguarded  and 
unsuspecting  fleet  of  the  Romans,  avIio  were  awakened  by  a 
sense  of  their  instant  danger.  Their  close  and  crowded  order 
assisted  the  progress  of  the  fire,  which  was  communicated  with 
rapid  and  irresistible  violence;  and  the  noise  of  the  wind,  the 
crackling  of  the  flames,  the  dissonant  cries  of  the  soldiers  and 
mariners,  who  could  neither  connnand  nor  obey,  increased  the 
horror  of  the  nocturnal  tumult.  While  they  labored  to  extri- 
cate themselves  from  the  fire-ships,  and  to  save  at  least  a  part 
of  the  navy,  the  galleys  of  Genseric  assaulted  them  with  tem- 
perate and  disciplined  valor;  and  many  of  the  Romans  who 
escaped  the  fury  of  the  flames,  were  destroyed  or  taken  by  the 
victorious  Vandals.  .  .  .  After  the  failure  of  this  great  cx- 
jiedition,  Genseric  again  became  the  tyrant  of  the  sea;  the 
coasts  of  Italy,  Greece,  and  Asia  were  again  exposed  to  his 
revenge  and  avarice ;  Tripoli  and  Sardinia  returned  to  his 
obedience;  he  added  Sicily  to  the  number  of  his  provinces; 
and  before  he  died,  in  the  fulness  of  years  and  of  glory,  he 
beheld  the  final  extinction  of  the  empire  of  the  AVest." — 
Gibbon,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  J^95  -  408. 

Concerning  the  important  part  which  this  bold  corsair  acted 
in  the  downfall  of  Rome,  ]\Ir.  Gibbon  uses  this  significant  lan- 
guage :  "  Genseric,  a  name  which,  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Roman  empire,  has  deserved  an  equal  rank  with  the  names  of 
Alaric  and  Attila." 

Verse  10.  And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell  a  great  star 
from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were  a  lamp,  and  it  fell  upon  the  third 
part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of  waters.  11.  And  the 
name  of  the  star  is  called  Wormwood :  and  the  third  part  of  the 
waters  became  wormwood;  and  many  men  died  of  the  waters,  because 
they  were  made  bitter. 

In  the  interpretation  and  application  of  this  passage,  we  are. 
brought  to  the  third  important  event  which  resulted  in  the 
subversion  of  the  Roman  empire.  And  in  finding  a  historical 
fulfilment  of  this  third  trumpet,  we  shall  be  indebted  to  the 
!N'otes  of  Dr.  Albert  Barnes  for  a  few  extracts.  In  explaining 
this  scripture,  it  is  necessary,  as  this  commentator  says, — 

'^  That   there   should  be   some    chieftain   or   warrior   who 


548  THE  REVELATION 

might  be  compared  to  a  blazing  meteor;  wliose  course  would 
be  singularly  brilliant ;  who  would  appear  suddenly  like  a 
blazing  star,  and  then  disappear  like  a  star  whose  light  was 
quenched  in  the  waters.  That  the  desolating  course  of  this 
meteor  would  be  mainly  on  those  portions  of  the  world  which 
abounded  Avith  springs  of  water  and  running  streams ;  that 
an  effect  would  be  produced  as  if  those  streams  and  fountains 
were  made  bitter ;  that  is,  that  many  persons  would  perish,  and 
that  wide  desolations  would  be  caused  in  the  vicinity  of  those 
rivers  and  streams,  as  if  a  bitter  and  baleful  star  should  fall 
into  the  waters,  and  death  should  spread  over  lands  adjacent 
to  them,  and  Avatered  by  them." — Notes  on  Revelation  8. 

It  is  here  premised  that  this  trumpet  has  allusion  to  the 
desolating  wars  and  furious  invasions  of  Attila  against  the 
Konian  power,  which  he  carried  on  at  the  head  of  his  hordes 
of  Huns.  Speaking  of  this  warrior,  particularly  of  his  per- 
sonal appearance,   Mr.   Barnes  says : — 

''  In  the  manner  of  his  appearance,  he  strongly  resembled 
a  brilliant  meteor  flashing  in  the  sky.  He  came  from  the  East 
gathering  his  Huns,  and  poured  them  down,  as  we  shall  see, 
with  the  rapidity  of  a  flashing  meteor,  suddenly  on  the  empire. 
He  regarded  himself  also  as  devoted  to  Mars,  the  god  of  war, 
and  was  accustomed  to  array  himself  in  a  peculiarly  brilliant 
manner,  so  that  his  appearance,  in  the  language  of  his  flat- 
terers, Avas  such  as  to  dazzle  the  eyes  of  beholders." 

In  speaking  of  the  locality  of  the  eA^ents  predicted  by  this 
trumpet,  Mr.   Barnes  has  this  note: — 

"  It  is  said  particularly  that  the  effect  Avould  be  on  '  the 
ri\'crs  '  and  on  '  the  fountains  of  Avaters.'  If  this  has  a  literal 
application,  or  if,  as  Avas  supposed  in  the  case  of  the  second 
trumpet,  the  language  used  Avas  such  as  had  reference  to  the 
]iortion  of  the  em])ire  that  Avould  be  particularly  affected  by  the 
hostile  invasion,  tbeii  we  may  su])pose  tl.iat  this  refers  to  those 
])ortions  of  the  em])ire  that  abounded  in  rivers  and  streams, 
and  more  particularly  those  in  Avhich  the  rivers  and  streams 
liiid  tlicii'  ()ri(/iii  :  for  (lie  ctt'ect  AViis  ]~)ermanently  in  the  'fouii- 
Idiiis  of  A\'aters.'  As  a  niiittcr  of  fact,  the  principal  operations 
uf  Attila  Avere  on  the  regions  of  the  Alps,  and  on  the  portions 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSES  10-12  551 

of  tlie  empire  wlieiice  the  rivers  flow  down  into  Italy.  The 
invasion  of  Attila  is  described  by  Mr.  Gibbon  in  this  general 
language :  '  The  whole  breadth  of  Enroj^e,  as  it  extends  above 
live  hundred  miles  from  the  Euxine  to  the  Adriatic,  was  at 
once  invaded,  and  occupied,  and  desolated,  by  the  myriads  of 
barbarians  whom  Attila  led  into  the  field.'  " 

"And  the  Name  of  the  Star  is  Called  Wonniuood  [denot- 
ing the  bitter  consequences]."  These  words  —  which  are 
more  intimately  connected  with  the  preceding  verse,  as  even 
the  punctuation  in  our  version  denotes  —  recall  us  for  a  mo- 
ment to  the  character  of  Attila,  to  the  misery  of  which  he  was 
the  author  or  the  instrument,  and  to  the  terror  that  was  in- 
spired by  his  name. 

"  '  Total  extirpation  and  erasure,'  are  terms  which  best  de- 
note the  calamities  he  inflicted."  He  styled  himself,  "  The 
Scourge  of  God." 

'^  One  of  his  lieutenants  chastised  and  almost  exterminated 
the  Eurgundians  of  the  Rhine.  They  traversed,  both  in  their 
march  and  in  their  return,  the  territories  of  the  Franks ;  and 
they  massacred  their  hostages  as  well  as  their  captives.  Two 
hundred  young  maidens  were  tortured  with  exquisite  and  un- 
relenting rage ;  their  bodies  were  torn  asunder  by  wild  horses, 
or  were  crushed  under  the  weight  of  rolling  wagons ;  and  their 
unburied  limbs  were  abandoned  on  public  roads,  as  a  prey  to 
dogs  and  vultures. 

''  It  was  the  boast  of  Attila  that  the  grass  never  grew  on 
the  spot  which  his  horse  had  trod.  The  Western  emperor  with 
the  senate  and  people  of  Rome,  humbly  and  fearfvilly  depre- 
cated the  wrath  of  Attila.  And  the  concluding  paragraph  of 
the  chapters  which  record  his  history,  is  entitled,  '  Symptoms 
of  the  Decay  and  Ruin  of  the  Roman  Government.'  '  The 
name  of  the  star  is  called  Wormwood.'" — Keith. 

Verse  12.  And  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  third  part  of  the 
sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the  third  part 
of  the  stars ;  so  as  the  third  part  of  them  was  darkened,  and  the  day 
shone  not  for  a  third  part  of  it,  and  the  night  likewise. 

We  understand  that  this  trumpet  symbolizes  the  career  of 
Odoacer,  the  barbarian  monarch  who  was  so  intimately  con.- 
35 


552  THE  REVELATION 

nected  with  the  downfall  of  ^yestel•n  Rome.  The  symhols  sun, 
moon,  and  stars  —  for  they  are  undoubtedly  here  used  as  sym- 
bols —  evidently  denote  the  great  luminaries  of  the  Roman 
government,- — •  its  emj^erors,  senators,  and  consuls.  Bishop 
Newton  remarks  that  the  last  emperor  of  AVestern  Rome  ^^'as 
Romulus,  who  in  derision  was  called  Augusiulus,  or  the  ''  dim- 
inutive Augustus."  Western  Rome  fell  a.  d.  -170.  Still, 
however,  though  the  Roman  sun  was  extinguished,  its  subor- 
dinate luminaries  shone  faintly  while  the  senate  and  consuls 
continued.  But  after  many  civil  reverses  and  changes  of 
l)olitical  fortune,  at  length,  a.  d.  5G(»,  the  whole  form  of  the 
ancient  government  Avas  subverted,  and  Rome  itself  was  re- 
duced from  being  the  empress  of  the  world  to  a  poor  dukedom 
tributary  to  the  Exarch  of  Ravenna. 

Under  the  heading,  "  Extinction  of  the  AVestern  Empire, 
A.  D.  476  or  A.  B.  470,"  Elder  J.  Litch  (Prophetic  Exposition, 
A^ol.  II,  pp.   156-100)  quotes  from  Mr.  Keith  as  follows: — 

''  The  unfortunate  Augnstulus  was  made  the  instrument  of 
his  owTi  disgrace ;  and  he  signified  his  resignation  to  the  senate ; 
and  that  assembly,  in  their  last  act  of  obedience  to  a  Roman 
prince,  still  aifected  the  spirit  of  freedom  and  the  forms  of  the 
constitution.  An  epistle  A\'as  addressed,  by  their  unanimous 
decree,  to  the  emperor  Zeno,  the  son-in-laAv  and  successor  of 
Leo,  who  had  lately  been  restored,  after  a  short  rebellion,  to 
the  Byzantine  throne.  They  solemnly  '  disclaim  the  necessity 
or  even  the  wish  of  continuing  any  longer  the  imperial  suc- 
cession in  Italy;  since  in  their  opinion  the  majesty  of  a  sole 
monarch  is  sufficient  to  pervade  and  to  protect,  at  the  same  time, 
both  the  East  and  the  AVest.  In  their  own  name,  and  in  the 
name  of  the  people,  they  consent  that  the  seat  of  universal 
empire  shall  be  transferred  from  Rome  to  Constantinople ;  and 
they  basely  renoimce  the  right  of  choosing  their  master,  the 
only  vestige  which  yet  remained  of  the  authority  Avhich  had 
given  laws  of  the  world.' 

"  The  power  and  glory  of  Rome  as  bearing  ride  over  any 
nation,  became  extinct.  Tlie  name  alone  remained  to  the  queen 
of  nations.  Every  token  of  royalty  disappeared  from  the  im- 
perial city.      She  who  had  ruled  over  the  nations  sat  in  the 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSE  12  553 

dust,  like  a  second  Babylon,  and  there  was  no  throne  where 
the  Cfesars  had  reigned.  The  last  act  of  obedience  to  a  Roman 
prince  which  that  once  august  assembly  performed,  was  the 
acceptance  of  the  resignation  of  the  last  emperor  of  the  West, 
and  tlie  abolition  of  the  imperial  succession  in  Italy.  The  sun 
of  Rome  was  smitten.  .  .  . 

"A  new  conqueror  of  Italy,  Theodoric,  the  Ostrogoth,  speed- 
ily arose,  who  unscrupulously  assumed  the  purple,  and  reigiied 
by  right  of  conquest.  '  The  royalty  of  Theodoric  was  pro- 
claimed by  the  Goths  (March  5,  a.  d.  493),  with  the  tardy, 
reluctant,  ambiguous  consent  of  the  emj^eror  of  the  East.' 
The  imperial  Roman  j)ower,  of  which  either  Rome  or  Con- 
stantinople had  been  jointly  or  singly  the  seat,  whether  in  the 
West  or  the  East,  was  no  longer  recognized  in  Italy,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  sun  was  smitten,  till  it  emitted  no  longer 
the  faintest  rays.  The  power  of  the  Caesars  was  unknown 
in  Italy;   and  a   Gothic  king  reigned  over   Rome. 

''  But  though  the  third  part  of  the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the 
Roman  imperial  power  was  at  an  end  in  the  city  of  the  C?esars, 
yet  the  moon  and  the  stars  still  shone,  or  glimmered,  for  a  little 
longer  in  the  Western  empire,  even  in  the  midst  of  Gothic  dark- 
ness. The  consuhliip  and  the  senate  [''the  moon  and  the 
stars  "]  were  not  abolished  by  Theodoric.  'A  Gothic  historian 
applauds  the  consulship  of  Theodoric  as  the  height  of  all  tem- 
poral power  and  greatness ;  ' —  as  the  moon  reigns  by  night, 
after  the  setting  of  the  sun.  And  instead  of  abolishing  that 
office,  Theodoric  himself  '  congratulates  those  annual  favorites 
of  fortune,  who,  without  the  cares,  enjoyed  the  splendor  of 
the  throne.' 

"  But  in  their  prophetic  order,  the  consulship  and  the  sen- 
ate of  Rome  met  their  fate,  though  they  fell  not  by  the  hands 
of  Vandals  or  of  Goths.  The  next  revolution  in  Italy  was  in 
subjection  to  Belisarius,  the  general  of  Justinian,  emperor  of 
the  East.  lie  did  not  spare  what  barbarians  had  hallowed. 
'  The  Roman  Consulship  Extinguished  by  Justinian,  a.  d.  541,' 
is  the  title  of  the  last  paragraph  of  the  fortieth  chapter  of 
Gibbon's  History  of  the  Decline  and  Eall  of  Rome.  '  The 
succession  of  the  consuls  finallv  ceased  in  the  thirteenth  vear 


554  THE  REVELATION 

of  Justinian,  Avliose  despotic  temper  niigiit  be  gratified  by  the 
silent  extinction  of  a  title  M'hicli  admonished  the  llomans  of 
their  ancient  freedom.'  The  third  part  of  the  sun  was  smit- 
ten, and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the  third  part  of  the 
stars.  In  the  political  firinament  of  the  ancient  world,  while 
under  the  reign  of  imperial  Rome,  the  emj)erorsliip,  the  consul- 
ate, and  the  senate  shone  like  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars. 
The  history  of  their  decline  and  fall  is  brought  down  till  the 
two  former  were  '  extinguished,'  in  reference  to  Rome  and 
Italy,  which  so  long  had  ranked  as  the  first  of  cities  and  of 
countries;  and  finally,  as  the  fourth  trumpet  closes,  we  see  the 
'  extinction  of  that  illustrious  assembly,'  the  Roman  senate. 
The  city  that  had  ruled  the  w^orld,  as  if  in  mockery  of  human 
greatness,  was  conquered  by  the  eunuch  Xarses,  the  successor 
of  Belisarius.  He  defeated  the  Goths  (a.  .d.  552),  achieved 
'  the  conquest  of  Rome,'  and  the  fate  of  the  senate  was  sealed." 

Elliott  (Hora?  Apocalyptic^,  Vol.  I,  pp.  357-360)  speaks 
of  the  fulfilment  of  this  portion  of  the  prophecy  in  the  extinc- 
tion of  the  Western  empire,   as  follows: — 

"  Thus  was  the  final  catastrophe  preparing,  by  which  the 
Western  emperors  and  empire  were  to  become  extinct.  The 
glory  of  Rome  had  long  departed;  its  provinces  one  after 
another  had  been  rent  from  it ;  the  territory  still  attached  to  it 
become  like  a  desert ;  and  its  maritime  possessions  and  its 
fleets  and  commerce  been  annihilated.  Little  remained  to  it 
but  the  vain  titles  and  insignia  of  sovereignty.  And  noAV  the 
time  was  come  when  these  too  were  to  be  withdrawn.  Some 
twenty  years  or  more  from  the  death  of  Attila,  and  much  less 
from  that  of  Genseric  (who,  ere  his  death,  had  indeed  visited 
and  ravaged  the  eternal  city  in  one  of  his  maritime  marauding 
expeditions,  and  thus  yet  more  prepared  the  coming  consunnna- 
tion),  about  this  time,  I  say,  Odoacer,  chief  of  the  Ileruli, —  a 
barbarian  remnant  of  the  host  of  Attila,  left  on  the  Alpine 
frontiers  of  Italy, —  interposed  wifli  liis  command  that  the  name 
and  the  office  of  Roman  emperor  of  the  ^yest,  should  be  abol- 
ished. The  authorities  bowed  in  submission  to  him.  The  last 
pliantom  of  an  emperor — -one  whose  name,  Romulus  Augustus, 
was  singularly  calculated  to  bring  in  contrast  before  the  reflect- 


SURRENDER     OF     WESTERN      ROME     TO     ODOACER 


CHAPTER  8,  VERSE  12  557 

ive  mind  the  past  glories  of  Rome  and  its  present  degradation 
—  abdicated ;  and  the  senate  sent  away  the  imperial  insignia 
to  Constantinople,  professing  to  the  emperor  of  the  East  that 
one  emperor  was  sufficient  for  the  whole  of  the  empire.  Thus 
of  the  lloman  imperial  sun,  that  third  which  appertained  to 
the  ^^'estern  empire  was  eclipsed,  and  shone  no  more.  I  say, 
That  third  of  its  orb  which  ajDpertained  to  the  Western  empire; 
for  the  Apocalyptic  fraction  is  literally  accurate.  In  the  last 
arrangement  between  the  two  courts,  the  whole  of  the  lllyrian 
third  had  been  made  over  to  the  Eastern,  division.  Thus  in 
the  West  '  the  extinction  of  the  empire '  had  taken  place ; 
the  night  had  fallen. 

"  I^otwithstanding  this,  however,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  authority  of  the  Roman  name  had  not  yet  entirely 
ceased.  The  senate  of  Rome  continued  to  assemble  as  usual. 
The  consuls  were  appointed  yearly,  one  by  the  Eastern  emperor, 
one  by  Italy  and  Rome.  Odoacer  himself  governed  Italy  under 
a  title  (that  of  patrician)  conferred  on  him  by  the  Eastern 
emperor.  And  as  regarded  the  more  distant  AVestern  provinces, 
or  at  least  considerable  districts  in  them,  the  tie  which  had 
united  them  to  the  Roman  empire  was  not  altogether  severed. 
There  was  still  a  certain,  though  often  faint,  recognition  of  the 
supreme  imperial  authority.  The  moon  and  the  stars  might 
seem  still  to  shine  on  the  West  with  a  dim  reflected  light.  In 
the  course  of  the  events,  however,  which  rapidly  followed  one 
on  the  other  in  the  next  half  century,  these,  too,  were  extin- 
guished. Theodoric,  the  Ostrogoth,  on  destroying  the  lleruli 
and  their  kingdom  at  Rome  and  Ravenna,  ruled  in  Italy  from 
A.  D.  49.3  to  526  as  an  independent  sovereign;  and  on  Relisa- 
rius's  and  ]^arses's  conquest  of  Italy  from  the  Ostrogoths  (a 
conquest  preceded  by  wars  and  desolations  in  which  Italy,  and 
above  all  its  seven-hilled  city,  were  for  a  time  almost  made 
desert),  the  Roman  senate  was  dissolved,  the  consulship  abro- 
gated. Moreover,  as  regards  the  barbaric  princes  of  the  West- 
ern provinces,  their  independence  of  the  Roman  imperial  power 
became  now  more  distinctly  averred  and  understood.  After 
aboA^e  a  century  and  a  half  of  calamities  unexampled  almost,  as 
Dr.  Robertson  most  truly  represents  it,  in  the  history  of  nations. 


558  THE  REVELATION 

the  statement  of  Jerome, —  a  statement  couched  under  the  very 
Apocalyptic  figure  of  the  text,  but  prematurely  pronounced  on 
the  first  taking  of  Rome  by  Alaric, —  might  be  considered  as  at 
length  accomplished:  '  Clarissimum  terrarum  lumen  extinctum 
est,'  '  The  world's  glorious  sun  has  been  extinguished ;  '  and 
that,  too,  which  our  own  poet  has  expressed,  still  under  the 
same  beautifully  appropriate  Apocalyptic  imagery, — 
'  She  saw  her  glories  star  by  star  expire,' 

till  not  even  a  single  star  remained,  to  glimmer  en  the  vacant 
and  dark  night." 

The  fearful  ravages  of  these  barbarian  hordes,  who,  under 
their  bold  but  cruel  and  desperate  leaders,  devastated  Rome, 
are  vividly  portrayed  in  the  following  spirited  lines : — 

"And  then  a  dehige  of  wrath  it  came, 
And  the  nations  shook  with  dread; 
And  it  swept  the  earth,  till  its  fields  were  flame. 

And  piled  with  the  mingled  dead. 
Kings  were  rolled  in  the  wasteful  flood, 
■  With  the  low  and  crouching  slave, 
And  together  lay,  in  a  shroud  of  blood. 
The  coward  and  the  brave." 

Fearful  as  were  the  calamities  brought  upon  the  empire  by 
the  first  incursions  of  these  barbarians,  they  were  comparatively 
light  as  contrasted  with  the  calamities  which  were  to  follow. 
They  were  but  as  the  preliminary  drops  of  a  shower  before  the 
torrent  Avhicli  was  soon  to  fall  upon  the  Roman  world.  The 
three  remaining  trumpets  are  overshadowed  Avith  a  cloud  of 
woe,  as  set  forth  in  the  following  verses. 

Verse  13.  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying  through  the 
midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  in- 
habiters  of  the  earth  by  reason  of  the  other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of 
the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to  sound. 

This  angel  is  not  one  of  the  series  of  the  seven  trumpet 
angels,  but  simply  one  who  announces  that  the  three  remaining 
trumpets  are  woe  trumpets,  on  account  of  the  more  terrible 
events  to  transpire  under  their  sounding.  Thus  the  next,  or 
fifth  trumpet,  is  the  first  woe ;  the  sixth  trumpet,  the  second 
woe ;  and  the  seventh,  the  last  one  in  this  series  of  seven 
trumpets,  is  the  third  woe. 


WOE,  WOE,  WOE,  TO  THE  INHABITERS  OF  THE  EARTHl" 


Verse  1.  And  the  fifth  angel  sonnded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall  from 
heaven  nntu  the  earth:  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  of  the  bottom- 
less pit. 

FOR  an  exposition  of  this  trunijjct,  avc  shall  again  draw 
from  the  writings  of  Mr.  Keith.  This  Avriter  trnthfnlly 
says:  "  There  is  scarcely  so  uniform  an  agreement  among 
interpreters  concerning  any  other  part  of  the  Apocalypse  as  re- 
specting tlie  ap])lication  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  trumpets,  or  the 
first  and  second  woes,  to  the  Saracens  and  Turks.  It  is  so 
obvious  that  it  can  scarcely  be  misunderstood.  Instead  of  a 
verse  or  two  designating  each,  the  whole  of  the  ninth  chapter 
of  the  Revelation,  in  equal  portions,  is  occupied  with  a  de- 
scrii)tion  of  both. 

"  The  Roman  em2)ire  declined,  as  it  arose,  l)y  conquest ; 
but  the  Saracens  and  the  Turks  were  the  instruments  by  which 
a  false  religion  l)ecanie  the  scourge  of  an  apostate  church ;  and 
hence,  instead  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  trumpets,  like  the  former, 
being   designated   by   that   name   alone,    they   are   called   woes. 

"  Constantinople  was  besieged,  for  the  first  time  after  the 
extinction  of  the  AVestern  empire,  by  Chosroes,  the  king  of 
Persia." 

^'A  star  fell  from  heaven  unto  the  earth;  and  to  him  was 
given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit." 

"  While  the  Persian  monarch  contemplated  the  wonders  of 
his  art  and  power,  he  received  an  epistle  from  an  obscure  citi- 
zen of  Mecca,  'inviting  him  to  acknowledge  Mohannued  as  the 

(561) 


562  THE  BEY  ELATION 

apostle  of  God.  He  rejected  the  invitation,  and  tore  the 
epistle.  '  It  is  thus/  exclaimed  the  Arabian  prophet,  *  that 
God  will  tear  the  kingxlom,  and  reject  the  supplication  of 
Chosroes.'  Placed  on  the  verge  of  these  two  empires  of  the 
East,  Mohammed  observed  with  secret  joy  the  progress  of 
mutual  destruction;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  Persian  triumphs 
he  ventured  to  foretell,  that,  before  many  years  should  elapse, 
Adctory  would  again  return  to  the  banners  of  the  Romans.  'At 
the  time  when  this  prediction  is  said  to  have  been  delivered,  no 
prophecy  could  be  more  distant  from  its  accomplishment  (  !  ) 
since  the  first  tweh'e  years  of  Heraclius  announced  the  ap- 
jjroaching   dissolution   of   the   empire.' 

"  It  was  not,  like  that  designative  of  x\ttila,  on  a  single 
spot  that  the  star  fell,  but  upoisr  the  earth. 

"  Chosroes  subjugated  the  Roman  possessions  in  Asia  and 
Africa.  And  '  the  Roman  empire,'  at  that  period,  '  was  re- 
duced to  the  Avails  of  Constantinople,  with  the  remnant  of 
Greece,  Italy,  and  Africa,  and  some  maritime  cities,  from 
Tyre  to  Trebizond,  of  the  Asiatic  coast.  The  experience  of 
six  years  at  length  persuaded  the  Persian  monarch  to  renounce 
the  conquest  of  Constantinople,  and  to  specify  the  annual  trib- 
ute of  the  ransom  of  the  Roman  empire, —  a  thousand  talents 
of  gold,  a  thousand  talents  of  silver,  a  thousand  silk  robes,  a 
thousand  horses,  and  a  thousand  virgins.  Heraclius  subscribed 
to  these  ignominious  terms.  But  the  time  and  space  which 
he  obtained  to  collect  those  treasures  from  the  poverty  of  the 
East,  were  industriously  employed  in  the  preparation  of  a 
bold  and  desperate  attack.' 

"  The  king  of  Persia  despised  the  obscure  Saracen,  and 
derided  the  message  of  the  pretended  prophet  of  j\Iecca.  Even 
the  overthrow  of  the  Roman  empire  would  not  have  opened  a 
door  for  Mohammedanism,  or  for  the  progress  of  the  Saracenic 
armed  propagators  of  an  imposture,  though  the  monarch  of 
the  Persians  and  chagan  of  the  Avars  (the  successor  of  Attila) 
had  divided  between  them  the  remains  of  the  kingdoms  of  the 
CaBsars.  Chosroes  himself  fell.  The  Persian  and  Roman 
monarchies  exhausted  each  other's  strength.  And  before  a 
sword  was  j^ut   into   the   hands   of  tho   false  prophet,   it  was 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSE  1  563 

smitten  from  the  hands  of  those  who  would  have  checked  his 
career  and  crushed  his  power. 

"''  '  Since  the  days  of  Scipio  and  Hannibal,  no  bolder  enter- 
prise has  been  attempted  than  that  which  Heraclius  achieved 
for  the  deliverance  of  the  empire.  He  explored  his  perilous 
way  through  the  Black  Sea  and  the  mountains  of  Armenia, 
penetrated  into  the  heart  of  Persia,  and  recalled  the  armies  of 
the  great  king  to  the  defense  of  their  bleeding  country.'  " 

"  In  the  battle  of  Nineveh,  which  was  fiercely  fought  from 
daybreak  to  the  eleventh  hour,  twenty-eight  standards,  besides 
those  which  might  be  broken  or  torn,  were  taken  from  the 
Persians ;  the  greatest  part  of  their  army  was  cut  in  pieces, 
and  the  victors,  concealing  their  own  loss,  passed  the  night 
on  the  field.  The  cities  and  palaces  of  Assyria  were  opened 
for  the  first  time  to  the  Romans." 

"  The  Roman  emperor  was  not  strengthened  by  the  con- 
quests Avhich  he  achieved ;  and  a  way  was  prepared  at  the  same 
time,  and  by  the  same  means,  for  the  multitudes  of  Saracens 
from  Arabia,  like  locusts  from  the  same  region,  who,  propa- 
gating in  their  course  the  dark  and  delusive  Mohammedan 
creed,  speedily  overspread  both  the  Persian  and  the  Roman 
empire. 

"  More  complete  illustration  of  this  fact  could  not  be  de- 
sired than  is  supplied  in  the  concluding  words  of  the  chapter 
from  Gibbon,  from  M^hich  the  preceding  extracts  are  taken." 
"Although  a  victorious  army  had  been  formed  under  the  stand- 
ard of  Heraclius,  the  unnatural  effort  seems  to  have  exhausted 
rather  than  exercised  their  strength.  AMiile  the  emperor  tri- 
umphed at  Constantinople  or  Jerusalem,  an  obscure  town  on 
the  confines  of  Syria  Avas  pillaged  by  the  Saracens,  and  they 
cut  in  pieces  some  troops  who  advanced  to  its  relief, —  an 
ordinary  and  trifling  occurrence,  had  it  not  been  the  prelude 
of  a  mighty  revolution.  These  robbers  were  the  apostles  of 
Mohammed ;  their  frantic  vaIoy  had  emerged  from  the  desert ; 
and  in  the  last  eight  years  of  his  reign,  Heraclius  lost  to  the 
Arabs  the  same  provinces  which  he  had  rescued  from  the 
Persians." 

"  '  The  spirit  of  fraud  and  enthusiasm,  whose  abode  is  not 


564  THE  REVELATION 

in  the  lieaveus/  was  let  loose  on  earth.  The  bottomless  pit 
needed  but  a  key  to  open  it,  and  that  hey  was  the  fall  of  Chos- 
roes.  He  had  contemptuously  torn  the  letter  of  an  obscure 
citizen  of  Mecca,  But  when  from  his  '  blaze  of  glory '  he  sunk 
into  the  '  tower  of  darkness  '  which  no  eye  could  penetrate,  the 
name  of  Chosroes  was  suddenly  to  j^ass  into  oblivion  before 
that  of  Mohannned ;  and  the  crescent  seemed  but  to  wait  its 
rising  till  the  falling  of  the  star.  Chosroes,  after  his  entire 
discomfiture  and  loss  of  empire,  was  murdered  in  the  year 
028 ;  and  the  year  G2U  is  marked  by  '  the  conquest  of  Arabia,' 
and  '  the  first  war  of  the  Mohammedans  against  the  Roman 
empire.'  'And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall 
from  heaven  unto  the  earth;  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  of 
the  bottomless  pit.  And  he  opened  the  bottondess  pit.'  He 
fell  imto  the  earth.  AVhen  the  strength  of  the  Roman  empire 
was  exhausted,  and  the  great  king  of  the  East  lay  dead  in  his 
tower  of  darkness,  the  pillage  of  an  obscure  town  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Syria  was  '  the  prelude  of  a  mighty  revolution.'  '  The 
robbers  were  the  apostles  of  Alohammed,  and  their  frantic  valor 
emerged  from  the  desert.'  " 

The  Bottomless  Pit. —  The  meaning  of  this  term  may  be 
learned  from  the  Greek  afSvaa-o?,  which  is  defined  "  deep,  bot- 
tomless, profound,"  and  juay  refer  to  any  waste,  desolate,  and 
uncultivated  place.  It  is  applied  to  the  earth  in  its  original 
state  of  chaos.  Gen.  1 :  2.  In  this  instance  it  may  apjn-o- 
priately  refer  to  the  unknown  wastes  of  the  Arabian  desert, 
from  the  borders  of  which  issued  the  hordes  of  Saracens,  like 
swarms  of  locusts.  And  the  fall  of  Chosroes,  the  Persian  king, 
may  well  be  represented  as  the  opening  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
inasmuch  as  it  prepared  the  way  for  the  followers  of  Moham- 
med to  issue  from  their  obscure  country,  and  propagate  their 
delusive  doctrines  with  fire  and  sword,  till  they  had  spread 
their  darkness  over  all  the  Eastern  empire. 

Versk  2.  And  lie  opened  the  bottomless  pit;  and  there  arose  a 
smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace;  and  the  sun  and 
the  air  were  darkened  by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit. 

'"  Like  tlie  noxious  and  even  deadly  vaj^ors  Avhich  the  wimls, 
particularly  fnuii  llic  soutliwcsl,  <liffns('  in  Arabia,  ArohauinKMJ- 


■■Ijjf"" 


f't^2;U^^///  '^ 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  2-k  567 

anisin  spread  from  thence  its  pestilential  influence, —  arose  as 
suddenly  and  spread  as  widely  as  smoke  arising  out  of  the  pit, 
the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace.  Such  is  a  suitable  symbol  of 
the  religion  of  ]\Iohammed,  of  itself,  or  as  compared  with  the 
pure  light  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus.  It  was  not,  like  the  latter, 
a  light  from  heaven,  but  a  smoke  out  of  the  bottomless  pit." 

Verse  3.  And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts  upon  the  earth : 
and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have 
power. 

''A  false  religion  was  set  up,  which,  although  the  scourge 
of  transgressions  and  idolatry,  filled  the  world  with  darkness 
and  delusion;  and  swarms  of  Saracens,  like  locusts,  overspread 
the  earth,  and  speedily  extended  their  ravages  over  the  Roman 
empire  from  east  to  west.  The  hail  descended  from  the  frozen 
shores  of  the  Baltic ;  the  burning  mountain  fell  upon  the  sea 
from  Africa;  and  the  locusts  (the  fit  symbol  of  the  Arabs) 
issued  from  Arabia,  their  native  region.  They  came  as  de- 
stroyers, propagating  a  new  doctrine,  and  stirred  up  to  rapine 
and  violence  by  motives  of  interest  and  religion. 

"A  still  more  specific  illustration  may  be  given  of  the 
power  like  unto  that  of  scorpions,  which  was  given  them. 
Xot  only  was  their  attack  speedy  and  vigorous,  but  '  the  nice 
sensibility  of  honor,  which  weighs  the  insult  rather  than  the 
injury,  shed  its  deadly  venom  on  the  quarrels  of  the  Arabs; 
an  indecent  action,  a  contemptuous  word,  can  be  expiated  only 
by  the  blood  of  the  offender;  and  such  is  their  patient  inveter- 
acy, that  they  expect  Avhole  months  and  years  the  opportunity 
of  revenge.'  " 

Verse  4.  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they  should  not  hurt 
the  grass  of  the  earth,  neither  any  green  thing,  neither  any  tree; 
but  only  those  men  which  have  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads. 

After  the  death  of  Mohammed,  he  was  succeeded  in  the 
command  by  Abubekr,  a.  d.  632,  who,  as  soon  as  he  had 
fairly  established  his  authority  and  government,  dispatched  a 
circular  letter  to  the  Arabian  tribes,  from  which  the  following 
is  an  extract : — 

"  '  AVhen  you  fight  the  battles  of  the  Lord,  acquit  yourselves 
36  "  " 


568  THE  REVELATION 

like  men,  without  turning  jour  backs ;  but  let  not  your  victory 
be  stained  with  the  blood  of  women  and  children.  Destroy  no 
palm-trees,  nor  burn  any  fields  of  corn.  Cut  doAvn  no  fruit- 
trees,  nor  do  any  mischief  to  cattle,  only  such  as  you  kill  to 
eat.  When  you  make  any  covenant  or  article,  stand  to  it,  and 
be  as  good  as  your  word.  And  as  you  go,  you  will  find  some 
religious  persons  who  live  retired  in  monasteries,  and  propose 
to  themselves  to  serve  God  that  way;  let  them  alone,  and 
neither  kill  them  nor  destroy  their  monasteries.  And  you 
will  find  another  sort  of  people  that  belong  to  the  synagogue 
of  Satan,  who  have  shaven  crowns;  be  sure  you  cleave  their 
skulls,  and  give  them  no  quarter  till  they  either  turn  ]\ioham- 
medans  or  pay  tribute.' 

"  It  is  not  said  in  prophecy  or  in  history  that  the  more 
humane  injunctions  were  as  scrupulously  obeyed  as  the  fero- 
cious mandate ;  but  it  was  so  commanded  them.  And  the  pre- 
ceding are  the  only  instructions  recorded  by  Gibbon,  as  given 
by  Almbekr  to  the  chiefs  whose  duty  it  was  to  issue  the  com- 
mands to  all  the  Saracen  hosts.  The  commands  are  alike  dis- 
criminating with  the  prediction,  as  if  the  cali])h  himself  had 
been  acting  in.  known  as  well  as  direct  obedience  to  a  higher 
mandate  than  that  of  mortal  man;  and  in  the  very  act  of 
going  forth  to  fight  against  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  to  propa- 
gate Mohammedanism  in  its  stead,  he  repeated  the  words  which 
it  was  foretold  in  the  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  that  he 
would   say." 

The  Seal  of  God  in  Their  Foreheads. —  In  remarks  upon 
chapter  7:1-3,  we  have  shown  that  the  seal  of  God  is  the 
Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment ;  and  history  is  not  silent 
upon  the  fact  that  there  have  been  observers  of  the  true  Sab- 
bath all  through  the  present  dispensation.  But  the  question 
has  here  arisen  with  many.  Who  Avere  those  men  who  at  this 
time  had  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  and  who  thereby 
became  exempt  from  Mohammedan  oppression  ?  Let  the 
reader  bear  in  mind  the  fact,  already  alluded  to,  that  there 
have  been  those  all  through  this  dispensation  who  ha\"e  had 
the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  or  have  been  intelligent 
observers  of  the  true  Sabbath;  and  let  them  consider  further 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSE  ^  561) 

that  "what  the  prophecy  asserts  is  that  the  attacks  of  this  deso- 
lating Turkish  power  are  not  directed  against  them,  but  against 
another  class.  The  subject  is  thus  freed  from  all  difficulty; 
for  this  is  all  that  the  prophecy  really  asserts.  Only  one  class 
of  persons  is  directly  brought  to  view  in  the  text ;  namely, 
those  who  have  not  the  seal  ^of  God  in  their  foreheads ;  and 
the  preservation  of  those  who  have  the  seal  of  God  is  brought 
in  only  by  implication.  ^Vccordingiy,  we  do  not  learn  from 
history  that  any  of  these  were  involved  in  any  of  the  calami- 
ties inflicted  by  the  Saracens  upon  the  objects  of  their  hate. 
They  were  commissioned  against  another  class  of  men.  And 
the  destruction  to  come  upon  this  class  of  men  is  not  put  in 
contrast  with  the  j)reservation  of  other  men,  but  only  with 
that  of  the  fruits  and  verdure  of  the  earth  \  thus.  Hurt  not 
the  grass,  trees,  nor  any  green  thing,  but  only  a  certain  class 
of  men.  xVnd  in  fultilmcnt,  we  have  the  strange  spectacle  of 
an  army  of  invaders  sparing  those  things  which  such  armies 
usually  destroy,  namely,  the  face  and  productions  of  nature; 
and,  in  pursuance  of  their  permission  to  hurt  those  men  who 
had  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  cleaving  the  skulls 
of  a  class  of  religionists  with  shaven  crowns,  who  belonged  to 
the  synagogue  of  Satan. 

These  were  doubtless  a  class  of  monks,  or  some  other  divi- 
sion of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Against  these  the  arms 
of  the  Mohammedans  were  directed.  And  it  seems  to  us  that 
there  is  a  peculiar  fitness,  if  not  desigii,  in  describing  them  as 
those  who  had  not  tlie  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads ;  inasmuch 
as  that  is  the  very  church  which  has  robbed  the  law  of  God  of 
its  seal,  by  tearing  away  the  true  Sabbath,  and  erecting  a  coun- 
terfeit in  its  place.  And  we  do  not  understand,  either  from  the 
prophecy  or  from  history,  that  those  persons  whom  Abubekr 
charged  his  followers  not  to  molest  were  in  possession  of  the 
seal  of  God,  or  necessarily  constituted  the  people  of  God. 
Who  they  were,  and  for  what  reason  they  were  spared,  the 
meager  testimony  of  Gibbon  does  not  inform  us,  and  we  have 
no  other  means  of  knowing;  but  we  have  every  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  none  of  those  who  had  the  seal  of  God  were  mo- 
lested, while  another  class,  who  emphatically  had  it  not,  were 


5Y0  THE  REVELATION 

put  to  the  sword;  aud  thus  the  specifications  of  the  prophecy 
are  amply  met. 

Verse  o.  And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they  should  not  kill  them, 
but  that  they  should  be  tormented  five  months ;  and  their  torment  was 
as  the  torment  of  a  scorpion,  when  he  striketh  a  man. 

"  Their  constant  incursions  into  the  Koman  territory,  and 
frequent  assaults  on  Constantinople  itself,  were  an  unceasing- 
torment  throughout  the  empire;  and  yet  they  were  not  ahle 
effectually  to  subdue  it,  notwithstanding  the  long  period,  after- 
ward more  directly  alluded  to,  during  Avliich  they  continued,  by 
unremitting  attacks,  grievously  to  afflict  an  idolatrous  church, 
of  which  the  pope  was  the  head.  Their  charge  was  to  torment, 
and  then  to  hurt,  but  not  to  kill,  or  utterly  destroy.  The 
marvel  was  that  they  did  not."  (In  reference  to  the  five 
months,   see  on  verse   10.) 

Verse  6.  And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death,  and  shall  not 
find  it ;  and  shall  desire  to  die,  and  death  shall  flee  from  them. 

''  Men  Avere  weary  of  life,  when  life  was  spared  only  for  a 
reneAval  of  woe,  and  when  all  that  they  accounted  sacred  was 
violated,  and  all  that  they  held  dear  constantly  endangered, 
and  the  savage  Saracens  domineered  over  them,  or  left  them 
only  to  a  momentary  repose,  ever  liable  to  be  suddenly  or 
violently  interrupted,   as  if  by  the  sting  of   a  scorpion." 

Verse  7.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto  horses  pre- 
pared unto  battle;  and  on  their  heads  were  as  it  were  crowns  like 
gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men. 

"  The  Arabian  horse  takes  the  lead  throughout  the  world ; 
and  skill  in  horsemanship  is  the  art  and  science  of  Arabia. 
And  the  barbed  Arabs,  swift  as  locusts  and  armed  like  scor- 
pions, ready  to  dart  away  in  a  moment,  were  ever  prepared 
unto  battle. 

"  ^And  on  Iheir  heads  were  as  it  were  crowns  like  gold.' 
When  Mohammed  entered  Medina  (a.  d.  622),  and  was  first 
received  as  its  prince,  ^  a  turban  was  unfurled  before  him  to 
supply  the  deficiency  of  a  standard.'  The  turbans  of  the 
Saracens    like  unto  a  coronet,  were  their  ornament  and  their 


SARACEN    WAIF'=ilOR 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  1 -10  573 

boast.  The  rich  hooiy  abundantly  supplied  and  frequently 
renewed  them.  To  assiune  the  turban  is  proverbially  to  turn 
Mussulman.  And  the  Arabs  were  anciently  distinguished  by 
the  miters  which  they  wore. 

"  'And  their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men.'  '  The  gravity 
and  firmness  of  the  mind  of  the  Arab  is  conspicuous  in  his  out- 
ward demeanor ;  his  only  gesture  is  that  of  stroking  his  beard, 
the  venerable  symbol  of  manhood.'  '  The  honor  of  their 
beards  is  most  easily  wounded.'  " 

Verse  8.  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth 
were  as  the  teeth  of  lions. 

"  Long  hair  "  is  esteemed  an  ornament  by  women.       The 

Arabs,  unlike  other  men,  had  their  hair  as  the  hair  of  women, 

or  uncut,   as  their  practice  is  recorded  by  Pliny  and  others. 

But  there  was  nothing  effeminate  in  their  character;   for,   as 

denoting  their  ferocity  and  strength  to  devour,  their  teeth  were 

as  the  teeth  of  lions. 
< 

^'ERSE  9.  And  they  had  breastplates,  as  it  were  breastplates  of 
iron;  and  the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of 
many  horses  running  to  battle. 

The  Breastplate. —  "  The  cuirass  (or  breastplate)  was  in 
use  among  the  Arabs  in  the  days  of  ^lohammed.  In  the  bat- 
tle of  Oliud  (the  second  which  Mohammed  fought)  with  the 
Koreish  of  Mecca  (a.  d.  62-i),  '  seven  hundred  of  them  were 
armed  with  cuirasses.'  " 

The  Sound  of  Their  ^Yings. —  '^  The  charge  of  the  Arabs 
was  not,  like  that  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  the  efforts  of  a 
firm  and  compact  infantry ;  their  military  force  was  chiefly 
formed  of  cavalry  and  archers.  With  a  touch  of  the  hand, 
the  Arab  horses  darted  away  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind. 
"  The  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of 
many  horses  running  to  battle."  Their  conquests  were  mar- 
velous both  in  rapidity  and  extent,  and  their  attack  was  in- 
stantaneous, ^ov  was  it  less  successful  against  the  Ronums 
than  the  Persians." 

Verse  10.  And  they  had  tails  like  mito  scorpions,  and  there  were 
stings  in  their  tails :  and  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five  montlis. 


574  THE  REVELATION 

11.  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of  the  bottom- 
less pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the 
Greek  tongue  hath  his  name  Apollyon. 

Thus  far,  Keith  has  furnished  us  with  illustrations  of  the 
sounding  of  the  first  five  trumpets.  But  we  must  now  take 
leave  of  him,  and  proceed  to  the  application  of  the  new  feature 
of  the  prophecy  here  introduced ;  namelv,  the  prophetic  periods. 

Their  Power  Was  to  Hurt  Men  Five  Months. —  1.  The 
question  arises,  What  men  w^ere  they  to  hurt  five  months  ?  — 
Undoubtedly  the  same  they  were  afterward  to  slay  (see  verse 
15)  ;  "  the  third  part  of  men,"  or  third  of  the  Roman  empire, 
—  the  Greek  division  of  it. 

2.  \Yhen  were  they  to  begin  their  work  of  torment  ?  The 
11th  verse  answers  the  question. 

(1)  "They  had  a  king  over  them."  From  the  death  of 
Mohammed  until  near  the  close  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
the  Mohammedans  were  divided  into  various  factions  under 
several  leaders,  with  no  general  civil  government  extending 
over  them  all.  ^ear  the  close  of  the  thirteenth  century,  Otli- 
man  founded  a  government  which  has  since  been  known  as  the 
Ottoman  government,  or  empire,  extending  over  all  the  prin- 
cipal Mohammedan  tribes,  consolidating  them  into  one  grand 
monarchy. 

(2)  The  character  of  the  king.  "  AMiich  is  the  angel  of 
the  bottomless  pit."  An  angel  signifies  a  messenger,  a  min- 
ister, either  good  or  bad,  and  not  always  a  spiritual  being. 
"  The  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,"  or  chief  minister  of  the 
religion  which  came  from  thence  when  it  was  opened.  That 
religion  is  Mohammedanism,  and  the  sultan  is  its  chief  min- 
ister. "  The  Sultan,  or  grand  Seignior,  as  he  is  indifferently 
called,  is  also  Supreme  Caliph,  or  high  priest,  uniting  in  his 
person  the  highest  spiritual  dignity  M'ith  the  supreme  secular 
authority." —  World  As  It  Is,  p.   361.  • 

(3)  His  name.  In  Hebrew,  "Abaddon,"  the  destroyer; 
in  Greek,  "Apollyon,"  one  that  exterminates,  or  destroys. 
Having  two  different  names  in  two  languages,  it  is  evident 
that  the  character,  rather  than  the  luime  of  the  power,  is  in- 
tended to  be  represented.       If  so,   as  expressed   in   both  Ian- 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  10  - 15  575 

guages,  lie  is  a  destroyer.  Such  has  always  been  the  character 
of  the  Ottoman  government. 

But  ichen  did  Othman  nuike  his  lirst  assault  on  the  Greek 
empire?  —  According  to  Gibbon,  Decline  and  Fall,  etc.,  "Oth- 
man first  entered  the  territory  of  Nicomedia  on  the  27tli  day 
of  July,  1299." 

The  calculations  of  some  writers  have  gone  upon  the  suppo- 
sition that  the  period  should  begin  with  the  foundation  of  the 
Ottoman  empire;  but  this  is  evidently  an  error;  for  they  were 
not  only  to  have  a  king  over  them,  but  were  to  torment  men 
five  months.  But  the  period  of  torment  could  not  begin  before 
the  first  attack  of  the  tormentors,  which  was,  as  above  stated, 
July  27,  1299. 

The  calculation  which  follows,  founded  on  this  starting- 
point,  was  made  and  published  in  a  work  entitled,  Christ's 
Second  Coming,  etc.,  by  J.  Litch,  in  1838. 

"And  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five  months."  Thus 
far  their  commission  extended,  to  torment  by  constant  dep- 
redations, but  not  politically  to  kill  them.  "  Five  months," 
thirty  days  to  a  month,  give  us  one  hundred  and  fifty  days; 
and  these  days,  being  symbolic,  signify  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years.  Commencing  July  27,  1299,  the  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  reach  to  1449.  During  that  whole  period  the 
Turks  were  engaged  in  an  almost  perpetual  warfare  with  the 
Greek  empire,  but  yet  ivithout  conquering  it.  They  seized 
upon  and  held  several  of  the  Greek  provinces,  but  still  Greek 
independence  was  maintained  in  Constantinople.  But  in 
1449,  the  termination  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  a 
change  came,  the  history  of  which  Avill  be  found  under  the 
succeeding  trumpet. 

Verse  12.  One  woe  is  past;  and,  behold,  there  come  two  woes  more 
hereafter.  13.  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice 
from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  God,  14. 
Saying  to  the  sixth  angel  which  had  the  trumpet,  Loose  the  four 
angels  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates.  15.  And  the 
four  angels  were  loosed,  which  were  prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day, 
and  a  month,  and  a  year,  for  to  slay  the  third  part  of  men. 

The  first  woe  was  to  continue  from  the  rise  of  Mohammed- 
anism until  the  end  of  the  five  months.      Then  the  first  woe 


57U  THE  REVELATION 

was  to  end,  and  the  second  to  begin.  And  when  the  sixth 
angel  sounded,  it  was  commanded  to  take  off  the  restraints 
which  had  been  imposed  on  the  nation,  by  which  they  were 
restricted  to  the  worlc  of  tormenting  men,  and  their  commis- 
sion was  enlarged  so  as  to  permit  them  to  slay  the  third  part 
of  men.  This  connnand  came  from  the  fonr  horns  of  the 
golden  altar. 

The  Four  Angels. —  These  were  the  four  principal  sultan- 
ies  of  which  the  Ottoman  empire  was  composed,  located  in 
the  country  watered  by  the  great  river  Euphrates.  These 
sultanies  were  situated  at  Aleppo,  Iconium,  Damascus,  and 
Bagdad.  Previously  they  had  been  restrained;  but  God  com- 
manded,   and   they   were   loosed. 

In  the  year  1-1:40,  John  Palgeologus,  the  Greek  emperor, 
died,  but  left  no  children  to  inherit  his  throne,  and  Constan- 
tine,  his  brother_,  succeeded  to  it.-"-  But  he  would  not  venture 
to  ascend  the  throne  without  the  consent  of  Amurath,  the 
Turkish  sultan.  He  therefore  sent  ambassadors  to  ask  his 
consent,  and  obtained  it  before  he  jn-esumed  to  call  himself 
sovereign. 

Let  this  historical  fact  be  carefully  examined  in  connec- 
tion with  the  prediction  given  above.  This  was  not  a  violent 
assault  made  on  the  Greeks,  by  which  their  empire  was  over- 
thrown and  their  independence  taken  away,  but  simply  a  vol- 
untary surrender  of  that  independence  into  the  hands  of  the 
Turks.  The  authority  and  supremacy  of  the  Turkish  po^\-i'r 
was  acknowledged  wIumi  (\)nstantino  ^■irtually  said,  '*  I  cannot 
reign  unless  you  permit." 

The  four  angels  wer(>  loosed  for  an  hour,  a  day,  a  month, 
and  a  year,  to  slay  the  third  part  of  men.  This  period 
amounts  to  three  hundred  ninety-one  years  and  tifteen  days, 
during  which  Ottoman  su})reniacy  was  to  exist  in  Constanti- 
nople. Thus:  A  ])ro])lietic  year  is  three  hundred  and  sixty 
])rophetic  days,  or  three  hundre<l  and  sixty  literal  years;  a 
])rophetic  nioutli,  thirty  ])ropheti('  days,  is  tliirty  liter.il  yenrs; 


^  Some    historians   linvo    piviii    tliis   date    as   144S,    but    tlie    1)cst   authorities    sustain 
the    date    here    given,    14-11>.        Ste    Clianihcr's    Kncyclopedia,    art.    Palxologus. 


ENTRY     OF     MOHAMMED      II.     INTO     C  O  N  S  T  A  N  T  I  N  O  P  I- E 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  12-16  579 

one  prophetic  day  is  one  literal  year;  and  an  hour,  or  the 
twenty-fourth  jiart  of  a  prophetic-  day,  would  be  a  twenty- 
fourth  part  of  a  literal  year,  or  fifteen  days ;  the  whole  amount- 
ing to  three  hundred  and  ninety-one  years  and  fifteen  days. 

But  although  the  four  angels  were  thus  loosed  by  the  vol- 
untary submission  of  the  Greeks,  yet  another  doom  awaited 
the  seat  of  empire.  Amurath,  the  sultan  to  whom  the  sub- 
mission of  Constantino  XIII  was  made,  and  by  whose  permis- 
sion he  reigned  in  Constantinople,  soon  after  died,  and  was 
succeeded  in  the  empire,  in  1451,  by  Mohammed  II,  who  set 
his  heart  on  securing  Constantinople  as  the  seat  of  his  empire. 

He  accordingly  made  preparations  for  besieging  and  taking 
the  city.  The  siege  commenced  on  the  6th  of  April,  1453, 
and  ended  in  the  capture  of  the  city,  and  the  death  of  the  last 
of  the  Constantines,  on  the  l(3tli  day  of  Alay  following.  And 
the  eastern  city  of  the  Csesars  became  the  seat  of  the  Otto- 
man empire. 

The  arms  and  mode  of  warfare  which  were  used  in  the 
siege  in  Avhicli  Constantinople  was  to  be  overthrown  and  held 
in  subjection  were,  as  we  shall  see,  distinctly  noticed  by  the 
Revelator. 

Verse  16.  And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the  horsemen  were  two 
hundred  thousand  thousand :  and  I  heard  the  number  of  them. 

Innumerable  hordes  of  horses,  and  them  that  sat  on  them ! 
Gibbon  thus  describes  the  first  invasion  of  the  Roman  territo- 
ries by  the  Turks :  "  Tlie  myriads  of  Turkish  horse  overspread 
a  frontier  of  six  hundred  miles,  from  Taurus  to  Erzeroum ; 
and  the  blood  of  130,000  Christians  was  a  grateful  sacrifice 
to  the  Arabian  prophet."  Whether  the  language  is  designed 
to  convey  the  idea  of  any  definite  number  or  not,  the  reader 
must  judge.  Some  suppose  200,000  twice  told  is  meant,  and, 
following  some  historians,  they  find  that  number  of  Turkish 
w^arriors  in  the  siege  of  Constantinople.  Some  think  200,- 
000,000  to  mean  all  the  Turkish  warriors  during  the  three 
hundred  and  ninety-one  years  and  fifteen  days  of  their  triumph 
over  the  Greeks.  Nothing  can  be  affirmed  on  the  point.  And 
it  is  nothing  at  all  essential. 


580  THE  REVELATION 

Verse  IT.  And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that 
sat  on  them,  having  breastplates  of  fire,  and  of  jacinth,  and  brim- 
stone: and  the  heads  of  the  horses  were  as  the  heads  of  lions;  and 
out  of  their  mouths  issued  fire  and  smoke  and  brimstone. 

The  first  part  of  this  descrij)tion  may  have  reference  to  the 
appearance  of  these  horsemen.  Fire,  representing  a  color, 
stands  for  red,  "  as  red  as  fire  "  being  a  freqnent  term  of 
expression ;  jacinth,  or  hyacinth,  for  blue ;  and  brimstone,  for 
yellow.  And  these  colors  greatly  predominated  in  the  dress  of 
these  warriors ;  so  that  the  descrii:)tion,  according  to  this  view, 
would  be  accurately  met  in  the  Turkish  uniform,  which  was 
comj^osed  largely  of  red,  or  scarlet,  blue,  and  yellow.  The 
heads  of  the  horses  were  in  appearance  as  the  heads  of  lions, 
to  denote  their  strength,  courage,  and  fierceness;  while  the 
last  part  of  the  verse  undoubtedly  has  reference  to  the  use  of 
gunpowder  and  firearms  for  purposes  of  war,  Avhich  were  then 
but  recently  introduced.  As  the  Turks  discharged  their  fire- 
arms on  horsel)ack,  it  would  appear  to  the  distant  beholder 
that  the  fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone  issued  out  of  the  horses' 
mouths,  as  illustrated  by  the  accompanying  plate.  ^ 

Respecting  the  use  of  firearms  l)y  the  Turks  in  their  cam- 
paign against  Constantinople,  Elliott  (ITonip  Apocalypticse,  Vol. 
I,   pp.   482-484)    thus   speaks:— 

"  It  was  to  '  the  fire  and  the  smoke  and  the  sulphur,'  to 
the  artillery  and  firearms  of  Mahomet,  that  the  killing  of  the 
third  part  of  men,  i.  c,  the  capture  of  Constantinople,  and  by 
consequence  the  destruction  of  the  Greek  empire,  was  owing. 
Eleven  hundred  years  and  more  had  now  elapsed  since  her 
foundation  by  Constantine.  In  the  course  of  them,  Goths, 
Huns,  Avars,   Persians,   Bulgarians,   Saracens,  Russians,   and 


'  Quite  an  agreement  exists  among  commentators  in  applying  the  prophecy  con- 
cerning the  fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone  to  the  use  of  gunpowder  by  tlie  Turks  in 
their  warfare  against  the  Eastern  emijire.  (See  Clarke,  Harnes,  Elliott,  Cottage 
Hible,  etc.)  But  they  generally  allude  simply  to  the  heavy  ordnance,  the  large 
cannon,  employed  by  that  iiower;  whereas  the  prophecy  mentions  especially  the 
"  horses,"  and  the  fire  "  issuing  from  their  tnouths,"  as  though  smaller  arms  were 
used,  and  used  on  horseback.  Barnes  thinks  this  was  the  case;  and  a  statement 
from  Gibbon  confirms  this  view.  He  says  (l\\  34.'}):  "The  incessant  volleys  of 
lances  and  arrows  were  accompanied  with  the  smoke,  the  sound,  and  the  fire  of  their 
musketry  and  cannon."  Here  is  good  historical  evidence  that  muskets  were  used 
by  the  Turks;  and,  secondly,  it  is  undisputed  that  in  their  general  warfare  they 
fought  principally  on  horseback.  The  inference  is  therefore  well  supported  that  they 
used  firearms  on  horseback,  accurately  fulfilling  the  prophecy,  according  to  the 
illustration   above  referred   to. 


TURKISH      WARRIOR 


CHAPTER  9,  VERtiE  17  583 

indeed  the  Ottoman  Turks  themselves,  had  made  their  hostile 
assaults,  or  laid  siege  against  it.  But  the  fortifications  were 
impregnable  by  them.  Constantinople  survived,  and  wlUi  it 
the  Greek  empire.  Hence  the  anxiety  of  the  Sultan  Mahomet 
to  find  that  which  would  remove  the  obstacle.  '  Canst  thou 
cast  a  cannon/  was  his  question  to  the  founder  of  cannon  that 
deserted  to  him,  '  of  size  sufficient  to  batter  down  the  wall 
of  Constantinople  ? '  Then  the  foundry  was  established  at 
Adrianople,  the  cannon  cast,  the  artillery  prepared,  and  the 
siege  began. 

'"It  well  deserves  remark,  how  Gibbon,  always  the  uncon- 
scious commentator  on  the  Apocalyptic  prophecy,  puts  this 
new  instrumentality  of  war  into  the  foreground  of  his  picture, 
in  his  eloquent  and  striking  narrative  of  the  final  catastrophe 
of  the  Greek  empire.  In  preparation  for  it,  he  gives  the  his- 
tory of  the  recent  invention  of  gunpowder,  '  that  mixture  of 
saltpeter,  sulphur,  and  charcoal ;  '  tells  of  its  earlier  use  by 
the  Sultan  Amurath,  and  also,  as  before  said,  of  Mahomet's 
foundry  of  larger  cannon  at  Adrianople ;  then,  in  the  progress 
of  the  siege  itself,  describes  how  '  the  volleys  of  lances  and 
arrows  were  accompanied  with  the  smoke,  the  sound,  and  the 
fire  of  the  musketry  and  cannon ;  '  how  '  the  long  order  of  the 
Turkish  artillery  was  pointed  against  the  walls,  fourteen  bat- 
teries thundering  at  once  on  the  most  accessible  places ;  '  how 
'  the  fortifications  which  had  stood  for  ages  against  hostile  vio- 
lence were  dismantled  on  all  sides  by  the  Ottoman  cannon, 
many  breaches  opened,  and  near  the  gate  of  St.  Romanus, 
four  towers  leveled  with  the  ground :  '  how,  as  '  from  the  lines, 
the  galleys,  and  the  bridge,  the  Ottoman  artillery  thundered  on 
all  sides,  the  camp  and  city,  the  Greeks  and  the  Turks,  were 
involved  in  a  cloud  of  smoke,  which  could  only  be  dispelled  by 
the  final  deliverance  or  destruction  of  the  Roman  empire:  '  how 
'  the  double  walls  were  reduced  by  the  cannon  to  a  heap  of 
ruins:'  and  hoAv  the  Turks  at  length  'rushing  through  the 
lireaches,'  '  Constantinojde  was  subdued,  her  empire  subverted, 
and  her  religion  trampled  in  tlie  dust  by  the  Moslem  con- 
querors.' I  say  it  well  deserves  observation  how  markedly 
and  strikingly  Gibbon  attributes  the  capture  of  the  city,  and 
37 


584  THE  REVELATION 

so  the  des:truction  of  the  empire,  to  the  Ottoman  artillery. 
For  what  is  it  but  a  comment  on  the  words  of  our  prophecy  I 
'  By  these  three  was  the  third  part  of  men  killed,  by  the  fire, 
and  by  the  smoke,  and  by  the  sulphur,  which  issued  out  of 
their  mouths.'  '" 

Verse  18.  By  these  three  was  the  third  part  of  men  killed,  by  the 
lire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and  by  the  brimstone,  which  issued  out  of 
their  mouths.  19.  For  their  power  is  in  their  moutli,  and  in  their 
tails;  for  their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents,  and  had  heads,  and  with 
them  they  do  hurt. 

These  verses  express  the  deadly  effect  of  the  new  mode  of 
warfare  introduced.  It  was  by  means  of  these  agents, —  gun- 
powder, firearms,  and  cannon, —  that  Constantinoj^le  was  finally 
overcome,  and  given  into  the  hands  of  the  Turks. 

In  addition  to  the  fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone,  which  appar- 
ently issued  out  of  their  mouths,  it  is  said  that  their  power 
was  also  in  their  tails.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  horse's 
tail  is  a  well-known  Turkish  standard,  a  symbol  of  ofiice  and 
authority.  The  meaning  of  the  expression  appears  to  be  that 
their  tails  were  the  symbol,  or  emblem  of  their  authority.  The 
image  before  the  mind  of  John  would  seem  to  have  been  that 
he  saw  the  horses  belching  out  fire  and  smoke,  and,  what  was 
equally  strange,  he  saw  that  their  power  of  spreading  desola- 
tion was  connected  with  the  tails  of  the  horses.  Any  one  look- 
ing on  a  body  of  cavalry  wdth  such  banners,  or  ensigns,  would 
be  struck  with  this  unusual  or  remarkable  appearance,  and 
would  speak  of  their  banners  as  concentrating  and  directing 
their  power. 

This  supremacy  of  the  Mohammedans  over  the  Greeks  was 
to  continue,  as  already  noticed,  three  hundred  and  ninety-one 
years  aiul  fifteen  days.  Commencing  when  the  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years  ended,  July  27,  HID,  the  period  w^ould  end 
Aug.  11,  1810.  Jiulging  from  the  manner  of  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Ottoman  supremacy,  that  it  Avas  by  a  voluntary 
acknowledgment  on  the  part  of  the  Greek  emperor  that  he 
reigned  only  by  permission  of  the  Turkish  sultan,  we  shouhl 
naturally  conclude  that  the  fall  or  departure  of  tlie  Ottoman 
independence  would  be  brought  about  in  the  same  way;  that  at 


CHAPTER  9,  VERSES  18,  19  585 

the  end  of  the  specified  period,  that  is,  on  the  11th  of  August, 
1840,  the  sultan  would  voluntarily  surrender  his  independence 
into  the  hands  of  the  Christian  powers,  just  as  he  had,  three 
hundred  and  iiinety-one  years  and  fifteen  days  hefore,  received 
it  from  the  hands  of  the  Christian  emperor,  Constantine  XIII. 

This  conclusion  was  reached,  and  this  application  of  the 
prophecy  was  made  hy  Elder  J.  Litch  in  1838,  two  years  be- 
fore the  predicted  event  was  to  occur.  It  was  then  purely  a 
matter  of  calculation  on  the  prophetic  periods  of  Scripture. 
Xow,  however,  the  time  has  passed  by,  and  it  is  proper  to  in- 
quire what  the  result  has  been  —  whether  such  events  did 
transpire  according  to  the  previous  calculation.  The  matter 
sums  itself  up  in  the  following  inquiry : — 

When  Did  Moliammedan  Independence  in  Constantinople 
Depart?  —  For  several  years  previous  to  18-10,  the  sultan  had 
been  embroiled  in  war  with  Mehemet  Ali,  pasha  of  Egypt. 
In  183S  the  trouble  between  the  sultan  and  his  Egyptian  vas- 
sal was  for  the  time  being  restrained  by  the  influence  of  the 
foreign  ambassadors.  In  1839,  however,  hostilities  were  again 
commenced,  and  were  j^i'osecuted  until,  in  a  general  battle  be- 
tween tlie  armies  of  the  sultan  and  Mehemet,  the  sultan's  army 
was  entirely  cut  up  and  destroyed,  and  his  fleet  taken  by  Me- 
hemet and  carried  into  Egypt.  So  completely  had  the  sultan's 
fleet  been  reduced,  that,  when  the  war  again  commenced  in 
August,  he  had  only  two  first-rates  and  three  frigates  as  the 
sad  remains  of  the  once  poAverful  Turkish  fleet.  This  fleet 
Mehemet  positively  refused  to  give  up  and  return  to  the  sul- 
tan, and  declared  that  if  the  powers  attempted  to  take  it  from 
him,  he  would  burn  it.  In  this  posture  affairs  stood,  when,  in 
1840,  England,  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia  interposed,  and 
determined  on  a  settlement  of  the  difficulty ;  for  it  was  evident 
that,  if  let  alone,  Mehemet  would  soon  become  master  of  the 
sultan's  throne. 

The  sultan  accepted  this  intervention  of  the  great  powers, 
and  thus  made  a  voluntary  surrender  of  the  question  into  their 
hands.  A  conference  of  these  powers  was  held  in  London, 
the  Sheik  Effendi  Bey  Likgis  being  present  as  Ottoman  pleni- 
potentiary.     An  ultimatum  was  drawn  up  to  be  presented  to 


5SG  THE  REVELATION 

the  paslia  of  Egypt,  whereby  the  sultan  was  to  offer  him  the 
hereditary  governnieut  of  Egyj)t,  and  all  that  part  of  ISyriu 
extending  from  the  Gulf  of  Suez  to  the  Lake  of  Tiberias,  to- 
gether with  the  2n'o\'ince  of  Acre,  for  life;  he  on  his  part  to 
evacuate  all  other  parts  of  the  sultan's  dominions  then  occupied 
by  him,  and  to  return  the  Ottoman  fleet.  In  case  he  refused 
this  offer  from  the  sultan,  the  four  powers  were  to  take  the 
matter  into  their  own  hands,  and  use  such  other  means  to  bring 
him  to  terms  as  they  should  see  fit. 

It  is  ajDparent  that  just  as  soon  as  this  ultimatum  should  be 
jjut  by  the  sultan  into  the  hands  of  Mehemet  Ali,  the  matter 
would  be  forever  beyond  the  control  of  the  former,  and  the  dis- 
posal of  his  affairs  would,  from  that  moment,  be  in  the  hands 
of  foreign  powers.  The  sultan  despatched  Rifat  Bej  on  a 
government  steamer  to  Alexandria,  to  communicate  the  ultima- 
tum to  the  jDasha.  It  was  put  into  his  hands,  and  by  him  taken 
in  charge,  on  the  eleventh  day  of  August,  1810!  On  the  same 
day,  a  note  Avas  addressed  by  the  sultan  to  the  ambassadors  of 
the  four  powers,  inquiring  what  plan  was  to  be  adopted  in  case 
the  pasha  should  refuse  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  ulti- 
matum, to  which  thej  made  answer  that  provision  had  been 
ma<le,  and  there  was  no  necessity  of  lils  alarming  himself 
about  any  contingency  tJiat  might  arise.  This  day  the  period 
of  three  hundred  and  nine-one  years  and  fifteen  days,  allotted 
to  the  continuance  of  the  Ottoman  power,  ended;  and  where 
■was  the  sultan's  independence?  —  GO^^  I  AMio  had  the  su- 
premacy of  the  Ottoman  empire  in  their  hands  ?  —  The  four 
great  powers;  and  that  empire  has  existed  ever  since  only  by 
the  sufferance  of  these  Christian  powers.  Thus  Avas  the  proph- 
ecy fulfilled  to  the  very  letter. 

From  the  first  publication  of  the  calculation  of  this  matter 
in  ls;3S,  before  referred  to,  the  time  set  for  the  fulfilment  of 
the  j)rophecy  —  Aug.  11,  1810  —  was  watched  by  thousands 
with  intense  interest.  Aud  the  exact  accomplishment  of  the 
event  predicted,  showing,  as  it  did,  the  right  application  of  the 
])rophecy,  gave  a  mighty  impetus  to  the  great  Advent  move- 
ment then  beginning  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  world. 


CHAPTER  y,  y ERSES  20,  21  687 

Verse  20.  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not  killed  by  these 
plagues  yet  repented  not  of  the  works  of  their  hands,  that  they  should 
not  worship  devils,  and  idols  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and  stone, 
and  of  wood :  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk :  21.  Neither 
repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their  sorceries,  nor  of  their 
fornication,  nor  of  their  thefts. 

Goe'i  designs  that  men  shall  make  a  note  of  his  judgments, 
and  receive  the  lessons  he  thereby  designs  to  convey.  But  how 
slow  are  tliej'  to  learn !  and  how  Llind  to  the  indications  of 
providence !  The  events  that  transpired  under  the  sixth  trnm- 
j)et  constituted  the  second  Avoe;  yet  these  judgments  led  to  no 
improvement  in  the  manners  and  morals  of  men.  Those  who 
escaped  them  learned  nothing  by  their  manifestation  in  the 
earth.  The  worship  of  devils  (demons,  dead  men  deified)  and 
of  idols  of  gold,  silver,  brass,  stone,  and  wood,  may  find  a  ful- 
filment in  the  saint  worship  and  image  worship  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church;  while  of  murders,  sorceries,  (pretended  mira- 
cles through  the  agency  of  departed  saints),  fornications,  and 
thefts  in  countries  where  the  Roman  religion  has  prevailed, 
there  has  been  no  lack. 

The  hordes  of  Saracens  and  Turks  were  let  loose  as  a  scourge 
and  punishment  upon  apostate  Christendom.  Men  suffered  the 
]nmishnient,  but  learned  therefrom  no  lesson. 


Verse  1.  And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  come  down  from  lieaven, 
clothed  with  a  cloud :  and  a  rainbow  was  iipon  his  head,  and  his  face 
was  as  it  were  the  snn,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire.  2.  And  he  had 
in  his  hand  a  little  book  open :  and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the  sea, 
and  his  left  foot  on  the  earth. 

1]^  this  scripture  we  have  another  instance  in  which  the  con- 
secutive line  of  thought  is  for  a  time  interrupted ;  and  this 

chapter  comes  in  as  — 
A  Parenthetical  Propliecy. —  Chapter  9  closed  Avith  the  events 
of  the  sixth  trumpet.  The  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet  is 
not  introduced  until  we  reach  the  15th  verse  of  chapter  11. 
The  whole  of  chapter  10  and  a  portion  of  chapter  11,  there- 
fore, come  in  parenthetically  between  the  sixth  and  seventh 
trumpets.  That  which  is  particularly  connected  with  the 
sounding  of  the  sixth  trumpet  is  recorded  in  chapter  9.  The 
prophet  has  other  events  to  introduce  before  the  opening  of 
another  trumpet,  and  takes  occasion  to  do  it  in  the  scripture 
which  intervenes  to  the  15th  verse  of  chapter  11.  Among 
these  is  the  j^rophecy  of  chapter  10.  Let  us  first  look  at  the 
chronology  of  the  message  of  this  angel. 

The  Little  Bool-. —  "  TTe  had  in  his  liand  a  little  book  open." 
There  is  a  necessary  inference  to  be  drawn  from  this  language, 
which  is,  that  this  book  was  at  some  time  closed  u]).  We  read 
in  Daniel  of  a  book  which  was  closed  up  and  sealed  to  a  cer- 
tain time:  "But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words,  and  seal 
the  book,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end :  many  shall  run  to  and  fro, 
(588) 


THE  ANGEL  ON  SEA  AND  LAND 

REV.  lO  r  a 


CHAPTER  10,  VERSEti  1,  2  591 

and  knowledge  shall  be  increased."  Dan.  12:4.  Since  this 
book  was  closed  up  only  till  the  time  of  the  end,  it  follows 
that  at  the  time  of  the  end  the  book  would  be  opened;  and  as 
this  closing  was  mentioned  in  prophecy,  it  would  be  but  rea- 
sonable to  exj)ect  that  in  the  predictions  of  events  to  take  place 
at  the  time  of  the  end,  the  opening  of  this  book  would  also  be 
mentioned.  There  is  no  book  spoken  of  as  closed  up  and  sealed 
except  the  book  of  Daniel's  prophecy ;  and  there  is  no  account 
of  the  opening  of  that  book,  unless  it  be  here  in  the  10th  of 
Revelation.  We  see,  furthermore,  that  in  both  places  the 
contents  ascribed  to  the  book  are  the  same.  The  book  which 
Daniel  had  directions  to  close  up  and  seal  had  reference  to 
time:  ''How  long  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these  wonders?" 
And  when  the  angel  of  this  chapter  comes  down  with  the 
little  book  open,  on  which  he  bases  his  proclamation,  he  gives 
a  message  in  relation  to  time:  "Time  shall  be  no  longer." 
Xothing  more  could  be  required  to  show  that  both  expressions 
refer  to  one  book,  and  to  prove  that  the  little  book  which  the 
angel  had  in  his  hand  open,  was  the  book  of  the  prophecy  of 
Daniel. 

An  important  point  is  now  determined  toward  settling  the 
chronology  of  this  angel ;  for  we  have  seen  that  the  prophecy, 
more  particularly  the  prophetic  periods  of  Daniel,  were  not  to 
be  opened  till  the  time  of  the  end;  and  if  this  is  the  book 
which  the  angel  had  in  his  hand  open,  it  follows  that  he  pro- 
claims his  message  this  side  of  the  time  when  the  book  should 
be  opened,  or  somewhere  this  side  of  the  commencement  of  the 
time  of  the  end.  All  that  now  remains  on  this  point  is  to 
ascertain  when  the  time  of  the  end  commenced;  and  the  book 
of  Daniel  itself  furnishes  data  from  which  this  can  be  done. 
In  Daniel  11,  from  verse  30,  the  papal  power  is  brought  to 
view.  In  verse  35  we  read,  "And  some  of  them  of  under- 
standing shall  fall,  to  try  them,  and  to  purge,  and  make  them 
white,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end."  Here  is  brought  to  view 
the  period  of  the  supremacy  of  the  little  liorn,  during  which 
time  the  saints,  times,  and  laws  were  to  be  given  into  his  hand, 
and  from  him  suffer  fearful  persecutions.  This  is  declared  to 
reach  to  the  time  of  the  end.      It  ended  a.  d.  1798,  where  the 


5,92  THE  REVELATION 

12G0  years  of  papal  rule  expired.  There  the  time  of  the  end 
coninienced,  and  the  book  was  opened.  And  since  that  time, 
many  have  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  on  these  prophetic 
subjects    has   marvelously   increased. 

The  chronology^  of  the  events  of  Revelation  10  is  further 
ascertained  from  the  fact  that  this  angel  is  identical  with  the 
first  angel  of  Revelation  14.  The  ])()ints  of  identity  between 
them  are  easily  seen:  (1)  They  buth  have  a  special  message  to 
])roclaim;  (:2)  they  both  utter  their  proclamation  with  a  loud 
voice;  (3)  they  both  use  similar  language,  referring  to  the 
great  Creator  as  the  maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and 
the  things  that  are  therein;  and  (4)  they  both  proclaim  time, 
one  swearing  that  time  should  be  no  more,  and  the  other  pro- 
claiming that  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  has  come.  But  the 
message  of  Rev.  14:0  is  located  this  side  of  the  commence- 
ment of  the  time  of  the  end.  It  is  a  proclamation  of  the  hour 
of  God's  judgment  come,  and  hence  must  have  its  application 
in  the  last  generation.  Paul  did  not  preach  the  hour  of  judg- 
ment come.  Luther  ami  his  coadjutors  did  not  preach  it. 
Paul  reasoned  of  a  judgment  to  come,  indefinitely  future ;  and 
Luther  placed  it  at  least  three  hundred  years  off  from  his  day. 
Moreover,  Paul  warns  the  church  against  any  such  preaching 
as  that  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  has  come,  until  a  certain 
time.  Tn  2  Tliess.  2:1-3,  he  says:  "  Xow  we  beseech  you, 
brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  our 
gathering  together  unto  him,  that  ye  be  not  soon  shaken  in 
mind,  or  lie  troubled,  neither  by. spirit,  nor  by  word,  nor  by 
letter  as  from  us,  as  that  the  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand.  Let 
no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means ;  for  that  day  shall  not  come, 
excej^t  there  come  a  falling  away  first,  and  that  man  of  s'm  he 
revealed,  the  son  of  perdition,"  etc.  TTere  Paul  introduces  to 
our  view  the  man  of  sin,  the  little  horn,  the  papacy,  and  covers 
with  a  caution  the  whole  period  of  his  supremacy,  which,  as 
already  noticed,  continued  12G0  years,  ending  in  1708.  Tn 
1708,  therefore,  the  restriction  against  proclaiming  the  day  of 
Christ  at  hand  ceased;  in  170S,  the  time  of  the  end  com- 
menced, and  the  seal  was  taken  from  the  little  book.  Since 
that  ])criod,   therefore,   tlu^   angel  of  Revelation  14  has  gone 


CHAPTER  10,  VERSES  1-10  595 

forth  in-oclaiming  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  come;  and  it  is 
since  that  time,  too,  that  the  angel  of  chapter  10  lias  taken  his 
stand  on  sea  and  hmd,  and  sworn  that  time  shall  be  no  more. 
Of  their  identity  there  can  now  be  no  question;  and  all  the 
arguments  M'hich  go  to  locate  the  one,  are  equally  effective  in 
the  case  of  the  other.  ^^'e  need  not  enter  into  any  argument 
here  to  sIioav  that  the  present  generation  is  witnessing  the  ful- 
tilment  of  these  two  prophecies.  In  the  preaching  of  the  ad- 
xer^t,  more  especially  from  1840  to  1844,  began  their  full  and 
circumstantial  accomplishment.  The  position  of  this  angel, 
one  foot  upon  the  sea  and  the  other  on  the  land,  denotes  the 
wide  extent  of  his  proclamation  by  sea  and  by  land.  Had  this 
message  been  designed  for  only  one  country,  it  would  have 
been  sufficient  for  the  angel  to  take  his  position  on  the  land 
only.  But  he  has  one  foot  upon  the  sea,  from  which  we  may 
infer  that  his  message  would  cross  tlie  ocean,  and  extend  to 
the  various  nations  and  divisions  of  the  globe;  and  this  in- 
ference is  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  the  Advent  proclama- 
tion, above  referred  to,  did  go  to  every  jnissionary  station  in 
the  world.       More  on  this  under  chapter   14. 

Vekse  3.  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  as  when  a  lion  roareth : 
and  when  he  had  cried,  seven  thunders  uttered  their  voices.  4.  And 
when  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered  their  voices,  I  was  about  to 
write:  and  1  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Seal  up  those 
things  which  the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and  write  them  not. 

The  Seven  Tliunders. —  It  would  be  vain  to  speculate  to 
any  great  length  upon  the  seven  thunders,  in  hope  of  gaining 
a  definite  knowledge  of  what  they  uttered.  We  must  acquiesce 
in  the  directions  given  to  John  concerning  them,  and  leave 
them  where  he  left  them,  sealed  up,  unwritten,  and  conse- 
quently to  us  unknown.  There  is,  however,  a  conjecture  ex- 
tant in  relation  to  them,  which  may  not  inappropriately  be 
mentioned  here.  It  is  that  what  the  seven  thunders  uttered  is 
the  experience  of  the  Adventists  engaged  in  that  movement, 
embracing  their  sore  disappointuieut  and  triah  Something, 
evidently,  was  uttered  which  it  A\ould  not  be  well  for  the 
church  to  kno^v;  and  for  God  to  have  given  an  inspired  record 
of  the  Advent  movement  in   advance,  would  ha^^e  been  simply 


59G  THE  REVELATION 

to  defeat  that  movement,  \\liieli  we  verily  believe  was  in  all  its 
particulars  an  accomplishment  of  his  purposes,  and  according 
to  his  Vv'ill.  Why,  then,  any  mention  of  the  seven  thunders  at 
all  'i  Following  out  the  above  noticed  conjecture,  the  conclu- 
sion would  be  that  we,  having  met  in  our  history  with  sudden, 
mysterious,  and  unexpected  e\'ents,  as  startling  and  strange  as 
thunders  from  an  unclouded  sky,  might  not  give  up  in  utter 
perplexity,  inferring,  as  we  may,  that  all  is  in  the  order  and 
providence  of  God,  since  something  of  this  nature  was  sealed 
up,  and  hidden  from  the  church. 

Verse  5.  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon,  the  sea  and 
upon  the  earth  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  6.  And  sware  by  him  that 
liveth  forever  and  ever,  who  created  heaven,  and  the  things  that 
therein  are,  and  the  earth,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  sea, 
and  the  things  which  are  therein,  that  there  should  be  time  no  longer. 

Time  No  Longer. —  AVhat  is  the  meaning  of  this  most  sol- 
enm  declaration  ?  It  cannot  mean  that  w^ith  the  message  of 
this  angel,  time,  as  computed  in  this  world,  in  comparison  Avith 
eternity,  should  end;  for  the  next  verse  s]3eaks  of  the  days  of 
the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel;  and  chapter  11 :  15  -  19  gives  us 
some  of  the  events  to  take  place  under  this  trumpet,  which 
transpire  in  the  present  state.  And  it  cannot  mean  probation- 
ary time;  for  that  does  not  cease  till  Christ  closes  his  work  as 
priest,  which  is  not  till  after  the  seventh  angel  has  commenced 
to  sound.  Rev.  11 :  15,  19 ;  15  :  5  -  8.  It  must  therefore  mean 
prophetic  time;  for  there  is  no  other  to  which  it  can  refer. 
Prophetic  time  shall  be  no  more  —  not  that  time  should  never 
be  used  in  a  prophetic  sense ;  for  the  '"'  days  of  the  voice  of 
the  seventh  angel,"  spoken  of  immediately  after,  doubtless 
mean  the  years  of  the  seventh  angel ;  but  no  prophetic  period 
sliould  extend  beyond  this  message;  those  that  reach  to  the 
latest  i^oint  would  all  close  there.  .\rguments  on  the  pro- 
phetic periods,  showing  that  the  longest  ones  did  not  extend 
beyond  the  autumn  of  1844,  will  be  fomid  in  remarks  on 
Dan.  8 :  14. 

Vefjse  7.  But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when 
lii^  shnll  begin  to  soun<l,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  as  he 
h:\th  <lcclared  to  liis  servants  the  prophets. 


CHAPTER  10,  VERSE  7  597 

The  Days  of  the  Voice  of  the  Seventh  Angel. —  This  sev- 
enth trumpet  is  not  that  which  is  spoken  of  in  1  Cor.  15 :  52 
as  the  last  trump,  wliich  Avakcs  the  sleeping  dead ;  but  it  is  the 
seventh  of  the  series  of  the  seven  trumpets,  and  like  the  others 
of  this  series,  occupies  days  (years)  in  sounding.  In  the  days 
when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  shall  be  fin- 
ished. Xot  in  the  day  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  not  in 
the  very  commencement  of  his  sounding,  but  in  the  early  years 
of  his  sounding,  the  mystery  of  God  shall  be  finished. 

Commencement  of  the  Seventh  Trumpet. —  From  the  events 
to  take  place  imder  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  its 
commenceuient  may  be  located  with  suflicient  definiteness  at 
the  close  of  the  prophetic  periods  in  1814.  Xot  many  years 
from  that  date,  then,  the  mystery  of  God  is  to  be  finished. 
The  great  event,  Avhatever  it  is,  is  right  upon  us.  Some  closing 
and  decisive  work,  with  Avhatever  of  importance  and  solemnity 
it  bears  in  its  train,  is  near  at  hand.  There  is  an  importance 
connected  with  tlie  finishing  of  any  of  the  works  of  God.  Such 
an  act  marks  a  solemn  and  important  era.  Our  Saviour,  when 
expiring  upon  the  cross,  cried,  "  It  is  finished  "  (John  19  :  30)  ; 
and  when  the  great  work  of  mercy  for  fallen  man  is  completed, 
it  will  be  announced  by  a  voice  from  the  throne  of  God,  pro- 
claiming, in  tones  which  roll  like  thunder  through  all  the  earth, 
the  solemn  sentence,  "  It  is  done !  "  Eev.  16  :  17.  It  is  there- 
fore no  uncalled-for  solicitude  Avhich  prompts  us  to  inquire 
what  bearing  such  events  have  upon  our  eternal  hopes  and 
interests ;  and,  when  we  read  of  the  finishing  of  the  mystery  of 
God,  to  ask  what  that  mystery  is,  and  in  what  its  finishing 
consists. 

The  Mystery  of  God. — A  few  direct  testimonies  from  that 
Book  which  has  been  given  as  a  lamp  to  our  feet,  will  show 
what  this  mystery  is.  Eph.  1:9,  10 :  '"  Having  made  kno\^ai 
unto  us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure 
which  he  hath  purposed  in  himself:  that  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  fulness  of  times  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things 
in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth  ; 
even  in  him."  Here  God's  purpose  to  gather  together  all  in 
Christ  is  called  the  "  mvsterv  "  of  his  will.      This  is  accom- 


598  THE  REVELATION 

plished  through  the  gospel.  Eph.  G:  1*J:  "And  for  me  [Paul 
asks  that  prayers  be  made],  that  utterance  may  be  given  unto 
me,  that  I  may  open  my  mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the 
mystery  of  the  gospel.'"  Here  the  gospel  is  declared  plainly 
to  be  a  mystery.  It  is  called  in  Col.  4:o,  the  mystery  of 
Christ.  Eph.  3 :  o,  G :  "  How  that  by  revelation  he  made 
known  unto  me  the  mystery  (as  I  wrote  afore  in  few  words)," 
etc.,  "  that  the  Gentiles  should  ])e  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the 
same  body,  and  ])artakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the 
gospel."  Panl  here  declares  that  the  mystery  was  made 
known  to  him  by  revelation,  as  he  had  before  written.  In 
this  he  refers  to  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  where  he  recorded 
what  had  been  given  him  "by  revelation,"  in  these  words: 
"  But  I  certify  you,  brethren,  that  the  gospel  which  was 
preached  of  me  is  not  after  man;  for  I  neither  received  it  of 
man,  neither  was  I  taught  it,  but  hy  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ/'  Gal.  1:11,  12.  Here  Paul  tells  us  plainly  that 
what  ho  received  through  revelation  was  the  gospel.  In  Eph. 
3:  3,  he  calls  it  the  mijstery  made  known  to  him  by  revelation, 
as  he  had  written  before.  The  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  was 
written  in  a.  d.  58,  and  that  to  the  Ephesians  in  a.  d.  G4. 

In  view  of  these  testimonies,  few  will  be  disposed  to  deny 
that  the  mystery  of  God  is  the  gosj)el.  It  is  the  same,  then,  as 
if  the  angel  had  declared.  In  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the 
seventh  angel,  wdien  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  gospel  shall 
be  finished.  P)Ut  what  is  the  finishing  of  the  gospel?  Let  us 
first  inquire  for  what  it- was  given.  It  was  given  to  take  out 
from  the  nations  a  people  for  God's  name.  Acts  15 :  14.  Its 
finishing  must,  as  a  matter  of  course,  be  the  close  of  this  work. 
It  will  be  finished  when  the  number  of  God's  people  is  made 
up,  mercy  ceases  to  ho  offered,   and  probation  closes. 

The  subject  is  now  l)efore  us  in  all  its  magnitude.  Such  is 
the  momentous  work  to  1)0  accomplished  in  the  early  days  of 
the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  Avhose  trumpet  notes  have  been 
reverberating  through  the  world  since  the  memorable  epoch  of 
1844.  God  is  not  slack;  liis  work  is  not  uncertain;  arc  wo 
ready  for  the  issue  ? 


CIJ AFTER  10,  VERSES  S  - 10  599 

Verse  8.  And  tlie  voice  which  I  heard  from  iieuvoii  spake  unto 
me  ngain,  and  said,  Go  and  take  the  little  book  which  is  open  in  the 
hand  of  the  angel  which  standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth. 

9.  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  said  unto  him,  Give  me  the  little 
book.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up ;  and  it  shall 
make  thy  belly  bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in  thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey. 

10.  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  and  ate  it  up; 
and  it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey :  and  as  soon  as  I  had  eaten 
it,  my  belly  was  bitter. 

Ill  verse  S,  Jolm  himself  is  brought  iu  to  act  a  part  as  a 
representative  of  the  church,  probaljly  on  acoiint  of  the  suc- 
ceeding peculiar  experience  of  the  church,  which  the  Lord  of 
the  prophecy  would  cause  to  be  put  on  record,  l)ut  which  could 
not  Avell  be  presented  under  the  symbol  of  an  angel.  When 
only  a  straightforward  proclamation  is  brought  to  view,  with- 
out including  the  peculiar  experience  which  the  church  is  to 
})ass  through  in  connection  therewith,  angels  may  l)e  used  as 
symbols  to  represent  the  religious  teachers  who  proclaim  that 
message,  as  in  Revelation  14;  but  when  some  particular  expe- 
rience of  the  church  is  to  be  presented,  the  case  is  manifestly 
diiferent.  This  could  most  appropriately  be  set  forth  in  the 
person  of  some  member  of  the  human  family ;  hence  John  i? 
himself  called  upon  to  act  a  ])art  in  this  symbolic  re])resenta' 
tion.  And  this  being  the  case,  the  angel  who  here  apj^eared  to 
.lohn  may  represent  that  divine  messenger,  who,  in  the  ordei' 
which  is  observed  in  all  the  work  of  God,  has  charge  of  this 
message ;  or  he  may  be  introduced  for  the  pur])ose  of  repre- 
senting  the  nature  of  the  message,  and  the  source  from  wdiich 
it  comes. 

There  are  not  a  few^  now  living  who  have  in  their  own  expe- 
rience met  a  striking  fulfilment  of  these  verses,  in  the  joy  wdtb 
which  they  received  the  message  of  Christ's  immediate  second 
coming,  the  honey-like  sw^eetness  of  the  precious  truths  then 
brought  out,  and  the  sadness  and  ])ain  that  followed,  when  at 
the  appointed  time  in  1844:  the  Lord  did  not  come,  but  a  great 
disappointment  did.  A  mistake  had  been  .made  which  appar- 
ently involved  the  integrity  of  the  little  book  tliey  had  been  eat- 
ing. "\Miat  had  been  so  like  honey  to  their  taste,  suddenly 
became  like  woriuAvood  and  liall.  But  those  Avho  had  ])atience 
38 


60U  THE  REVELATION 

to  endure,  so  to  speak,  the  digesting  process,  soon  learned  that 
the  mistake  was  only  in  the  event,  not  in  the  time,  and  that 
what  the  angel  had  given  them  was  not  nnto  death,  bnt  to  their 
nourishment  and  support.  (See  the  same  facts  brought  to 
vieAV  luider  a  similar  figure  in  Jer.   15:10-18.) 

Verse  11.  And  he  said  luito  me,  Thou  must  prophesy  ngaiii  be- 
fore many  peoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kings. 

John,  standing  as  tlie  representative  of  the  church,  hero  re- 
ceives from  the  angel  another  commission.  Another  message 
is  to  go  forth  after  the  time  when  the  first  and  second  messages, 
as  leading  proclamations,  ceased.  In  other  words,  we  have 
here  a  prophecy  of  the  third  angel's  message,  now,  as  we  be- 
lieve, in  process  of  fulfilment.  Xeither  will  this  work  be  done 
in  a  corner;  for  it  is  to  g(^  before  '^  manv  peoples,  and  nations, 
and  tongues,  and  kings."       (See  chapter  14.) 


CHAPTEK  XL 


Verse  1.  And  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  nnto  a  rod :  and  the 
angel  stood,  saying,  Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the 
altar,  and  them  that  worship  therein.  2.  But  the  court  which  is  with- 
out the  temple  leave  out,  and  measure  it  not;  for  it  is  given  unto  the 
Gentiles ;  and  the  holy  city  shall  they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  two 
months. 

WE  here  have  a  continuation  of  the  instruction  which 
the  angel  commenced  giving  to  John  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter;  hence  these  verses  properly  belong  to 
that  chapter,  and  should  not  be  separated  by  the  present  di- 
vision. In  the  last  verse  of  chapter  10,  the  angel  gave  to 
John,  as  a  representative  of  the  church,  a  new  commission. 
In  other  words,  as  already  shown,  we  have  in  that  verse  a 
prophecy  of  the  third  angel's  message.  IN^ow  follows  testi- 
mony showing  what  the  nature  of  that  message  is  to  be.  It 
is  connected  with  the  temple  of  God  in  heaven,  and  is  designed 
to  fit  up  a  class  of  people  as  worshipers  therein.  The  temple 
here  cannot  mean  the  church ;  for  the  church  is  brought  to  view 
in  connection  with  this  temple  as  "  them  that  worship  therein." 
The  temple  is  therefore  the  literal  temple  in  heaven,  and  the 
worshipers  the  true  church  on  earth.  But  of  course  these 
worshipers  are  not  to  be  measured  in  the  sense  of  ascertaining 
the  height  and  circumference  of  each  one  in  feet  and  inches; 
they  are  to  be  measured  as  ivorshipcrs;  and  character  can  be 

(601) 


G02  THE  REVELATION 

ineasnred  only  by  some  standard  uf  right,  namely,  a  law,  or 
rule  of  action.  We  are  thus  brought  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  ten  commandments,  the  standard  which  God  has  given  by 
which  to  measure  "  the  whole  duty  of  man,"  are  embraced  in 
the  measuring  rod  })ut  by  the  angel  into  the  hands  of  John; 
and  in  the  fuliilment  of  this  prophecy,  this  very  law  has  been 
put,  under  the  third  message,  into  the  hands  of  the  church. 
This  is  the  standard  by  which  the  worshipers  of  God  are  now 
to  be  tested. 

Having  seen  what  it  is  to  measure  those  who  worship  in 
the  temple,  we  inquire  further,  What  is  meant  by  measuring 
the  temple  (  To  measure  any  object  requires  that  we  give 
especial  attention  to  that  object ;  so,  doubtless,  the  call  to  rise 
and  measure  the  temple  of  God  is  a  prophetic  connnand  to  the 
church  to  give  the  subject  of  the  temple,  or  sanctuary,  a  special 
examination.  But  how  is  this  to  be  done  with  a  measuring 
rod  given  to  the  church  ?  With  the  ten  commandments  alone 
we  could  not  do  it.  When,  howe\'er,  we  take  the  entire  mes- 
sage, Ave  find  ourselves  led  by  it  to  an  examination  of  the 
sanctuary  on  high,  with  the  commandments  of  God  and  the 
ministration  of  Christ  connected  therewith.  Hence  Ave  con- 
clude that  the  measuring  rod,  taken  as  a  whole,  is  the  special 
message  now  given  to  the  church,  which  end^races  the  great 
truths  peculiar  to  this  time,  including  the  ten  commandments. 
By  this  message,  our  attention  has  been  called  to  the  tenqde 
above,  and  through  it  the  light  and  truth  on  this  subject  has 
come  out.  Thus  we  measure  the  temple  and  the  altar,  or  the 
ministration  connected  with  the  tem])le,  the  Avork  and  the  ]»osi- 
tion  of  our  great  High  Priest;  and  Ave  measure  the  Avorship- 
ers  with  that  portion  of  the  rod  Avliich  relates  to  character ; 
namely,   the  ten  commandments. 

"  But  the  court  Avhich  is  Avithout  the  temple  leave  out." 
As  much  as  to  say,  The  attention  of  the  church  is  noAV  directed 
to  the  inner  temjde,  and  the  service  there.  Matters  ])(n"taining 
to  the  court  are  of  loss  consequence  now.  Tt  is  given  to  the 
Gentiles.  That  the  court  refers  to  this  earth  is  proA-ed  thus: 
The  court  is  the  place  Avhere  the  victims  were  slain  Avhose  blood 
was  to  be  ministered  in  tlie  sanctuary.      'Idic  antitypical  victim 


CHAPTER  11,  VERt<HS  1  -  J^  603 

must  (lie  in  the  antitypical  court;  and  he  died  on  Calvary  in 
Judea.  Having  thus  introduced  the  Gentiles,  the  attention  of 
the  prophet  is  directed  to  the  great  feature  of  Gentile  apos- 
tasy; namely,  the  treading  down  of  the  holy  city  forty  and 
two  months  during  the  period  of  pa})al  supremacy.  He  is 
then  directed  to  the  condition  of  the  word  of  God,  the  truth, 
and  the  church  during  that  time.  Thus  hy  an  easy  and  nat- 
ural transition,  we  are  carried  back  into  the  past,  and  our 
attention   is   called   to    a   new   series   of   events. 

Verse  3.  And  I  will  give  power  iinte  my  two  witnesses,  and  they 
shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  liundred  and  threescore  days,  clothed 
in  sackcloth. 

These  days  are  the  same  as  the  forty-two  months  of  the 
preceding  verse,  and  refer  to  the  period  of  })apal  triiunph. 
During  this  time,  the  witnesses  are  in  a  state  of  sackcloth,  or 
obscurity,  and  God  gives  them  power  to  endure  and  maintain 
their  testimony  through  that  dark  and  dismal  period.  But  who 
or  what   are  these   witnesses  ? 

Verse  4.  These  are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the  two  candlesticks 
standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth. 

Evident  allusion  is  here  made  to  Zech.  4:  11  -  14,  where  it 
is  explained  that  the  two  olive  trees  are  taken  to  represent  the 
word  of  God;  and  David  testihes,  "  The  entrance  of  thy  words 
givetli  light;  ''  and,  "  Thy  word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a 
light  unto  my  path.'"  V\^ritten  testimony  is  stronger  than  oral. 
Jesus  declared  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  "  They  are 
they  which  testify  of  me."  In  this  dispensation,  he  says  that 
his  works  bear  witness  of  him.  By  what  means  do  they  bear 
witness  of  him  'i  Ever  since  those  disciples  who  were  per- 
sonally associated  with  him  while  on  earth  passed  off  the  stage 
of  life,  his  works  have  borne  witness  of  him  only  through 
the  medium  of  the  New  Testament,  where  alone  we  find 
them  recorded.  This  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  it  was  once  de- 
clared, shall  be  preached  in  all  tlu'  world  for  a  witness  to  all 
nations,  etc. 

These  declarations  and  considerations  are  suificient  to  sus- 
tain the  conclusion  that  the  Old  and  Xew  Testaments,  one  given 


604  THE  REVELATION 

iu  one  dispensation,  and  the  other  in  the  other,  are  Christ's  two 
witnesses. 

Verse  5.  And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  lire  proceedeth  ovit  of 
their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their  enemies :  and  if  any  man  will  hurt 
them,  he  must  in  this  manner  be  killed. 

To  hurt  the  word  of  God  is  to  oppose,  corrupt,  or  pervert 
its  testimony,  and  turn  peojjle  away  from  it.  Against  those 
who  do  this  work,  fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouth  to  devour 
them;  that  is,  judgment  of  tire  is  denounced  in  that  word 
against  such.  It  declares  that  they  will  have  their  portion  at 
last  in  the  lake  that  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone.  Mai. 
4:1;  Kev.   20:15;  22:18,  10,  etc. 

Verse  G.  These  have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that  it  rain  not  in  the 
days  of  their  prophecy :  and  have  power  over  waters  to  turn  them  to 
blood,  and  to  smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues,  as  often  as  they  will. 

In  what  sense  have  these  witnesses  jiower  to  shut  heaven, 
turn  waters  to  blood,  and  bring  plagues  on  the  earth  i  Elijah 
shut  heaven  that  it  rained  not  for  three  years  and  a  half;  but 
he  did  it  by  the  word  of  the  Lord.  ]\Ioses,  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  turned  the  waters  of  Egypt  to  blood.  And  just  as  these 
judgments,  recorded  in  their  testimony,  have  been  fulfilled,  so 
will  every  threatening  and  judgment  denounced  by  them  against 
any  people  surely  be  accomplished.  "As  often  as  they  will." 
As  often  as  judgments  are  recorded  on  their  pages  to  take 
place,  so  often  they  will  come  to  pass.  An  instance  of  this 
the  world  is  yet  to  experience  in  the  infliction  of  the  seven 
last  plagues. 

Verse  T.  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  testimony,  the 
beast  that  nscendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall  make  war  against 
them,  and  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill  them.  8.  And  their  dead 
bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is 
called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified. 

"  "WTien  they  shall  have  fhiislied  their  testimony,"  that  is, 
"  in  sackcloth."  The  sackcloth  state  ended,  or,  as  elsewhere 
expressed,  the  days  of  i)ersccution  were  shortened  (Matt.  24: 
22),  before  the  period  itself  expired.  A  "  beast  "  in  prophecy, 
denotes  a  kingdom,  or  power.       (See  Dan.  7:17,  2?>.^      The 


CHAPTER  11.  VERSE  7  607 

question  now  arises,  When  did  the  12G0-vear  period  of  the 
witnesses  close  ^  and  did  such  a  king'doni  as  described  make 
war  on  them  at  the  time  .s|)uken  of  (  If  we  are  correct  in 
fixing  upon  a.  d.  538  as  the  time  of  the  commencement  of 
the  pa^^al  sujDremacy,  the  forty-two  months  being  12 GO  pro- 
phetic days,  or  years,  Avould  bring  us  down  to  a.  b.  1798, 
About  this  time,  then,  did  such  a  kingdom  as  described  ap- 
pear, and  make  war  on  them,  etc  i  Mark  !  this  beast,  or  king- 
dom, is  out  of  the  bottomless  pit ;  it  has  no  foundation,  is  an 
atheistical  poAver,  is  "spiritually  Egypt."  (See  Ex.  5:2: 
"And  Pharoali  said,  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  1  should  obey 
his  voice  to  let  Israel  go  i  I  know  not  the  Lord,  neither 
will  I  let  Israel  go.")  Here  is  atheism.  Did  any  kingdom, 
about  1798  manifest  the  same  spirit^  —  Yes,  France;  in  her 
national  capacity  she  denied  the  being  of  God,  and  made  Avar 
on  the  "  Monarchy  of  heaven." 

"  Spiritually "  this  power  '"  is  called  Sodom."  What 
was  the  characteristic  sin  of  Sodom  ^  —  Licentiousness.  Did 
France  have  this  character?  —  She  did;  fornication  was  es- 
tablished bij  law  during  the  period  spoken  of.  "  Spiritually" 
the  place  was  ''  when^  our  Lord  was  crucified."  Was  this 
true  in  France  ?  —  It  was,  in  more  senses  than  one.  A  plot 
was  laid  in  France  to  destroy  all  the  ])ious  Huguenots;  and 
in  one  night  (Aug.  24,  2."),  1572)  /ifiij  thousand  of  them 
were  murdered  in  cold  Ijlood,  and  the  streets  of  Paris  liter- 
ally ran  with  blood.  1'hus  our  Lord  was  "  spiritually  cru- 
cified "  in  his  mend)ers.  Again,  the  watchword  and  motto 
of  the  French  infidels  was, '"CRUSH  THE  WRETCH," 
meaning  Christ.  Thus  it  may  be  truly  said,  "  Where  our 
Lord  was  crucified."  The  very  spirit  of  the  "  bottomless  pit  " 
was  poured  out  in  that   wicked  nation. 

But  did  France  "  make  war  "  on  the  Bible  ?  —  She  did  ; 
and  in  1793  a  decree  passed  the  French  Assembly  forbidding 
the  Bible;  and  under  that  decree,  the  Bibles  Avere  gatlien^l 
and  burned,  every  possibh'  mark  of  cont('m])t  was  liea])ed  upon 
them,  and  all  the  institutions  of  the  Bible  were  abolished;  the 
weekly  rest-day  was  blotted  out,  and  every  tenth  day  substi- 
tuted, for  mirth  and  profanity.      Baptism  and  the  commimion 


608  THE  REVELATION 

were  abolished.  The  being  of  God  was  denied,  and  death 
pronounced  an  eternal  sleep.  The  Goddess  of  Keason,  in  the 
person  of  a  vile  woman,  was  set  up,  and  publicly  worshiped. 
Surely  here  is  a  jjower  that  exactly  answers  the  prophecy. 
iUit  let  us  examine   this  point  still  further. 

Verse  9.  And  they  of  the  people  and  kindreds  and  tongues  and 
nations  shall  see  their  dead  bodies  three  days  and  a  half,  and  shall 
not  suffer  their  dead   bodies  to  be  put   in  graves. 

The  language  of  this  verse  describes  the  feelings  of  other 
nations  besides  the  one  committing  the  outrage  on  the  wit- 
nesses. They  would  see  what  war  infidel  France  had  made 
on  the  Bible,  but  would  not  be  led  nationally  to  engage  in  the 
wicked  work,  nor  suifer  the  murdered  witnesses  to  be  buried, 
or  put  out  of  sight  among  themselves,  though  they  lay  dead 
three  days  and  a  half,  that  is,  three  years  and  a  half,  in 
France.  Xo;  this  very  attempt  on  the  part  of  France  served 
to  arouse  Christians  everywhere  to  put  forth  new  exertions 
in  behalf  of  the  Jjible,   as  we  shall  jiresently  see. 

Verse  10.  And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over 
them,  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another;  because 
these  two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on  the  earth. 

This  denotes  the  joy  those  felt  who  hated  the  Bible,  or 
were  tormented  bv.it.  Great  was  the  joy  of  infidels  every- 
wliere  for  awhile.  But  tlie  "•  trium})hing  of  the  wicked  is 
short;  "  so  was  it  in  France,  for  their  war  on  the  Bible  and 
Christianity  well-nigh  swallowed  them  all  up.  They  set  out 
to  destroy  Christ's  "  two  witnesses,"  but  they  filled  France 
with  blood  and  terror,  so  that  they  were  horror-struck  at  the 
result  of  their  own  wicked  deeds,  and  were  soon  glatl  t<i  re- 
move their  impious  hands  from  the  Bible. 

Verse  11.  And  after  three  days  and  a  half  the  Spirit  of  life  from 
God  entered  into  tlicm,  and  they  stood  upon  their  feet;  and  great 
fear  fell   upon  them   which   saw  them. 

In  1703,  a  decree  passed  the  French  Assembly  suppressing 
the  IJible.  eTust  three  years  after,  a  resolution  was  introduced 
into  the  Assembly  superseding  the  decree,  an<l  giving  toleration 
to  the  Scriptures.      That  resolution  lay  on  the  table  six  months. 


CHAPTER  11.  YEBSES  11,  12  600 

Avhen  it  was  taken  up,  and  passed  without  a  dissenting  vote. 
Thus,  in  just  three  years  and  a  half,  the  witnesses  "  stood 
upon  their  feet,  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  saw  them." 
Nothing  but  the  appalling  results  of  the  rejection  of  the  Bible 
could  have  induced  France  to  take  her  hands  off  these  witnesses. 

Verse  12.  And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto 
them.  Come  up  hither.  And  they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud ; 
and  their  enemies  beheld  them. 

''Ascended  up  to  Heaven." —  To  understand  this  expres- 
sion, see  Dan.  4:22:  "Thy  greatness  is  grown,  and  reach- 
cth  unto  lieacen."  Here  we  see  that  the  expression  signifies 
great  exaltation.  Have  the  Scriptures  attained  to  such  a  state 
of  exaltation  as  here  indicated,  since  France  made  war  upon 
them  ?  —  They  have.  Shortly  after,  the  British  Bible  Society 
was  organized  (ISO-i)  ;  then  followed  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety (1817)  ;  and  these,  with  their  almost  innumerable  auxili- 
aries, are  scattering  the  Bible  everywhere.  Since  that  period, 
the  Bible  has  been  translated  into  nearly  two  hundred  different 
languages  that  it  was  never  in  before;  and  the  improvements 
in  paper-making  and  printing  within  the  last  seventy-five  years 
have  given  an  impetus  to  the  work  of  scattering  Bibles  which 
is  without  a  parallel. 

The  Bible  has  been  sent  to  the  destitute,  literally  by  ship- 
loads. One  vessel  carried  out  from  England  fifty-nine  tons  of 
Bibles  for  the  emancipated  slaves  in  the  West  Indies.  The 
Bible  has  risen  to  be  respected  by  almost  every  one,  whether 
saint  or  sinner.  Within  the  last  century,  translations  of 
the  Scriptures  have  increased  fivefold,  and  the  circulation  of 
the  Scriptures  thirtyfold.^  Xo  other  book  approaches  it  in 
cheapness  or  number  of  coj)ies  sold.  According  to  the  Mis- 
sionary Review  of  September,  1896,  it  has  been  translated 
into  languages  embracing  nine  tenths  of  the  human  race. 
And  the  American  Bible  Society,  in  its  eightieth  annual  re- 
port, dated  May,  1890,  gives  the  number  of  Bibles  and  parts 
of  Bibles  issued  by  that  society  alone,  as  01,705,841.  Add 
the  issues  by  the  British  Bible  Society  and  other  publishers, 


1  Increase   of   Crime,    by    D.    T.    Taylor,    p.   5. 


(jlO  THK  REVELATIOX 

and  how  vastly  would  the  iiuiidjor  l)e  increased !  What  other 
book  has  tlie  world  ever  seen  whicli  approaches  the  Bible  in 
this  respect  i  It  is  exalted  as  above  all  price,  as,  next  to  his 
Son,  the  most  invaluable  blessing  of  God  to  man,  and  as  the 
glorious  testimony  concerning  that  Son.  Yes;  the  Scriptures 
may  truly  be  said  to  be  exalted  ''  to  heaven  in  a  cloud,"  a 
cloud  being  an  emblem  of  heavenly  elevation. 

Verse  13.  And  the  same  hour  was  there  a  great  earthquake,  and 
the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake  were  slain  of 
men  seven  thousand :  and  the  remnant  were  affrighted,  and  gave  glory 
to  the  God  of  heaven. 

AVhatcity?  (See  chapter  17  :  IS  :  ''And  the  ?ro/>( r?/;  which 
thou  sawest  is  that  great  cUij  whicli  reigneth  over  the  kings 
[kingdoms]  of  the  earth.")  That  city  is  the  ^papal  Roman 
])()wer.  France  is  one  of  the  "ten  horns  "  that  gave  "  their 
poM-er  and  strength  unto  the  {papal']  beast;-"  or  is  one  of  the 
ten  kingdoms  that  arose  out  of  the  Western  Empire  of  Ronu^, 
as  indicated  by  the  ten  toes  of  ISTebuchadnezzar's  image,  the 
ten  horns  of  Daniel's  beast  (Dan.  7:  24),  and  John's  dragon. 
Rev.  12:3.  France,  then,  was  ''a  tenth  part  of  the  city," 
and  was  one  of  the  strongest  ministers  of  papal  vengeance; 
but  in  this  revolution  it  "  fell,"  ami  with  it  fell  the  last  civil 
messenger  of  papal  fury.  "And  in  the  earthquake  were  slain 
of  men  [margin,  names  of  men,  or  titles  of  ))irii~\  seven  thou- 
sand." France  made  war,  in  her  n^volutiou  of  17*.>-'5  -  OS  and 
onward,  on  all  titles  of  nobility.  Tt  is  said  by  those  who  luive 
examined  the  French  records,  that  just  seven  thousand  tithes 
of  laen  were  abolished  in  that  revolution.  "And  th(>  remnant 
were  affrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven."  Their 
God-dislionoring  and  Heaven-defying  work  filled  France  with 
such  scenes  of  blood,  carnage,  and  horror,  as  uui<le  even  tlie 
infid(ds  themselves  tremlde,  and  stand  aghast ;  and  th(>  "  rem- 
nant ''  that  esca]>ed  the  horrors  of  ihat  liour  "  gave  glory  to 
God"  —  not  willingly,  but  \\w  (Jod  of  heaven  causc^d  this 
"  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him,"  l)y  causing  all  the  world  to 
see  that  those  who  make  war  on  heaven  make  graves  for  them- 
selves;  thus  fflorv  redounded  to  God  bv  ihe  very  means  that 
wicked  men  employed  to  tarnish  that  glory. 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  13-17  Gil 

For  the  statistics  and  many  of  the  foregoing  thoughts  on 
the  two  A\'itnesses,  we  are  indebted  to  an  exposition  of  the 
subject  of  The  Two  Witnesses,  bv  th(^  late  George  Storrs. 

Verse  14.  Tlie  second  woo  is  past;  unci,  behold,  the  third  woo  coin- 
eth  quickly. 

The  series  of  seven  trumpets  is  here  again  resumed.  The 
second  woe  ended  witli  the  sixth  trumpet,  Aug.  11,  1840;  and 
the  third  woe  occurs  under  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trum- 
pet, which  commenced  in  1844. 

Then  where  are  we  ^  "  Uehohl!  "  that  is  to  say,  nuirk  it 
Avell,  "  the  third  woe  cometh  ([iiickly.''  The  fearful  scenes  of 
the  second  woe  are  past,  and  we  are  now  under  the  sounding 
of  th(^  trumpet  that  brings  the  third  and  last  w'oe.  And  shall 
we  wow  look  for  ]ieace  and  safety,  a  temporal  millennium,  a 
thousand  years  of  righteousness  and  prosperity  ?  Rather  let 
us  earnestly  pray  the  Lord  to  awaken  a  slumbering  world. 

Verse  15.  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded;  and  there  were  great 
voices  in  heaven,  saying.  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the 
kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ;  and  he  shall  reign  forever 
and  ever.  IG.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  sat  before  God 
on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and  worshiped  God,  17.  Saying, 
We  give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast, 
and  art  to  come;  because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power, 
and  hast  reigned. 

From  the  l^tli  verse  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  we  seem  to 
be  carried  over  the  ground,  from  the  sounding  of  the  seventh 
angel  to  the  end,  three  distinct  times.  In  the  verses  last 
quoted,  the  prophet  glances  forward  to  the  full  establishment 
of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Although  the  seventh  trumpet  has 
begun  to  sound,  it  may  not  yet  be  a  fact  that  the  great  voices 
in  heaven  have  proclaimed  that  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  ex- 
cept it  be  in  anticipation  of  the  speedy  accomplishment  of 
this  event;  but  the  seventh  trumpet,  like  the  preceding  six, 
covers  a  period  of  time :  and  the  transfer  of  the  kingdoms 
from  earthly  powers  to  Him  whose  right  it  is  to  reign,  is  the 
principal  event  to  occur  in  the  early  years  of  its  sounding; 
hence  this  event,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  else,  here  engages  the 


(J  12  THE  REVELATION 

mind  of  the  prophet.  (See  remarks  ou  verse  19.)  In  the 
next  verse  John  goes  back  and  takes  up  intervening  events 
as  follows : — 

Vkrse  18.  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come, 
and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,  and  that  thou 
shouldst  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  prophets,  and  to  the 
saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great;  and  shouldst 
tlebtroy  them  which  destroy  the  earth. 

''The  Nations  Were  Angry." — Commencing  with  the  Avon- 
dcrfiii  revolution  in  Europe  in  1848,  that  spontaneous  outburst 
of  \iolence  among  the  nations,  their  anger  toward  one  another, 
their  j(^alousy  and  envy,  have  been  constantly  increasing.  Al- 
most every  paper  shows  the  fearful  degree  to  which  they  are 
now  excited,  and  how  tense  has  become  the  strain  on  the  re- 
lations between  them. 

''And  Thy  Wratli  Is  Come/'—Tlw  wrath  of  God  for  the 
present  generation  is  tilled  up  in  the  seven  last  plagues  (chap- 
ter 15:1),  which  consequently  must  here  be  referred  to,  and 
wliicli  are  soon  to  be  poured  out  upon  the  earth. 

The  Judgment  of  the  Dead. —  "And  the  time  of  the  dead, 
that  they  shcmld  be  judged."  The  great  majority  of  tlie  dead,' 
that  is,  the  Avicked,  are  still  in  their  graves  after  the  visitation 
of  the  plagues,  and  the  close  of  this  dispensation.  A  work  of 
judgment,  of  allotting  to  each  one^  the  ])unisliment  due  to  his 
crimes,  is  carried  on  in  reference  to  them  by  the  saints,  in 
conjunction  with  Christ,  during  the  one  thousand  years  fol- 
loAving  the  first  resurrection.  1  Cor.  (3:2;  Kev.  20:4.  In- 
asmuch as  this  judgment  of  the  dead  follows  the  wrath  of 
God,  or  the  seven  last  plagues,  it  would  seem  necessary  to  refer 
it  to  the  one  thousand  years  of  judgment  upon  the  wicked, 
above  mentioned ;  for  the  investigative  judgment  takes  place 
before  the   ]il agues  are  poured  out. 

Tiie  licirdrd  of  the  Righteous. —  "And  that  tliou  shouldst 
give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  prophets."  This  carries  us 
forward  to  the  full  ]X)ssession  of  the  heavenly  inheritance  at 
the  end  of  the  thousand  years :  for  the  full  reward  of  the 
saints  is  not  reached  till  they  enter  upon  the  iio<^session  of 
the  new  earth.      Matt.   25  :  ;)4. 


THE     BERLIN      INSURRECTION     OF      1848 


CHAPTER  11,  VERSES  18,  19  615 

The  Punish)neitt  of  ilie  Wicked. —  "And  sliouklst  destroy 
them  which,  destroy  the  earth/'  referring  to  the  time  when  all 
the  wicked  will  be  forever  devoured  by  those  purifying  fires 
which  come  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  upon  them,  and 
which  melt  and  renovate  the  earth.  2  Peter  3:7;  Rev.  20 :  9. 
By  this  we  learn  that  the  seventh  trumpet  reaches  over  to  the 
end  oi  the  one  thousand  years.  Momentous,  startling,  l)ut  yet 
joyous  thought  I  that  the  trumpet  is  now  sounding  which  is  to 
see  the  final  destruction  of  the  wicked,  and  to  behold  the  saints, 
clothed  in  a  glorious  immortalitv,  safelv  located  on  the  earth 
made  new. 

Once  more  the  prophet  carries  us  back  to  the  commence- 
ment of  the  trumpet,   in   the  folLjwing  language: — 

Verse  19.  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven,  and  there 
was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testament :  and  there  were 
lightnings,  and  voices,  and  thunderiugs,  and  an  earthquake,  and 
great  hail. 

Having  introduced  the  seventh  trumpet  in  verse  15,  the 
first  great  event  that  strikes  the  mind  of  the  seer  is  tb.e  trans- 
fer of  the  kingdom  from  earthly  to  heavenly  rule.  God  takes 
to  him  his  great  power,  and  forever  crushes  the  rebellion  of 
this  revolted  earth,  establishes  Christ  upon  his  own  throne, 
and  remains  himself  supreme  over  all.  This  jiicture  being 
completed,  we  are  pointed  back,  in  verse  18,  to  the  state  of 
the  nations,  the  judgment  to  fall  upon  them,  and  the  final 
destiny  of  both  saints  and  sinners.  This  field  of  vision  hav- 
ing been  scanned,  we  are  taken  back  once  more  in  the  verse 
now  under  notice,  and  our  attention  is  called  to  the  close  of 
the  priesthood  of  Christ,  the  last  scene  in  the  work  of  mercy 
for  a  guihy  world.  The  temple  is  opened;  the  second  apart- 
ment of  the  sanctuary  is  entered.  We  know  it  is  the  holy  of 
holies  that  is  here  opened,  for  the  ark  is  seen ;  and  in  that 
apartment  alone  the  ark  was  dej)osited.  This  took  place  at 
the  end  of  the  2300  days,  when  the  sanctuary  was  to  be 
cleansed,  the  time  when  the  prophetic  periods  expired,  and  the 
seventh  angel  commenced  to  sound.  Since  that  time,  the  peo- 
ple of  God  have  seen  by  faith  the  open  door  in  heaven,  and 
39 


GIG  THE  REVELATION 

the  ark  of  God's  testament  there.  They  are  endeavoring  to 
keep  everj  precept  of  the  holy  law  written  upon  the  tables 
therein  deposited.  And  that  the  tables  of  the  law  are  there, 
just  as  in  the  ark  in  the  sanctuary  erected  by  Moses,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  terms  which  John  uses  in  describing  the  ark. 
lie  calls  it  the  "  ark  of  his  testament."  The  ark  was  called 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  or  testament,  because  it  was  made 
for  the  express  purpose  of  containing  the  tables  of  the  testi- 
mony, or  ten  connnandments.  Ex.  25:  16;  31:  18;  Deut.  10: 
2,  5.  It  was  put  to  no  other  use,  and  owed  its  name  solely 
to  the  fact  that  it  contained  the  tables  of  the  law.  If  the 
tables  were  not  therein,  it  would  not  be  the  ark  of  his  (God's) 
testament,  and  could  not  truthfully  be  so  called.  Yet  John, 
beholding  the  ark  in  heaven  under  the  sounding  of  the  seventh 
truuipet,  still  calls  it  the  "  ark  of  his  testament,"  aifording 
unanswerable  proof  that  the  law  is  still  there,  unaltered  in 
one  jot  or  tittle  from  the  copy  which  for  a  time  was  committed 
to  the  care  of  men  in  the  typical  ark  of  the  tabernacle  during 
the  ^losaic  dispensation. 

The  followers  of  the  j^rophetic  word  have  also  received  the 
reed,  and  are  measuring  the  temple,  the  altar,  and  them  that 
worship  therein.  Verse  1.  They  are  uttering  their  last  proph- 
ecy before  nations,  peoples,  and  tongues.  Chapter  10 :  11. 
And  the  drama  Avill  soon  close  with  the  lightnings,  thunder- 
ings,  voices,  the  eartlupiake,  and  great  hail,  which  will  consti- 
tute nature's  last  convulsion  before  all  things  are  made  new 
at  the  close  of  the  thousand  years.  Kev.  21:5.  (See  on 
chapter     10:17-21.) 


THE     GOSPEL     CHURCH 
REV.    I  2  :  I 


And    fhere  appeared 
anol-her  wonder  in 


CHAPTEE  XIL 


Verse  1.  And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven;  a  woman 
clothed  with  tlie  snn,  and  the  moon  nnder  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head 
a  crown  of  twelve  stars :  2.  And  she  being  with  child  cried,  travailing 
in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered.  3.  And  there  appeared  another 
wonder  in  heaven;  and  behold  a  great  red  dragon,  liaving  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his  heads. 

AN    elucidation   of   this   portion    of    the   chapter    ^vill    in- 
volve  little   more   than    a   mere    definition   of   the   sym- 
bols introduced.       This  mav  be  given  in  few  words,  as 
follows : — 

"A  woman,"  the  true  ehurcli.  A  corrupt  woman  is  used 
to  represent  an  apostate  or  corrupt  church.  Eze.  23:2-4; 
Rev.  IT  :  3  -  6,  15,  18.  Bv  parity  of  reasoning,  a  pure  woman, 
as  in  this  instance,  would  represent  the  true  church. 

''  The  sun,"  the  light  and  glory  of  the  gospel  dispensation. 
"  The  moon,"  the  Mosaic  dispensation.  As  the  moon 
shines  with  a  borrowed  light  derived  from  the  sun,  so  the 
former  dispensation  shone  with  a  light  borrowed  from  the 
present.  There  they  had  the  type  and  shadow;  here  we  have 
the  antitype  and  substance. 

"A  crown  of  twelve  stars,"  the  twelve  apostles. 
"A  great  red  dragon,"  pagan  Rome.       (See  under  verses 
4  and  5.) 

(619) 


620  THE  REVELATION 

"  Heaven,''  the  space  in  wliicli  this  representation  was  seen 
bj  the  apostle.  We  are  not  to  suppose  tliat  the  scenes  here 
represented  to  John  took  phice  in  heaven  where  God  resides ; 
for  they  are  events  wdiich  transpired  upon  this  earth;  but  this 
scenic  representation  which  passed  before  the  eye  of  the  prophet, 
appeared  as  if  in  the  region  occupied  by  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  which  we  speak  of  as  heaven. 

Verses  1  and  2  cover  a  period  of  time  commencing  jusG 
prjevious  to  the  opening  of  the  present  dispensation,  when  tlie 
church  Avas  earnestly  longing  for  and  expecting  the  advent  of 
the  ^lessiah,  and  extending  to  the  time  of  the  full  establish- 
ment of  the  gospel  church  with  its  crown  of  twelve  apostles. 
Luke  2:25,  26,  38. 

Iso  symbols  more  fitting  and  impressive  could  be  found 
than  are  here  employed.  The  Mosaic  dispensation  shone  with 
a  light  borrowed  from  the  Christian  dispensation,  just  as  the 
moon  shines  with  light  borrowed  from  the  sun.  How  appro- 
,  priate,  therefore,  to  rej)resent  the  former  by  the  moon,  and  the 
latter  by  the  sun.  The  woman,  the  church,  had  the  moon 
under  her  feet ;  that  is,  the  Mosaic  dispensation  had  just 
ended,  and  the  w^oman  Avas  clothed  with  the  light  of  the  gospel 
sun,  which  had  just  risen.  By  the  figure  of  prolepsis,  the 
church  is  represented  as  fully  organized,  with  its  twelve  apos- 
tles, befoi'e  the  man-child,  Christ,  appeared  upon  the  scene. 
This  is  easily  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  it  was  to  be  thus 
constituted  immediately  after  Christ  should  commence  his  min- 
istry; and  he  is  more  especially  connected  with  this  church 
than  with  that  of  the  former  dispensation.  There  is  no 
ground  for  any  misunderstanding  of  the  passage;  and  hence 
no  violence  is  done  to  a  correct  system  of  interpretation  by 
this   representation. 

Vkrse  4.  And  liis  tail  drew  the  third  ])art  of  the  stars  of  heaven, 
and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth;  and  tlie  dragon  stood  before  the 
woman  which  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  devour  her  child  as 
soon  as  it  was  born.  5.  And  she  brought  forth  a  man-child,  who  was 
to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron:  and  her  child  was  caught  up 
imto  God,  and  to  his  throne.  0.  And  the  woman  fled  into  tlie  wilder- 
ness, where  she  hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed 
her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and   threescore  days. 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSES  J^-6  G21 

"The  Third  Part  of  the  Stars  of  Heaven/' — The  dragou 
drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  from  heaven.  If  the  twelve 
stars  with  which  the  woman  is  crowned,  here  used  symbolically, 
denote  the  tweh-e  apostles,  then  the  stars  thrown  down  by  the 
dragon  before  his  attempt  to  destroy  the  num-child,  or  before 
the  Christian  era,  may  denote  a  portion  of  the  rulers  of  the 
Jewish  people.  That  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  sometimes 
used  in  this  symbolic  sense,  we  have  already  had  evidence  in 
chapter  8:12.  The  dragon,  being  a  symbol,  could  deal  only 
with  symbolic  stars ;  and  the  chronology  of  the  act  here  men- 
tioned would  confine  it  to  the  Jewish  people.  Judea  became 
a  Konian  j)rovince  sixty-three  years  before  the  birth  of  the 
llessiah.  The  Jews  had  three  classes  of  rulers,  — ■  kings, 
l)riests,  and  the  Sanhedrim.  A  third  of  these,  the  kings, 
were  taken  away  by  the  Ivonian  power.  Philip  Smith,  His- 
tory of  the  World,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  Ibl,  after  describing  the  siege 
of  Jerusalem  by  the  Ilomans  and  Herod,  and  its  capitulation 
in  the  spring  of  u.  c.  37,  after  an  obstinate  resistance  of  six 
months,  says:  "  Such  was  the  end  of  the  Asmonean  dynasty, 
exactly  loO  years  after  the  first  victories  of  Judas  j\Iaccal>u'us, 
and  in  the  seventieth  year  from  the  assumj^tion  of  the  diadem 
by  Aristobulus  I." 

The  dragon  stood  before  the  woman  to  devour  her  child. 
It  now  becomes  necessary  to  identify  the  power  symbolized  by 
the  dragon ;  and  this  can  very  easily  be  done.  The  testimony 
concerning  the  "  man-child "  which  the  dragon  seeks  to  de- 
stroy, is  applicable  to  only  one  being  that  has  appeared  in  this 
world,  and  that  is  our  Lord  Jesus  C*hrist.  I^o  other  one  has 
been  caught  up  to  God  and  his  throne;  but  he  has  been  thus 
exalted.  Eph.  1:20,  21;  Ileb.  8:1;  Kev.  3:21.  Xo  other 
one  has  received  from  God  the  commission  to  rule  all  nations 
with  a  rod  of  iron;  but  he  has  been  appointed  to  this  woi-l^. 
Ps.  2:7-9. 

There  can  certainly  be  no  doubt  that  the  man-child  repre- 
sents Jesus  Christ.  The  time  to  which  the  ]irophecy  refers  is 
equally  evident.  It  was  the  time  when  Christ  appeare(l  in 
this  world   as   a  babe  in  Pethlehem. 

Having  now   ascertained    who   the   man-child   was,   namely, 


622  THE  BEV ELATION 

Christ ;  and  having  fixed  the  chronology  of  the  prophecy  at  the 
time  when  he  was  born  into  this  M'orld,  it  will  be  easy  to  find 
the  j)Ower  symbolized  by  the  dragon ;  for  the  dragon  represents 
some  power  which  did  attempt  to  destroy  him  at  his  birth. 
Was  any  such  attempt  made  I  and  who  made  it  i  Xo  formal 
ans^^•er  to  this  question  need  be  given  to  any  one  who  has  read 
how  Herod,  in  a  fiendish  effort  to  destroy  the  infant  Jesus, 
sent  forth  and  sIcav  all  the  children  in  Betlilehem,  from  two 
years  old  and  un<ler.  But  who  was  Herod  ?  - — ■  .V  Roman  gov- 
ernor. From  Ivouie  Herod  derived  his  power.  Rome  ruled 
at  that  time  over  all  the  world  (Luke  2:1),  and  was  there- 
fore the  responsible  party  in  this  transaction.  ^Moreover,  Rome 
Avas  the  only  earthly  government  which  at  that  time  could  be 
symbolized  in  prophecy,  for  this  very  reason  that  its  dominion 
was  universal.  It  is  not,  therefore,  without  the  most  conclu- 
sive reason  that  the  Roman  empire  is  considered  by  Protestant 
commentators  generally  to  be  the  power  indicated  by  the  great 
red  dragon.  And  it  may  be  a  fact  worth  mentioning  that 
during  the  second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  centuries  of  the 
Christian  era,  next  to  the  eagle  the  dragon  was  the  principal 
standard  of  the  Roman  legions;  and  that  dragon  was  painted 
red,  as  though,  in  faithful  response  to  the  picture  held  up  by 
the  seer  of  Patmos,  they  would  exclaim  to  the  world,  We  are 
the  nation  which  that  picture  represents. 

As  we  have  said,  Rome,  in  the  person  of  Herod,  attempted 
to  destroy  Jesus  Clirist,  when  he  sent  forth  and  destroyed  all 
the  children  of  Bethlehem  from  two  years  old  and  under. 
The  child  Avhich  was  born  to  the  expectant  desires  of  a  wait- 
ing and  watching  church,  Avas  our  adorable  Redeemer,  aa'Iio  is 
soon  to  rule  the  nations  Avith  a  rod  of  iron.  Herod  could  not 
destroy  liim ;  the.  combined  poAvers  of  earth  and  hell  could  nor 
overcome  him;  and  though  held  for  a  time  imder  the  domin- 
ion of  the  grave,  he  rent  its  cruel  bands,  opened  a  Avay  of 
life  for  mankind,  and  Avas  caught  up  to  God  and  his  throne, 
or  ascended  up  to  heaA'en  in  the  sight  of  his  disciples,  leaving 
to  them,  by  the  Avords  of  the  angels,  this  SAveetest  of  all  prom- 
ises, that  like  as  he  Avas  taken  aAvay  from  them,  so  he  would 
come  ac;ain. 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSES  Jt-12  625 

And  the  chiircli  tied  into  the  wilderness  at  the  time  the 
papacy  was  established,  in  538,  where  it  was  nourished  by  the 
word  of  God  and  the  ministration  of  angels  during  the  long, 
dark,   and  bloody  rule  of  that  power,   1260  years. 

Verse  7.  And  there  was  war  in  heaven :  Michael  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels,  8. 
And  prevailed  not ;  neither  was  their  place  found  any  more  in  heaven. 
9.  And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent,  called  the 
devil,  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world:  he  was  cast  out 
into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him.  10.  And  I 
heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is  come  salvation,  and 
strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ: 
for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  be- 
fore our  God  day  and  night.  11.  And  they  overcame  him  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony ;  and  they  loved 
not  their  lives  unto  the  death.  12.  Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens, 
and  ye  that  dwell  in  them.  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and 
of  the  sea!  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath, 
because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  biit  a  short  time. 

The  first  six  verses  of  this  chapter,  as  has  been  seen,  take 
us  down  to  the  close  of  the  1260  years,  which  marked  the 
end  of  the  papal  supremacy  in  1798.  In  the  7tli  verse  it  is 
equally  plain  that  we  are  carried  back  into  previous  ages. 
How  far  ?  —  To  the  time  first  introduced  in  the  chapter, — 
the  days  of  the  first  advent.  "And  there  was  war  in  heaven," 
the  same  heaven  where  the  woman  and  the  dragon  were  seen 
at  first;  but  they  were  actors  in  scenes  that  took  place  here 
upon  the  earth;  hence  we  understand  this  war  to  be  located 
in  the  same  place.  And  to  what  point  are  we  carried  back  ? 
—  Evidently  to  the  commencement  of  Christ's  ministry  here 
upon  earth.  To  prove  that  ^lichael  is  Christ,  see  Jude  0 ; 
1  Thess.  4:16;  John  5:28,  29;  and  that  this  was  a  special 
time  of  warfare  between  him  and  Satan  need  not  be  argued. 

Another  symbol  is  here  introduced,  and  John  hastens  to 
tell  us  what  this  symbol  represents.  It  is  the  devil  and  Satan. 
But  this  is  not  the  same  as  the  dragon  of  verses  3  and  -4.  That 
Avas  a  great  red  dragon,  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and 
seven  croivns  upon  his  heads.  It  would  be  most  grotesque  to 
try  to  apply  this  to  Satan  ]iersonally.  Satan  is  not  said  any- 
where in  the  Bible  to  be  red,  and  he  is  not  blessed  with  the 


62(5  THE  REVELATION 

number  of  heads  and  horns  there  stated;  and  while  he  might, 
as  the  god  of  tliis  world,  have  one  crown,  how  would  he  man- 
age to  wear  seven  ?  J5ut  all  these  features  are  very  appro- 
priate as  applied  to  pagan  liome. 

AMien  it  is  desired  to  set  forth  Satan  by  a  symbol,  no  more 
appropriate  one  can  be  chosen  than  a  great  dragon,  or  serpent, 
unqualified.  And  why  a  similar  symbol  is  also  employed  to 
rejj resent  Rome  with  some  of  its  peculiar  features,  is  evident. 
Jt  was  because  Rome,  as  a  universal  empire,  was  then  the  only 
possible  general  agent  to  carry  out  Satan's  wdll  in  the  earth. 
But  there  is  no  occasion  to  confound  the  two  symbols. 

In  reference  to  the  war  mentioned,  Satan  had  looked  for- 
ward to  Christ's  mission  to  this  earth  as  his  last  chance  of 
success  in  overthrowing  the  plan  of  salvation.  He  came  to 
Christ  with  specious  temptations,  in  hope  of  overcoming  him ; 
he  tried  in  various  ways  to  destroy  him  during  his  ministry ; 
and  when  he  had  succeeded  in  laying  him  in  the  tomb,  he 
endeavored,  in  malignant  triumph,  to  hold  him  there.  But 
in  every  encounter  the  Son  of  God  came  off  triumphant ;  and 
he  sends  back  this  gracious  promise  to  his  faithful  followers: 
"  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my 
throne,  even  as  /  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  throne."  This  shows  us  that  Jesus  while  on 
earth  waged  a  w^arfare,  and  obtained  the  victory.  Satan  saw 
his  last  effort  fail,  his  last  scheme  miscarry.  He  had  boasted 
that  he  would  overcome  the  Son  of  God  in  his  mission  to  this 
world,  and  thus  render  the  plan  of  salvation  an  ignominious 
failure;  and  well  he  knew  that  if  he  was  foiled  in  this  his 
last  desperate  effort  to  thwart  the  work  of  God,  his  last  hope 
had  perished,  and  all  was  lost.  (See  Spiritual  Gifts,  Vol. 
I,  p.  67.) 

But,  in  the  language  of  verse  8,  he  "  prevailed  not ;  "  and 
hence  the  song  may  well  be  sung,  ''  Therefore  rejoice,  ye 
heavens,   and  ye  that  dwell  in  them." 

It  is  held  by  some  that  this  war  took  ])lace  when  Satan, 
then  an  angel  of  light  and  glory,  rebelled  in  lieaven ;  and  that 
the  "casting  out"  of  which  John  speaks,  was  his  exjiulsioi) 
from  heaven  at  that  time.      But  we  are  unable  to  harmonize 


CHAPTER  12,  VERSES  7  - 12  627 

this  view  with  the  testimoiij  before  us.  Thus,  in  verse  13  we 
read:  "And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  unto  the 
earth,  he  persecuted  the  woman  which  brought  forth  the  man- 
child."  This  shows  that  just  as  soon  as  the  devil  saw  that  he 
was  cast  out,  he  turned  his  wrath  against  the  woman,  the 
church,  which,  not  far  from  that  time,  fled  into  the  wilder- 
ness. When  Satan  therefore  found  himself  thus  overthrown, 
the -man-child  had  already  been  brought  forth,  or,  in  other 
words,  the  first  advent  of  Christ  had  taken  place.  Hence  this 
war  and  defeat  of  Satan,  taking  place  this  side  of  the  Chris- 
tian era,  and  not  a  great  length  of  time  before  the  church  went 
into  the  wilderness  in  538,  cannot  be  his  fall  from  heaven  be- 
fore the  creation  of  the  Avorld ;  though  that  was  a  war  in 
heaven. 

Again,  there  seem  to  be  a  number  of  instances  in  which 
Satan  is  spoken  of  as  defeated,  or  cast  down.  One  was  his 
first  rejection  from  heaven ;  another,  when  Christ  overcame 
him  at  his  first  advent ;  and  there  will  be  another  in  the  fu- 
ture, when  he  is  cast  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and  shut  up  for 
a  thousand  years.  And  on  each  successive  occasion,  we  behold 
a  regularly  increasing  limitation  of  his  power.  He  falls  a 
degree  lower  in  every  succeeding  combat.  The  first  time,  as 
we  may  plainly  infer  from  certain  scriptures,  the  contest  was 
between  him  and  God  the  Father  (see  2  Peter  2:4);  the  sec- 
ond time  between  him  and  Christ  the  Son,  as  in  the  scripture 
before  us ;  Avhile  the  third  time  an  angel  sufiices  to  accomplish 
the  work  of  his  humiliation.  Rev.  20 :  1,  2.  Since  his  first 
contest,  he  has  not  been  permitted  to  rise  to  the  dignity  of 
contending  with  the  Father;  since  the  second,  he  has  not  had 
the  privilege,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  of  a  personal  encounter 
with  the  Son.  The  war  mentioned  in  the  scripture  now  before 
us  is  between  the  devil  and  Michael,  Christ.  The  great  effort 
of  the  former  against  the  latter,  personally,  was  during  his 
mission  here  on  earth ;  and  Christ's  great  personal  victory  over 
him  was  in  that  very  contest. 

"  K^either  was  their  place  found  any  more  in  heaven." 
Heaven,  we  have  seen,  does  not  mean,  in  this  chapter,  the 
place  which  is  the  abode  of  God  and  his  celestial  messengers. 


628  THE  REVELATION 

It  here  doubtless  denotes  condition  rather  than  phice;  and  the 
exj^rcssion  would  then  signify  that  thev  were  here  humiliated, 
and  never  to  regain  their  former  position.  They  had  suffered 
a  terrible  defeat,  which  Christ  describes  by  saying,  "  I  beheld 
Satan  as,  lightning  fall  from  heaven."  The  hope  which  he 
had  all  along  cherished,  of  overcoming  the  Son  of  man  Avhen 
he  took  upon  himself  our  nature,  had  forever  perished.  His 
power  was  limited.  He  could  no  more  aspire  to  a  personal 
encounter  with  the  Son  of  God, —  a  fact  which  hitherto  had 
given,  in  a  comparative  degree,  dignity  and  prestige  to  his 
position.  Henceforth  the  church  (the  woman)  is  the  object 
of  his  malice,  and  he  resorts  to  all  those  nefarious  means 
affainst  her  that  Avould  naturally  characterize  a  baffled  and 
hopeless  rage.       (See  Spiritual  Gifts,  Vol.  1,  p.  TO.) 

But  hereupon  a  song  is  sung  in  heaven,  ''  ^ow  is  come 
salvation,"  etc.  How  is  this,  if  these  scenes  are  in  the  past  ? 
Had  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
the  power  of  his  Christ,  then  come  ?  —  Xot  at  all ;  but  this 
song  Avas  sung  pros]:»ectively.  Those  things  were  made  sure. 
The  great  victory  had  been  won  by  Christ  which  put  the 
question  of  their  establishment  forever  at  rest.  Just  as  we 
read  in  other  scriptures,  "'  We  have  eternal  life,"  "  We  hwve 
redemption  through  his  blood,"  etc.,  as  if  we  were  now  in 
actual  possession  of  these  blessings;  whereas  Ave  only  have 
them  by  faith,  and  the  language  is  simply  an  assurance  that 
they  are  forever  sure  to  the  final  overcomers. 

The  prophet  then  glances  rapidly  over  the  working  of  Satan 
from  that  time  to  the  end  (verses  11-,  12),  during  Avhich  time 
the  faithful  "  brethren  "  overcome  him  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  and  the  Avord  of  their  testimony  Avhile  his  Avrath  in- 
creases as  his  time  groAvs  short.  Though  Avorking  through 
earthly  poAvers,  Satan,  personally,  is  the  chief  agent  from 
verses  0  to  17. 

Ykrsk  13.  And  AA-hen  the  drapron  saAV  that  he  Avas  cast  imto  the 
earth,  he  persecuted  the  Avoman  Avhich  brought  forth  the  man-child. 
14.  And  to  the  woman  were  g:\\ew  tAvo  Avings  of  a  great  eagle,  that 
sho  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place,  where  she  is  nour- 
ished for  a  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the 
serpent.     15.  And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  flood 


CHAPTER  1^.  VERSES  13  - 17  631 

after  the  Avoman,  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the 
flood.  16.  And  the  earth  helped  the  woman,  and  the  earth  opened  her 
mouth,  and  swallowed  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his 
mouth.  17.  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  went  to 
make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  which  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

But  little  comment  is  necessary  on  the  verses  last  intro- 
duced. Suffice  it  to  say  that  here  ^ve  are  again  carried  back 
to  the  time  when  Satan  became  fnlly  aware  that  he  had  utterly 
failed  in  all  his  attempts  against  the  Lord  of  glory  in  his 
earthly  mission ;  and  seeing  this,  he  turned  with  tenfold  fury, 
as  already  noticed,  upon  the  church  which  Christ  had  estab- 
lished. Then  we  have  again  brought  to  view  the  church  going 
into  that  condition  here  denominated  being  "'  in  the  Avilder- 
ness."  This  must  denote  a  state  of  seclusion  from  the  j^ublic 
gaze,  and  of  concealment  from  her  foes.  That  church  which 
during  all  the  dark  ages  trumpeted  her  lordly  commands  into 
the  ears  of  listening  Christendom,  and  flaunted  her  ostenta- 
tious banners  before  gaping  crowds,  was  not  the  church  of 
Christ ;  it  was  the  body  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity.  The 
"  mystery  of  godliness  "  Avas  God  manifested  here  as  a  man ; 
the  "  mystery  of  iniquity  "  was  a  man  pretending  to  be  God. 
This  was  the  great  apostasy,  the  mongrel  produced  by  the 
union  of  heathenism  and  Christianity.  The  true  church  Avas 
out  of  sight ;  in  secret  places  they  AA'orshiped  God ;  the  caA^es 
and  the  hidden  recesses  of  the  A^alleys  of  the  Piedmont  may 
be  taken  as  representatiA^e  places,  where  the  truth  of  the  gospel 
was  sacredly  cherished  from  the  rage  of  its  foes.  Here  God 
watched  OA^er  his  church,  and  by  his  providence  protected  and 
nourished  her. 

The  eagles'  Avings  giA^en  her  appropriately  signify  the  haste 
Avith  Avhich  the  true  church  Avas  obliged  to  proA'ide  for  her  own 
safety  Avhen  the  man  of  sin  Avas  installed  in  poAver,  together 
AAntli  the  assistance  God  proyided  her  to  this  end.  The  like 
figure  is  used  to  describe  God's  dealings  Avith  ancient  Israel. 
By  Moses  he  said  to  them :  "  Ye  haA^e  seen  AA'hat  I  did  unto 
the  Egyptians,  and  Iioav  T  bare  you  on  eagles'  Avings,  and 
brought  you  unto  myself."       Ex.    19  :  4. 

"40' 


(j;jo  THE  REVELATION 

The  mention  of  the  period  during  which  the  woman  is  nour- 
ished in  the  wiklerness  as  "•  a  time  and  times  and  half  a  time,'' 
the  exact  ])hraseology  used  in  Dan.  7:  25,  furnishes  a  key  for 
the  explanation  of  the  latter  passage;  for  the  very  same  period 
is  called  in  verse  G  of  Kevelation  12,  "  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  threescore  days."  This  shows  that  a  ''  time  "  is  one  year, 
;JGO  (hiys;  two  "times,"  two  years,  or  720  days;  and  ''half 
a  time,"  half  a  year,  or  ISO  days,  making  in  all  1260  days; 
and  this  heing  symbolic,  signifies  12G0  literal  years. 

The  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  flood  to  carry 
away  the  churcli.  By  its  false  doctrines  the  papacy  had  so 
corrupted  all  nations  as  to  have  control  absolutely,  for  long 
centuries,  of  the  civil  power.  Through  it  Satan  could  hurl  a 
mighly  flood  of  persecution  against  the  church  in  every  direc- 
tion; and  this  he  was  not  slo%v  to  do.  (See  reference  to  the 
terrible  persecutions  of  the  church  in  renuirks  on  Dan.  7:  25.) 
From  fifty  to  one  hundred  million  were  carried  away  by  the 
flood ;  but  the  church  was  not  entirely  swallowed  up ;  the  days 
M-ere  shortened  for  the   elect's  sake.       Matt.    24 :  22. 

"■'  The  earth  helped  the  woman  "  by  opening  its  mouth  and 
sAvallowing  up  the  flood.  The  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth 
century  began  its  work.  God  raised  up  the  noble  Luther  and 
ids  colaborers  to  expose  the  true  character  of  the  pa]>acy,  and 
break  the  power  with  which  superstition  had  enslaved  the 
minds  of  the  people.  Luther  nailed  his  theses  to  the  door  of 
the  church  at  Wittenberg;  and  the  pen  wdth  which  he  wrote 
them,  according  to  the  symbolic  dream  of  the  good  elector 
Frederick  of  Saxony,  did  indeed  span  the  continent,  and  shake 
tlie  triple  crown  on  the  pope's  head.  Princes  began  to  espouse 
tlie  cause  of  the  Reformers.  It  was  the  dawning  of  religious 
liglit  and  liberty,  and  God  would  not  suffer  the  darkness  to  swal- 
low up  its  radiance.  Tetzel,  the  indulgence-])e(ldler,  swelled 
iiii'l  bellowed  with  wrath,  and  Pope  Leo  roared  with  rage;  but 
i.U  in  vain.  The  spell  was  broken.  IMen  found  that  the  bulls 
ami  anathemas  of  the  pope  fell  harmless  at  their  feet,  just  as 
soon  as  they  dared  exercise  their  God-given  right  to  regulate 
ihciv  consciences  bv  liis  word   alone.       Defenders   of  tlie   true 


EMINENT     REFORMERS 
Jl/crt  ivho  havf  bren,  pronii  lant  in  advancing  the  ivork  of  God. 
For  biot;rai>liical  sketches,  see  Appendix. 


CHAPTER  12.  VERSES  IS  - 17  e^S$ 

faitli  iniilliplied.  .Vud  sooii  there  was  enough  Protestant  soil 
found  in  Switzerhmd,  Germany,  Holland,  England,  Xorway, 
and  Sweden,  to  swalloAv  up  the  flood  of  papal  furv,  and  rob 
it  of  its  power  to  harm  the  church.  Thus  the  earth  helped 
the  wonuin,  and  has  continued  to  help  to  the  present  day,  as 
the  spirit  of  the  Reformation  and  religious  liberty  has  been 
fostered   by   the   leading  nations   of   Christendom. 

But  the  dragon  is  not  yet  through  with  his  work.  Verse 
17  brings  to  view  another  and  a  final  outburst  of  his  wrath, 
this  time  against  the  last  generation  of  Christians  to  live  on 
the  earth.  We  say  the  last  generation ;  for  the  war  of  the 
dragon  is  directed  against  the  remnant  of  the  woman's  seed ; 
that  is,  the  renuiant  of  the  seed,  or  individuals,  that  constitute 
the  true  church ;  and  no  generation  but  the  last  can  truthfully 
be  represented  bj'  the  remnant.  If  the  view  is  correct  that 
we  have  already  reached  the  generation  which  is  to  wdtness 
the  closing  up  of  earthly  scenes,  this  warfare  against  the  truth 
cannot  be  far  in  the  future. 

This  remnant  is  characterized  by  the  keeping  of  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  having  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  points  to  a  Sabbath  reform  to  be  accomplished  in  the  last 
days;  for  on  the  Sabbath  alone,  as  pertaining  to  the  command- 
ments, is  there  a  difference  of  faith  and  practice  among  those 
who  accept  the  decalogue  as  the  moral  law.  This  is  more  par- 
ticularly brought  to  view  in  the  message  of  Rev.  14:  9  - 12, 

It  inay  be  proper  to  notice  that  according  to  the  testimony 
of  this  chapter,  three  powers  are  made  use  of  by  the  devil  to 
carry  out  his  work,  and  hence  all  are  spoken  of  as  the  (h-agon, 
he  being  the  inspiring  agent  in  them  all.  These  are,  (1) 
pagan  Rome;  (2)  papal  Rome;  (o)  the  two-horned  beast,  our 
own  government  under  the  control  of  apostate  Protestantism, 
w^hich  is  the  chief  agent,  as  wdll  hereafter  appear,  in  making 
Avar  upon  those  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God  and  have 
the  testimonv  of  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Verse  1.  And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of 
the  sea,  and  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea, 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon 
his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon  his  heads  the  name  of  blasphemy. 
2.  And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  and  his  feet 
were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion :  and 
the  dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great  authority.  3. 
And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded  to  death;  and  his 
deadly  wound  was  healed:  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the 
beast.  4.  And  they  worshiped  the  dragon  which  gave  power  imto  the 
beast:  and  they  worshiped  the  beast,  saying.  Who  is  like  unto  the 
beast  ?  Who  is  able  to  make  war  with  him  ?  5.  And  there  was  given 
unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies ;  and  power 
was  given  \uito  him  to  continue  forty  and  two  months.  6.  And  he 
opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against  God,  to  blaspheme  his  name, 
and  liis  tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven.  7.  And  it  was 
given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them : 
and  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations. 
8.  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship  him,  whose  names 
are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world.  9.  If  any  man  have  an  ear,  let  him  hear.  10.  He 
that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall  go  into  captivity:  he  that  killeth  with 
the  sword  must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Here  is  the  patience  and 
the  faith  of  the  saints. 


THE  sea  is  a  syiiilx)!  of  "  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and 
nations,   and  tongues."       Rev.   17:15.       A  heast   is  the 

IHhle  synil)ol  of  an  unrigliteons  nation,  or  ])ower,  rep- 
resentinii;  sonictiiuos  the  civil  power  alone,  scnnetinies  the  eccle- 
siastical in  coinieetion  with  the  civil.  Whenever  a  beast  is 
seen  to  come  up  out  of  the  sea,  it  denotes  that  the  power  arises 
in  a  thickly  populated  territory;  and  if  tlu^  winds  are  repre- 
sented as  blowing'  upon  the  sea,  as  in  Dan.  7:2,  •"!,  ])<)litical 
commotion,  civil  strife,  and  revolution  are  indicated. 

(636) 


CHAPTER  13,  VEllSEtS  1  -  lu  (;;57 

By  the  draguu  of  the  previous  ehapter,  uud  the  beast  tirst 
introduced  iu  this,  we  have  the  Roman  power  as  a  whole 
brought  to  view  in  its  two  phases,  pagan  and  papal;  hence 
these  t\\o  symbols  have  each  the  seven  heads  and  ten  horns. 
(See  on  chapter  17:10.) 

The  seven-headed  and  ten-horned  beast,  or,  more  brieliy, 
the  leopard  beast,  here  introduced,  symbolizes  a  power  which 
exercises  ecclesiastical  as  well  as  civil  authority.  This  point 
is  of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  the  introduction  of  a  few 
of  the  conclusive  arguments  which  go  to  prove  it. 

The  line  of  prophecy  in  which  this  synd^ol  occurs  com- 
mences with  chapter  12.  The  symbols  of  earthly  govern- 
ments embraced  in  the  prophecy  are,  the  dragon  of  cha])ter 
12,  and  the  leopard  beast  and  two-horned  beast  of  chapter  13. 
The  same  line  of  prophecy  evidently  continues  into  chapter 
14,  closing  witli  verse  5  of  that  chapter.  C^ommencing,  there- 
fore, with  verse  1  of  chapter  12,  and  ending  with  verse  5 
of  chapter  14,  we  have  a  line  of  prophecy  distinct  and  com- 
plete in  itself. 

Each  of  the  powers  here  introduced  is  represented  as 
fiercely  persecuting  the  church  of  God.  The  scene  opens 
with  the  church,  under  the  symbol  of  a  woman,  anxiously 
longing  for  the  promise  to  be  fulfilled  that  the  seed  of  the 
woman,  the  Lord  of  glory,  should  appear  among  men.  The 
dragon  stood  before  the  woman  for  the  purpose  of  devouring 
her  child.  His  evil  design  is  thwarted,  and  the  child  is 
caught  up  to  God  and  his  throne.  A  period  follows  in  which 
the  church  suffers  severe  oppression  from  this  dragon  power. 
And  thougJi  in  this  part  of  the  scene  the  prophet  occasionally 
glances  forward,  once  even  down  almost  to  the  end,  because 
all  the  enemies  of  the  church  were  to  be  actuated  by  the  spirit 
of  the  dragon,  yet  in  verse  1  of  chapter  13  we  are  carried 
hack  to  the  time  when  the  leopard  beast,  the  successor  of  the 
dragon,  commences  his  career.  "From  this  power,  for  the  long 
period  of  1260  years,  the  church  suffers  war  and  persecution. 
Following  this  period  of  oppression,  the  church  has  another 
conflict,  brief,  but  sharp  and  severe,  with  the  two-horned  beast. 
Then    comes    deliverance;    and    the    prophecy   closes    with    the 


G38  THE  REVELATION 

church  brought  safely  through  all  her  persecutions,  and  stand- 
ing victorious  with  the  Lamb  on  Mount  Zion.  Thank  God 
for  the  sure  promise  of  final  victory  I 

The  one  character  which  ever  appears  the  same  in  all  these 
scenes,  and  whose  history  is  the  leading  theme  through  all  the 
prophecy,  is  the  church  of  God.  The  other  characters  are  her 
persecutors,  and  are  introduced  simply  because  they  are  such. 
And  here,  as  an  introductory  inquiry,  we  raise  the  question, 
Who  or  what  is  it  that  persecutes  the  true  church  '.  —  It  is  a 
false  or  apostate  church.  What  is  it  that  is  ever  warring 
against  true  religion  ?  —  It  is  a  false  and  counterfeit  religion. 
Who  ever  beard  of  the  civil  power,  merely,  of  any  nation,  per- 
secuting the  people  of  God  ?  Governments  may  war  against 
other  governments,  to  avenge  some  wrong,  real  or  imaginary, 
or  to  acquire  territory  and  extend  their  power,  as  nations  have 
often  ^^'arred  against  the  Jews ;  but  governments  do  not  perse- 
cute (mark  the  word  —  do  not  persecute)  people  on  account  of 
their  religion,  unless  under  the  control  of  some  opposite  and 
hostile  system  of  religion.  But  the  powers  introduced  in  this 
proi)hecy, —  the  dragon,  the  leopard  beast,  and  the  two-horned 
beast, —  are  all  persecuting  powers.  They  are  actuated  b^' 
rage  and  enmity  against  the  people  and  church  of  God.  And 
this  fact  is  of  itself  sufficiently  conclusive  evidence  that  in 
each  of  these  powers  the  ecclesiastical  or  religious  element  is 
the   controlling  power. 

Take  the  dragon :  what  does  it  symbolize  ?  —  The  Roman 
empire,  is  the  undeniable  answer.  But  this  is  not  enough. 
Xo  one  would  be  satisfied  with  this  answer  and  no  more.  It 
must  be  more  definite.  We  then  add,  The  Roman  empire  in 
its  pagan  form,  to  which  all  must  also  agree.  But  just  as 
soon  as  we  say  pagan,  we  introduce  a  religious  element;  for 
paganism  is  one  of  the  hugest  systems  of  counterfeit  religion 
that  Satan  ever  devised.  The  dragon,  then,  is  so  far  an  eccle- 
siastical power  that  tbe  very  cliaracteristic  by  which  it  is  dis- 
tinguished is  a  false  system  of  religion.  And  what  made 
the  dragon  persecute  the  church  of  Christ  ?  —  It  was  because 
Christianity  was  prevailing  against  paganism,  sweeping  away 
its    superstitions,    overturning    its    idols,    and    dismantling    its 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  1  - 10  039 

temples.       The   religiuas  eleinent  of  that  power  was  touched, 
and  persecution  was  the  result. 

We  now  come  to  the  leopard  beast  of  chaj^ter  13.  AVhat 
does  that  symbolize  I  The  answer  still  is,  The  Koman  em- 
pire. But  the  dragon  symbolized  the  Koman  empire,  and 
why  does  not  the  same  symbol  represent  it  still  ?  —  Ah !  there 
has  been  a  change  in  the  religious  character  of  the  empire; 
and  this  beast  symbolizes  Rome  in  its  professedly  Christian 
form.  And  it  is  this  change  of  religion,  and  this  alone,  which 
makes  a  change  in  the  symbol  necessary.  This  beast  dilfers 
from  the  dragon  only  in  that  he  presents  a  diiferent  religious 
aspect.  Hence  it  would  be  altogether  wrong  to  aitirm  that  it 
denotes  simply  the  Roman  civil  power. 

To  this  beast  the  dragon  gives  his  seat,  his  power,  and 
great  authority.  By  what  power  was  pagan  Rome  succeeded  ^ 
"We  all  know  that  it  was  by  papal  Rome.  It  matters  not  to 
our  present  purpose  when  or  by  what  means  this  change  was 
effected ;  the  great  fact  is  apparent,  and  is  acknowledged  by 
all,  that  the  next  great  phase  of  the  Roman  empire  after  its 
pagan  form  was  its  papal.  It  would  not  be  correct,  therefore, 
to  say  that  pagan  Rome  gave  its  seat  antl  power  to  a  form  of 
government  merely  civil,  having  no  religious  element  whatever. 
1^0  stretch  of  the  imagination  can  conceive  of  such  a  transac- 
tion. But  two  phases  of  empire  are  here  recognized ;  and  in 
the  prophecy,  Rome  is  pagan  until  Rome  is  papal.  The  state- 
ment that  the  dragon  gave  to  the  leopard  beast  his  seat  and 
power,  is  further  evidence  that  the  dragon  of  Rev.  12:3  is 
not  a  symbol  of  Satan  personally;  for  Satan  has  not  abdicated 
in  favor  of  any  other  malevolent  being;  and  he  has  not  given 
up  his  seat  to  any  earthly  power. 

Ihit  it  may  be  said  that  it  takes  the  leopard  Least  and  two- 
horned  beast  together  to  constitute  the  papacy,  and  hence  it 
is  to  these  that  the  dragon  gives  his  power,  seat,  and  great 
authority.  But  the  prophecy  docs  not  say  so.  It  is  the 
leopard  beast  alone  witli  which  the  dragon  has  to  do.  It  is 
to  that  beast  alone  tliat  he  gives  his  power,  seat,  and  great 
authority.  It  is  that  l)east  that  has  a  head  that  is  wounded  to 
death,   whieli   is   afterward   healed;   that   beast   that   the   whole 


(UO  THE  REVELATION 

world  wonders  after;  that  beast  that  receives  a  mouth  speaking 
blasphemies,  and  that  wears  out  the  saints  for  1260  years; 
and  all  this  before  the  succeeding  power,  the  two-horned  beast, 
comes  upon  the  stage  of  action  at  all.  The  leopard  beast 
alone,  therefore,  symbolizes  the  Roman  empire  in  its  papal 
form,  the  controlling  influence  being  ecclesiastical. 

To  show  this  more  fully,  we  have  but  to  draw  a  parallel 
between  the  little  horn  of  Dan.  7 :  8,  20,  24,  25,  and  this 
power.  From  this  comparison  it  Avill  appear  that  the  little 
horn  referred  to  and  the  leopard  beast  symbolize  the  same 
power;  but  the  little  horn  is  acknowledged  on  all  hands  to 
be  a  symbol  of  the  papacy.  There  are  six  points  of  identity, 
as  follows : — • 

1.  The  little  horn  was  a  blasphemous  power.  "  He  shall 
speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High."  Dan.  7 :  25. 
The  leopard  beast  of  Rev.  13 :  6  does  the  same.  '*  He  opened 
his  mouth   in  blasphemy  against  God." 

2.  The  little  horn  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  prevailed 
against  them.  Dan.  7:21.  This  beast  also  (Rev.  13:7) 
makes  war  with  the  saints,   and  overcomes   them. 

3.  The  little  horn  had  a  nioutli  speaking  great  things. 
Dan.  7 :  8,  20.  And  of  this  beast  we  read.  Rev.  13  :  5  :  "And 
there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and 
blasphemies." 

4.  The  little  horn  arose  on  the  cessation  of  the  pagan  form 
of  the  Roman  empire.  The  beast  of  Rev.  13 :  2  arises  at  the 
same  time ;  for  the  dragon,  pagan  Rome,  gives  him  his  power, 
his  seat,  and  great  authority. 

5.  Power  was  given  to  the  little  horn  to  continue  for  a 
time,  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time,  or  12(50  years.  Dan. 
7:25.  To  this  beast  also  power  was  given  for  forty-two 
months,   or  12G0  years.      Rev.   13:5. 

(■).  At  the  end  of  that  specified  period,  the  dominion  of  the 
little  horn  was  to  be  hiken  away.  Dan.  7  :  2<;.  At  the  end 
of  the  same  period,  the  leopard  beast  was  himself  to  be  "  led 
into  captivity."  Rev.  13:10.  Both  these  specifications  were 
fulfilUHl  in  the  captivity  and  exile  of  the  pope,  and  the  tempo- 
rary overthrow  of  tiie  ])apacv  by   France  in  1708. 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  1  - 10  641 

Here  are  ijoiiits  that  prove  identity ;  for  when  we  have  in 
prophecy  two  symbols,  as  in  this  instance,  representing  powers 
that  conic  \\\)o\\  the  stage  of  action  at  the  same  titnc,  occn})y 
the  same  leiritovij,  maintain  the  same  cliavacter,  do  the  saitie 
icork,  exist  the  same  length  of  time,  and  meet  the  same  fate. 
those  symbols  represent  the  sauie  identical  power. 

Xow  all  the  particnlars  above  speciticd  do  apply  alike  to  the 
little  horn,  and  the  leopard  beast  of  chapter  Ki,  showing  that 
these  two  symbols  represent  the  same  power.  It  is  admitted 
on  all  hands  that  the  little  horn  represents  the  papacy ;  and  he 
who  claims  that  this  leopard  beast  does  not  represent  the  same, 
must,  to  be  consistent,  show  that  at  the  same  time  that  the 
papacy  arose,  there  arose  another  great  power  exactly  like  it, 
occ\ipying  the  same  territory,  bearing  the  same  character,  do- 
ing the  same  work,  continuing  the  same  length  of  time,  and 
meeting  the  same  fate,  and  yet  a  separate  and  distinct  power; 
Avhich  would  be   as  absurd  as  it  would  be  impossible. 

The  head  that  was  wounded  to  death  was  the  papal  head. 
We  are  held  to  this  conclusion  by  the  very  obvious  j^i'inciple 
that  whatever  is  spoken  in  prophecy  of  the  symbol  of  any 
government,  applies  to  that  government  only  while  it  is  rep- 
resented by  that  symbol.  Xow  Rome  is  represented  by  two 
symbols,  the  dragon  and  the  leopard  beast,  because  it  has  pre- 
sented two  })hases,  the  jDagan  and  the  papal;  and  whatever 
is  said  of  the  dragon  applies  to  Rome  only  in  its  pagan  form, 
and  whatever  is  said  of  the-  leopard  beast  applies  to  Rome 
only  in  its  professedly  Christian  form.  But  Rome  Avas  pagan 
in  John's  day,  who  lived  under  the  sixth  or  imperial  head. 
This  shows  us  at  once  that  six  of  the  heads,  including  the 
imperial,  belong  to  the  dragon  ;  and  if  it  was  any  one  of  these 
heads  which  w^as  wounded  to  death,  then  it  was  one  of  the 
heads  of  the  dragon,  or  one  of  the  forms  of  government  that 
belonged  to  Rome  in  its  pagan  form,  and  not  one  of  the  heads 
of  the  beast ;  and  John  should  have  said,  I  saw  one  of  the 
heads  of  the  dragon  wounded  to  death.  But  he  says  that  it 
was  one  of  the  heads  of  the  beast  that  was  wounded  to  death. 
In  othoi-  words,  this  wound  fell  upon  some  form  of  government 
that  existed  in  the  Roman  empire^  after  its  change  from  pagan- 


G42  THE  BEY  ELATION 

isiii  to  Cliristianitj.  But  after  this  cliange,  there  was  but  one 
liead,  and  that  was  the  papah^  Thus  it  is  placed  beyond 
controversy  that  it  was  none  other  than  the  papal  head  that 
was  w^ounded  to  death,  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed. 
This  wounding  is  the  same  as  the  going  into  captivity.  Rev. 
13  :  10.  It  was  inflicted  when  the  pope  was  taken  prisoner 
by  Bertliier,  the  French  general,  and  the  papal  government 
was  for  a  time  abolished,  in  1798.  Stripj^ed  of  his  power, 
both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  the  captive  pope,  Pius  VI,  died  in 
exile  at  Valence  in  France,  Aug.  29,  1799.  But  the  deadly 
wound  was  healed  when  the  papacy  was  re-established,  though 
with  a  diminution  of  its  former  power,  by  the  election  of  a 
new  pope,  ]\Iarcli  14,  1800.  (See  Bower's  History  of  the 
Popes,  pp.  404  -  428 ;  Croly  on  the  AjDocalypse,  London  edi- 
tion, p.   251.) 

This  beast  opens  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against  God  to 
blaspheme  his  name.  (See  mention  under  Dan.  7 :  25  of  the 
presumptuous  titles   assumed  by  the  popes.) 

He  blasphemes  the  tabernacle  in  heaven  by  turning  the 
attention  of  his  subjects  to  his  own  throne  and  palace  instead 
of  to  the  tabernacle  of  God;  by  turning  their  attention  away 
from  the  city  of  God,  Jerusalem  above,  and  pointing  them  to 
Pome  as  the  eternal  city;  and  he  blasphemes  them  that  dwell 
in  heaven  by  assuming  to  exercise  the  power  of  forgiving  sins, 
and  so  turning  away  the  minds  of  men  from  the  mediatorial 
work  of  Christ  and  his  heavenly  assistants  in  the  sanctuary 
above. 

By  verse  10  we  are  again  referred  to  the  events  of  1798, 
\y\\Q\\  that  power  that  had  for  12G0  years  led  the  saints  of 
God  into  captivity,  was  led  into  captivity  itself,  as  already 
noticed. 


'  1  The  symbol  as  here  presented  has  but  seven  heads,  denoting  seven  forms  of 
government,  not  contemporaneous  but  successive.  Of  course  only  one  head  is  ruling 
at  any  one  time;  but  all  are  placed  alike  upon  the  dragon  and  beast  to  identify 
both  these  symbols  as  denoting  the  Roman  power.  Six  heads  belonged  to  the  dragon; 
that  is,  six  forms  of  government  were  developed  and  passed  away  one  after  another, 
while  the  religion  of  Home  was  pagan;  and  only  one  remained  to  be  developed  after 
the  change  to  Christianity,  and  that  was  the  papal;  which  as  a  spiritual  power  con- 
tinues to  the  end  (2  Thess.  2:8),  and  as  a  temporal  power  to  the  time  when  his 
dominion    is   taken   away   just    before   the   end.       Dan.    7:2(). 


SYMBOL     OF     THE     UNITED     STATES      IN      PROPHECY 


"  He  doetli  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  Are  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth,  In  the 
slTht  of  men."— Uav.  13:  IM 


CII AFTER  IS.  VERSES  11-11  045 

Verse  11.  And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  np  out  of  the  earth; 
and  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon.  VI. 
And  he  exerciseth  all  the  power  of  the  tirst  beast  before  him,  and 
causeth  the  earth  and  them  which  dwell  therein  to  worship  the  first 
beast,  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed.  13.  And  he  doeth  gi-eat  won- 
ders, so  that  he  maketh  fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in 
the  sight  of  men,  14.  And  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by 
the  means  of  those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight 
of  the  beast;  saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they  should 
make  an  image  to  the  beast,  which  had  the  wound  by  the  sword,  and 
did  live.  15.  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of  the 
beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast  should  both  speak,  and  cause  that 
as  many  as  would  not  worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed. 
16.  And  he  causeth  all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and 
bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads : 
IT.  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark, 
or  the  luime  of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of  his  name. 

These  verses  bring  to  view  the  third  great  svnibol  in  the 
line  of  i^ropheey  Ave  are  examining,  nsually  denominated  the 
two-horned  beast.  We  inquire  for  its  ajjplication.  The  dragon, 
pagan  Home,  and  the  leopard  beast,  papal  Rome,  present  be- 
fore us  great  organizations  standing  as  the  representatives  of 
two  great  systems  of  false  religion.  Analogy  would  seem  to 
require  that  the  remaining  symbol,  the  two-horned  beast,  have 
a  similar  application,  and  find  its  fulfilment  in  some  national- 
ity A\hicli  is  the  representative  of  still  another  great  system  of 
religion.  But  the  only  remaining  system  which  is  exercising 
a  controlling  influence  in  the  world  to-day  is  Protestantism. 
Abstractly  considered,  paganism  embraces  all  heathen  lands, 
containing  more  than  half  the  population  of  the  globe.  Ca- 
tholicism, which  may  perhaps  be  considered  as  embracing  the 
religion  of  the  Greek  Church,  so  nearly  identical  with  it, 
belongs  to  nations  which  compose  a  great  portion  of  Christen- 
dom. Mohammedanism  is  an  effete  system,  which  has  ceased 
to  be  any  important  factor  in  the  world's  progress.  Moreover, 
it  seems  to  have  received  enough  proi^hetic  attention  in  Daniel 
11  and  Revelation  9.  But  Protestantism  is  the  religion  of 
nations  Avhieh  constitute  the  vanguard  of  the  world  in  liberty, 
enlightenment,  progress,  and  power. 

If,  then,  Protestantism  is  the  religion  to  which  we  are  to 
look,  to  what  nationality,  as  the  representative  of  that  religion. 


64:6  THE  REVELATION 

does  the  prophecy  have  application  ?  There  are  notable  Prot- 
estant nations  in  Europe;  but  for  reasons  which  will  hereafter 
appear,  the  symbol  cannot  apply  to  any  of  these.  A  careful 
investigation  has  led  to  the  conclusion  that  it  does  apply  to 
Protestant  America,  or  the  government  of  the  United  States. 
AVe  trust  the  reader  will  now  feel  impatient  for  some  of  the 
reasons  for  such  an  application,  and  will  carefully  consider 
the  evidence  by  which  it  is  supported. 

1.  Prohahilifies  Considered. —  Are  there  any  reasons  why 
we  should  expect  that  our  own  government  would  be  mentioned 
in  prophecy  I  On  what  conditions  have  other  nations  found  a 
place  in  the  proj^hetic  record  i  —  First,  if  tliey  have  acted  any 
prominent  part  in  the  world's  history ;  and  secondly,  and  above 
all,  if  they  have  had  jurisdiction  over,  or  nuiintained  any  rela- 
tions with,  the  people  of  God.  In  the  records  of  the  Bible 
and  of  secular  history,  we  find  data  from  which  to  deduce  this 
rule  resj^ecting  the  projjhetic  mention  of  earthly  governments ; 
namely,  whenever  the  relations  of  God's  people  to  any  nation 
are  such  that  a  true  history  of  the  former,  which  is  the  object 
of  all  revelation,  could  not  be  given  without  a  notice  of  the 
latter,  such  nation  is  mentioned  in  prophecy.  And  all  these 
conditions  are  certainly  fulfilled  in  our  government.  Xo  na- 
tion has  ever  attracted  more  attention,  excited  more  profound 
wonder,  or  given  jiromise  of  greater  eminence  or  influence. 
And  certainly  here,  if  anywhere  on  the  globe,  are  to  bo  fourtd 
a  strong  array  of  Christians,  such  as  are  the  salt  of  the  earth 
and  the  light  of  the  world,  whose  history  cotild  not  be  written 
without  mention  of  that  government  under  which  they  live  and 
enjoy  their  liberty. 

And  the  conviction  has  fastened  itself  upon  many  minds 
tliat  tlie  hand  of  Providence  has  been  consj^icuously  manifest 
in  the  rise  ami  jtrogress  of  this  nation. 

Governor  J^ownal,  an  Knglish  statesman,  in  17S0,  while 
our  lievolution  was  in  ])r()gress,  ])redicted  that  this  country 
would  become  independent,  and  that  a  civilizing  activity,  be- 
yond what  Kurojic  could  ever  know,  would  animate  it;  and 
that  its  coninicrcial  and  na\-;d  ])ow('r  would  be  found  in  every 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  n -.17  647 

quarter  of  the  globe,  lie  then  speaks  of  the  probable  establish- 
ment of  this  country  as  a  free  and  sovereign  power  as  — 

"A  revolution  that  has  stronger  marks  of  divine  interposi- 
tion superseding  the  ordinary  course  of  human  affairs,  than 
any  other  event  which  this  world  has  experienced." 

De  Tocqueville,  a  French  writer,  speaking  of  the  separa- 
tion of  the   United   States  from  England,   says: — 

"It  might  seem  their  folly,  but  was  really  their  fate;  or 
rather,  the  providence  of  God,  wdio  has  doubtless  a  work  for 
them  to  do  in  which  the  massive  materiality  of  the  English 
character  would  have  been  too  ponderous  a  dead-weight  upon 
their  progress." 

Geo.  Alfred  Townsend,  speaking  of  the  misfortunes  that 
have  attended  the  other  governments  on  this  continent  (Xew 
World  and  Old,  p.  635),  says: — 

"  The  history  of  the  United  States  w^as  separated  by  a 
beneficent  Providence  far  from  the  wild  and  cruel  history  of 
the  rest  of  the  continent." 

Such  considerations  as  these  are  calculated  to  arouse  in 
e\'ery  mind  a  strong  expectation  that  this  government  will  be 
found  to  have  some  part  to  act  in  the  carrying  out  of  God's 
providential  purposes  in  this  world,  and  that  somewhere  it  will 
be  spoken  of  in  the  prophetic  word. 

2.  The  Chronology  of  This  Poiver. —  At  what  period  in  this 
world's  history  is  the  rise  of  .this  power  placed  in  the  proph- 
ecy ?  On  this  point,  the  foundation  for  the  conclusions  at 
which  we  must  arrive  is  already  laid  in  the  facts  elicited  in 
reference  to  the  preceding  or  leopard  beast.  It  was  at  the 
time  when  this  beast  went  into  captivity,  or  was  killed  (polit- 
ically) with  the  sword  (verse  10),  or  (which  we  suppose  to 
be  the  same  thing)  had  one  of  its  heads  wounded  to  death 
(verse  3),  that  John  saw  the  two-horned  beast  coming  up.  If 
the  leopard  beast,  as  we  have  conclusively  proved,  signifies 
the  papacy,  and  the  going  into  captivity  met  its  fulfilment  in 
the  temporary  overthrow  of  the  popedom  by  the  French  in 
1798,  then  we  have  the  time  definitely  specified  when  we  are 
to  look  for  the  rise  of  this  power.  The  expression  "  coming 
up  "  must  signify  that  the  power  to  which  it  apjilies  was  but 
41 


648  THE  EEY ELATION 

newly  organized,  and  -was  then  just  rising  into  prominence 
and  influence.  The  power  represented  by  this  symbol  must, 
then,  be  some  power  which  in  1798  stood  in  this  position  be- 
fore the  world. 

And  in  what  condition  stood  the  United  States  of  America 
at  that  time'^  ]\Iacniillan  and  Co.,  the  London  publishers,  in 
announcing  their  Statesman's  Year  Book  for  1867,  make  an 
interesting  statement  of  the  changes  that  took  place  among  the 
leading  nations  of  the  world  during  the  half  century  between 
the  years  1817  and  1867.      They  say: — 

"  The  half  century  has  extinguished  three  kingdoms,  one 
grand  duchy,  eight  duchies,  four  principalities,  one  electorate, 
and  four  republics.  Three  new  kingdoms  have  arisen,  and 
one  kingdom  has  been  transformed  into  an  empire.  There 
are  now  forty-one  states  in  Europe  against  fifty-nine  which 
existed  in  1817.  Not  less  remarkable  is  tlie  territorial  ex- 
tension of  the  superior  states  of  the  world.  Eussia  has  an- 
nexed 567,364  square  miles;  the  United  States,  1,968,009; 
France,  4,620;  Prussia,  29,781;  Sardinia,  expanding  into 
Italy,  has  increased  by  83,041 ;  the  Indian  empire  has  been 
augmented  by  431,616.  The  principal  states  that  have  lost 
territory  are  Turkey,  Mexico,  Austria,  Denmark,  and  the 
Netherlands." 

In  their  bearing  upon  the  prophecy  before  us,  these  state- 
ments are  worthy  of  the  particular  attention  of  the  reader. 
During  the  half  century  named,  twenty-one  governments  dis- 
appeared altogether,  and  only  three  new  ones  arose.  Five 
lost  in  territory  instead  of  gaining.  Only  five  besides  the 
United  States  added  to  their  domain,  and  the  one  which  did 
the  most  in  this  direction,  added  only  a  little  over  half  a 
million  of  square  miles;  while  the  United  States  added  nearly 
two  million  square  miles.  Thus  the  American  government 
added  over  fourteen  hundred  thousand  square  miles  of  terri- 
tory during  the  fifty  years  named,  more  than  any  other  single 
nation,  and  over  eight  hundred  thousand  more  than  were 
added,  during  tliat  time,  l)y  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth 
put  together.  (^an  any  one  doubt  what  nation  was  emphatic- 
ally "  coming  up  "  during  the  period  covered  by  these  statis- 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-11  649 

tics  ?  Certainly  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  United  States  is 
the  oiily  power  that  meets  the  specifications  of  the  prophecy 
on  this  point  of  clironology. 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  notes  on  Kevelation  14,  written  in  1754, 
says  of  the  two-horned  beast: — 

'^  He  has  not  yet  come,  thongh  he  cannot  be  far  oif ;  for  he 
is  to  appear  at  the  end  of  the  forty-two  months  of  the  first 
beast." 

3.  Aye  of  This  Power. —  There  is  good  evidence  to  show 
that  the  government  symbolized  by  the  two-horned  beast  is  in- 
troduced into  prophecy  in  the  early  part  of  its  career ;  that 
it  is,  when  first  brought  to  view,  a  youthful  power.  John's 
words  are,  '^And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up  out  of 
the  earth,  and  he  had  two  horns  lihe  a  lamb."  Why  does 
not  John  simply  say,  "  He  had  two  horns  "  ?  Why  does  he 
add  "'  like  a  lamb  "  ?  It  must  be  for  the  purpose  of  denot- 
ing the  character  of  this  beast,  showing  that  it  is  not  only  of 
a  very  innocent  and  harmless  demeanor,  ostensibly,  but  also 
that  it  is  a  very  youthful  poiver ;  for  the  horns  of  a  lamb  are 
horns  that  have  but  just  begun  to  grow. 

Bear  in  mind  that  by  the  preceding  argument  on  chro- 
nology, our  gaze  is  fixed  to  the  year  1798 ;  and  the  power 
s^mibolized  was  then  a  youthful  power,  according  to  the  pres- 
ent argument.  Question :  What  notable  power  was  at  that 
time  coming  into  prominence,  but  still  in  its  youth  ?  England 
was  not,  nor  w^as  France,  nor  Russia,  nor  any  European  power. 
For  a  young  and  rising  power  at  that  epoch,  we  are  obliged 
to  turn  our  eyes  to  the  New  World.  But  as  soon  as  we  turn 
them  to  this  continent,  they  rest  inevitably  upon  this  country 
as  the  power  in  question.  l\o  other  power  this  side  of  the 
ocean  is  entitled  to  any  mention  in  comparison  with  it. 

4.  Location  of  the  Tiro-horned  Beast. —  A  single  declara- 
tion of  the  prophecy  is  sufficient  to  guide  us  to  important  and 
correct  conclusions  on  this  point.  John  calls  it  '^  another 
beast."  It  is  a  symbol  in  addition  to,  and  different  from, 
the  papal  beast  which  the  prophet  had  just  had  under  con- 
sideration ;  that  is,  it  symbolizes  a  pow^r  separate  and  distinct 
from   that   which   is   denoted  by   the   preceding  beast.       This 


650  THE  REVELATION 

which  John  calls  "another  beast"  is  certainly  no  part  of  the 
first  beast ;  and  the  power  symbolized  by  it  is  likewise  no  part 
of  that  which  is  intended  by  that  beast.  This  is  fatal  to  the 
claim  of  those,  who,  to  avoid  the  application  of  this  symbol  to 
our  own  go\'ernment,  say  that  it  denotes  some  phase  of  the 
papacy;  for  in  that  case  it  would  be  a  part  of  the  preceding, 
or  leopard  beast. 

If  this  is  "  another  "  beast,  it  must  be  found  in  some  locality 
not  covered  by  any  other  symbols.  Let  us,  then,  take  a  brief 
survey  of  those  symbols  found  in  the  word  of  God,  which  rep- 
resent earthly  governments.  These  are  found,  chiefly,  if  not 
entirely,  in  the  books  of  Daniel  and  the  Revelation.  In  Dan- 
iel 2,  a  symbol  is  introduced  in  the  form  of  a  great  image, 
consisting  of  four  parts, —  gold,  silver,  brass,  and  iron,- — 
which  is  finally  dashed  to  atoms,  and  a  great  mountain,  tak- 
ing its  place,  fills  the  whole  earth.  In  Daniel  7  we  find  a 
lion,  a  bear,  a  leopard,  and  a  great  and  terrible  nondescript 
beast,  which,  after  passing  through  a  new  and  remarkable 
phase,  goes  into  the  lake  of  fire.  In  Daniel  8,  we  have  a 
ram,  a  he-goat,  and  a  horn,  little  at  first,  but  waxing  exceed- 
ing great.  In  lievelation  U,  we  have  locusts  like  unto  horses. 
In  Revelation  12,  we  have  a  great  red  dragon.  In  Revela- 
tion 13,  we  have  a  blasphemous  leopard  beast,  and  a  beast 
with  two  horns  like  a  lamb.  In  Revelation  17,  we  have  a 
scarlet-colored  beast,  upon  which  a  woman  sits,  holding  in  her 
hand  a  golden  cup  full  of  filthiness  and  abomination. 

What  governments  and  what  powers  are  represented  by  all 
these  ?  Do  any  of  them  symbolize  the  United  States  ?  Some 
of  them  certainly  represent  earthly  kingdoms,  for  so  the  proph- 
ecies themselves  expressly  inform  us;  and  in  the  application 
of  nearly  all  (d"  them  there  is  (|uite  a  uniform  agreement 
among  expositors.  The  four  parts  of  the  great  image  of 
Daniel  2  represent  four  kingdoms, —  I]abylon,  or  Chaldea, 
Medo-Persia,  Greece,  and  Rome.  The  lion  of  the  seventh 
chapter  also  represents  Babylon ;  the  bear,  Medo-Persia ;  the 
leopard,  Grecia ;  and  the  great  and  terrible  beast,  Rome.  The 
horn  with  human  eyes  and  mouth,  which  appears  in  the  second 
phase  of  this  beast,  represents  the  papacy,  and  covers  its  his- 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11-17  651 

tory  down  to  the  time  when  it  was  temporarily  overthrown  by 
the  French  in  1798.  In  Daniel  8,  likewise,  the  ram  represents 
Medo-Persia ;  the  he-goat,  Grecia ;  and  the  little  horn,  Home. 
All  these  have  a  very  clear  and  detinite  application  to  the 
governments  named;  none  of  them  thus  far  can  have  any 
reference  to  the  United   States. 

The  symbols  br(>ught  to  view  in  Revelation  9,  all  are 
agreed  in  applying  to  the  Saracens  and  Turks.  The  dragon 
of  Revelation  12  is  the  acknowledged  symbol  of  pagan  Rome. 
The  leopard  beast  of  chapter  13  can  be  shown  to  be  identical 
with  the  eleventh  horn  of  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel  7,  and 
hence  to  symbolize  the  papacy.  The  scarlet  beast  and  the 
woman  of  Revelation  17  as  evidently  apply  also  to  Rome 
under  pagan  and  papal  rule,  the  symbols  having  especial  ref- 
erence to  the  distinction  between  the  civil  power  and  the  ec;- 
clesiastical,  the  one  being  represented  by  the  beast,  the  other 
by  the  woman  seated  thereon. 

There  is  one  symbol  left,  and  that  is  the  two-horned  beast 
of  Revelation  113.  On  this  there  is  more  difference  of  opinion; 
and  before  seeking  for  an  application,  let  us  look  at  the  ground 
covered  by  those  already  examined.  Babylon  and  Medo-Persia 
covered  all  the  civilized  portion  of  Asia.  Greece  covered  East- 
ern Europe,  including  Russia.  Rome,  with  the  ten  kingdoms 
into  which  it  was  divided,  as  represented  by  the  ten  toes  of 
the  image,  the  ten  horns  of  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel  7,  the 
ten  horns  of  the  dragon  of  Revelation  12,  and  the  ten  li(jrns 
of  the  leopard  beast  of  Revelation  13,  covered  all  Western 
Europe.  (See  ]\[ap  of  the  Four  Kingdoms,  facing  page  81.) 
In  other  words,  all  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  known  to  history 
and  civilization,  is  absorbed  by  the  symbols  already  examined, 
respecting  the  application  of  which  there  is  scarcely  any  room 
for  doubt. 

But  there  is  a  mighty  nation  in  the  Western  Hemisphere, 
worthy,  as  we  have  seen,  of  being  mentioned  in  prophecy, 
which  is  not  yet  brought  in ;  and  there  is  one  symbol  remain- 
ing, the  application  of  which  has  not  yet  been  made.  All  the 
symbols  but  one  are  applied,  and  all  the  available  portions  of 
the  Eastern  Hemisphere  are  covered  by  the  applications.      Of 


052  THE  llEV ELATION 

all  the  symbols  mentioned,  one  alone,  the  two-horned  beast  of 
Revelation  13,  is  left;  and  of  all  the  countries  of  the  earth 
respecting  which  any  reason  exists  why  they  should  be  men- 
tioned in  prophecy,  one  alone,  the  United  States  government, 
remains.  Do  the  two-horned  beast  and  the  United  States  be- 
long together  ?  If  they  do,  then  all  the  symbols  find  an  ajjpli- 
cation,  and  all  the  ground  is  covered.  If  they  do  not,  it 
follows,  first,  that  the  United  States  is  not  represented  in 
prophecy ;  and  secondly,  that  the  symbol  of  the  two-horned 
beast  finds  no  government  to  which  it  can  apply.  But  the 
first  of  these  suppositions  is  not  probable,  and  the  second  is 
not  possible. 

But  one  conclusion  can  be  drawn  from  these  arguments, 
and  that  is  that  the  two-horned  beast  must  be  located  in  the 
Western  Hemisphere,  and  that  it  symbolizes  the  United  States. 

Another  consideration  pointing  to  the  locality  of  this  power 
is  drawn  from  the  fact  that  John  saw  it  arising  from  the  earth. 
If  the  sea,  from  which  the  leopard  beast  arose  (Rev.  13:1), 
denotes  peoples,  nations,  and  multitudes  (Rev.  17:15),  the 
earth  would  suggest,  by  contrast,  a  new  and  previously  unoc- 
cupied territory. 

Being  thus  excluded  from  eastern  continents,  and  impressed 
with  the  idea  of  looking  to  territory  not  previously  known  to 
civilization,  we  turn  of  necessity  to  the  AVestern  Hemisphere. 

5.  The  Manner  of  Its  Rise. —  The  manner  in  which  the 
two-horned  beast  was  seen  coming  up  shows,  equally  with  its 
location,  age,  and  chronology,  that  it  is  a  symbol  of  the  United 
States.  John  says  he  saw  the  beast  coming  up  "  out  of  the 
earth."  And  this  expression  must  have  been  designedly  used 
to  point  out  the  contrast  between  the  rise  of  this  beast  and  that 
of  other  national  prophetic  symbols.  The  four  beasts  of  Dan- 
iel 7  and  the  leopard  beast  of  Revelation  13  all  arose  out  of 
the  sea.  ]Srew  nations  generally  arise  by  overflowing  other  na- 
tions, and  taking  their  place.  But  no  other  nation  was  over- 
turned ill  order  to  make  room  for  the  United  States,  and  the 
struggle  for  its  independence  was  already  fifteen  years  in  the 
past  when  it  came  into  the  field  of  prophecy.  The  prophet 
saw  only  peace. 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11- 1:  653 

The  word  which  is  used  in  verse  11  to  describe  the  man- 
ner in  Avhich  this  beast  conies  np,  is  very  expressi\  c.  It  is 
dmySutVov  {aiiahaino>i) ,  one  of  the  prominent  definitions  of 
which  is,  "  To  groAV  or  spring  up  as  a  plant."  And  it  is  a 
remarkable  fact  that  this  very  figure  has  been  chosen  by  polit- 
ical writers,  without  any  reference  to  the  prophecy,  as  the  one 
conveying  the  best  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  this  govern- 
ment has  arisen.  Mr.  G.  A.  Townsend,  in  his  work  entitled 
The  IsTew  World  Compared  with  the  Old,  x^age  (335,  says: — 

"  In  this  web  of  islands  —  the  West  Indies  —  began  the 
life  of  both  [ISTorth  and  South]  xVmericas.  There  Columbus 
saw  land;  there  Spain  began  her  baneful  and  brilliant  West- 
ern empire ;  thence  Cortez  departed  for  ]\Iexico,  De  Soto  for 
the  MississijDpi,  Balboa  for  the  Pacific,  and  Pizarro  for  Peru. 
The  history  of  the  United  States  was  separat)ed  by  a  benefi- 
cent Providence  far  from  this  wild  and  cruel  history  of  the 
rest  of  the  continent,  and  Uke  a  silent  seed  ice  grew  into 
empire;  while  empire  itself,  beginning  in  the  South,  was 
swept  by  so  interminable  a  hurricane  that  what  of  its  his- 
tory we  can  ascertain  is  read  by  the  xevj  lightnings  that 
devastated  it.  The  growth  of  English  America  may  be  lik- 
ened to  a  series  of  lyrics  sung  by  separate  singers,  which, 
coalescing,  at  last  make  a  vigorous  chorus,  and  this  attracting 
many  from  afar,  s^\'ells  and  is  prolonged,  until  presently  it 
assumes  the  dignity  and  proportions  of  epic  song." 

A  writer  in  the  Duhlin  Nation,  about  the  year  1850,  spoke 
of  the  United  States  as  a  wonderful  empire  which  was  "  emerg- 
ing," and  "amid  the  silence  of  the  earth  daily  adding  to  its 
power  and  pride." 

In  Martyn's  History  of  the  Great  Refonnation,  Vol.  IV, 
p.  238,  is  an  extract  from  an  oration  delivered  by  Edward 
Everett  on  the  English  exiles  who  founded  this  government, 
in  which  he  says : — 

"  Did  they  look  for  a  retired  spot,  inoffensive  from  its 
obscurity,  safe  in  its  remoteness  from  the  haunts  of  despots, 
where  the  little  church  of  Leyden  might  enjoy  freedom  of 
conscience  ?      Behold  the  mighty  regions  over  which,  in  peace- 


054  THE  REVELATION 

fid  conqucsl  — ■  cicluria  sine  cladc,—  they  have  burue  the  ban- 
ners of  the  cross." 

Will  the  reader  now  look  at  these  expressions  side  by  side, 
—  *'  coniing'  up  out  of  the  earth,"  "  emerging  amid  the  silence 
of  the  earth,"  "  like  a  silent  seed  we  grew  into  empire," 
"  mighty  regions  "  secured  by  "  peaceful  conquest."  The 
first  is  from  the  prophet,  stating  what  would  be  when  the 
two-horned  beast  should  arise ;  the  others  are  from  political 
writers,  telling  what  has  been  in  the  history  of  our  own  gov- 
ernment. Can  any  one  fail  to  see  that  the  last  three  are 
exactly  synonymous  with  the  first,  and  that  they  record  a  com- 
plete accomplishment  of  the  prediction  ? 

Another  inipiiry  naturally  follows:  Has  the  United  States 
''  come  up "  in  a  manner  to  meet  the  specifications  of  the 
])r()])hecy  '  Let  us  see.  A  short  time  before  the  great  Refor- 
mation in  the  days  of  ]\Iartin  Luther,  not  four  hundred  years, 
ago,  this  Western  Hemisphere  was  discovered.  The  Reforma- 
tion awoke  the  nations,  that  were  fast  fettered  in  the  galling 
bonds  of  superstition,  to  the  fact  that  it  is  the  heaven-born 
right  of  every  man  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates 
of  his  own  conscience.  But  rulers  are  loth  to  lose  their  power, 
and  religious  intolerance  still  oppressed  the  i)eople.  Under 
these  circumstances,  a  body  of  religious  heroes  at  length  de- 
termined to  seek  in  the  wilds  of  America  that  measure  of  civil 
and  religious  freedom  which  they  so  much  desired.  In  pur- 
suance of  their  noble  ])urpose,  one  hundred  of  these  voluntary 
exiles  landed  from  the  Mai/floiver  on  the  coast  of  Xew  England. 
Dec.  22,  1(>20.  "Here,"  says  Martyn,  "  ^ew  England  was 
born,"  and  this  was  "  its  first  baby  cry, —  a  prayer  and  a 
thanksgiving  to  the  Lord." 

Another  permanent  English  settlement  was  made  at  James- 
town, Va.,  in  1607.  In  process  of  time,  other  settlements 
were  made  and  colonies  organized,  M'hich  were  all  subject  to 
the  English  crown  till  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  July 
4,  1770. 

The  population  of  these  colonies,  according  to  the  United 
States  Maf/azinr  of  August,  18,5.'5,  amounted  in  1701  to  262,- 
000;   in   1749,  to  1,046,000;   in    1775,   to   2,803,000.       Then 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-17  G57 

commenced  the  struggle  of  the  American  colonies  for  inde- 
pendence. In  1770,  thej  declared  themselves  a  free  and  in- 
dependent nation.  In  1777,  delegates  from  the  thirteen  orig- 
inal States, —  Kew  Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island, 
Connecticut,  j^ew  York,  Xew  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware, 
Maryland,  Virginia,  J^orth  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and 
Georgia, —  in  Congress  assembled,  adopted  Articles  of  Con- 
federation. In  1783,  the  war  of  the  Revolution  closed  with  a 
treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Britain,  whereby  the  independence 
of  the  United  States  was  acknowledged,  and  territory  ceded  to 
the  extent  of  815,615  square  miles.  In  1787,  the  Constitution 
was  framed,  and  ratified  by  the  foregoing  thirteen  States ;  and 
on  the  1st  of  March,  1789,  it  went  into  effect.  Then  the 
American  ship  of  state  was  fairly  launched,  with  less  than 
one  million  square  miles  of  territory,  and  about  three  million 
souls.  ■  Thus  are  we  brought  to  the  year  1798,  when  this  gov- 
ernment is  introduced  into  prophecy.  And  now,  passing  over 
a  little  more  than  a  hundred  years,  to  the  first  decade  of  the 
twentieth  century,  the  territory  of  the  United  States  govern- 
ment has  expanded  to  3,678,392  square  miles,  and  its  popula- 
tion has  increased  to  over  80,000,000  people.  Its  growth  in 
all  industrial  pursuits,  agricultural  productions,  cattle  raising, 
newspapers,  schools,  production  of  the  precious  metals,  and 
wealth  of  all  kinds  which  pertain  to  a  civilized  people,  has 
been  equally  remarkable,  and  furnishes  an  ample  basis  for  the 
application  of  the  prophecy. 

6.  Character  of  the  Government  Sytnbolized  by  the  Two- 
horned  Beast. —  Under  this  division  of  the  subject  we  find  still 
further  evidence  that  the  symbol  represents  the  United  States 
government.  In  describing  this  power,  John  says  that  it  had 
"  two  horns  like  a  lamb."  The  horns  of  a  lamb  indicate,  first, 
youthfulness,  and  secondly,  innocence  and  gentleness.  As  a 
power  which  has  but  recently  arisen,  the  United  States  answers 
to  the  symbol  admiraldy  in  respect  to  age;  while  no  other  power, 
as  has  already  been  proved,  can  be  found  to  do  this.  And  con- 
sidered as  an  index  of  power  and  character,  it  can  be  decided 
what  constitutes  the  two  horns  of  the  government,  if  it  can  be 
ascertained  what  is  the  secret  of  its  strength  and  power,  and 


658  THE  REVELATION 

what  reveals  its  apparent  character,  or  constitutes  its  outward 
profession.  The  Hon.  J.  A.  Bingham  gives  us  the  clue  to  the 
whole  matter  when  he  states  that  the  object  of  those  who  first 
sought  these  shores  was  to  found  ''  what  the  world  had  not  seen 
for  ages;  viz.,  a  church  without  a  pojje,  and  a  state  without  a 
king.''  Expressed  in  other  words,  this  would  be  a  government 
in  which  the  ecclesiastical  should  be  separate  from  the  civil 
power,   and  civil  and  religious  liberty  reign  supreme. 

It  needs  no  argument  to  show,  and  even  the  statement  is 
unnecessary,  that  this  is  precisely  the  profession  of  the  Ameri- 
can government.  Article  IV.,  sec.  4:  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  reads :  "  The  United  States  shall  guarantee  to 
every  state  in  this  union  a  republican  form  of  government." 
Article  YI :  "'  No  religious  test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a 
qualification  to  any  ofiice  or  public  trust  under  the  United 
States."  The  first  amendement  of  the  Constitution  (Art.  I) 
begins  as  follows:  "'Congress  shall  make  no  law  respecting 
an  establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free  exercise 
thereof."  These  articles  profess  the  amplest  guarantee  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty,  the  entire  and  perpetual  separation  of 
church  and  state;  and  what  better  symbols  of  them  could  be 
given  than  "  two  horns  like  a  lamb  "  ?  In  what  other  country 
can  be  found  a  condition  of  things  which  would  meet  so  com- 
pletely this  feature  of  the  symbol? 

7.  A  Repnhlican  Government. —  The  two-horned  beast  sym- 
bolizes a  nation  with  a  republican  form  of  government.  This 
is  shown  by  the  absence  of  crowns  both  upon  its  head  and  its 
horns.  A  crown  is  an  appropriate  symbol  of  a  kingly  or  mon- 
archical form  of  government ;  and  the  absence  of  crowns,  as 
in  this  case,  would  suggest  a  government  in  which  the  power  is 
not  vested  in  any  such  ruling  member,  but  is,  per  consequence, 
lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  people. 

But  this  is  not  the  most  conclusive  proof  that  the  nation 
here  symbolized  is  republican  in  its  form  of  government.  From 
verse  14  we  learn  that  appeal  is  made  to  the  peojde  when  any 
national  action  is  to  be  performed:  '''  Saying  to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an  image  to  the  beast,"  etc. 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-17  (559 

Were  tlie  government  a  nionarclij,  national  questions  would 
hardly  be  submitted  in  this  unqualified  manner  to  the  people; 
and  the  fact  that  appeal  is  here  made  to  the  people  shows  that 
the  form  of  the  government  is  such  that  the  power  is  veste4 
in  their  hands ;  and  this  is  emphatically  the  case  in  the  United 
States  government,  but  not  in  any  other  government  to  which 
any  one  could  reasonably  think  of  applying  this  symbol.  This 
is  another  strong  link  in  the  chain  of  evidence  that  this  symbol 
must  apply  to  the  United  States  of  America. 

8.  A  Protestant  Nation. —  The  two-horned  beast  also  sym- 
bolizes a  government  which  is  Protestant  in  religion,  or  which, 
at  least,  is  a  non-Catholic  power.  It  has  been  shown  that  the 
preceding  beast  symbolized  the  papacy;  and  of  the  two-horned 
beast  we  read  that  he  causeth  the  earth  and  them  which  dwell 
therein  to  worship  the  first  beast.  But  in  all  Catholic  coun- 
tries, the  people  voluntarily  worship  the  beast,  or  obey  the  dic- 
tates of  Catholicism,  without  being  "  caused,"  or  compelled, 
to  do  so  by  the  government.  The  fact  that  the  people  of  this 
government  do  not  render  this  worship  till  caused  to  do  so  by 
the  civil  power,  shows  that  the  religion  they  entertain  is  not 
Catholicism.  As  an  almost  inevitable  consequence,  it  follows 
that  it  is  Protestantism !  for  these  are  the  only  two  religions 
of  any  consequence  in  Christendom.  The  United  States  is  a 
Protestant  nation,  and  meets  the  requirements  of  the  prophecy 
admirably  in  this  respect.  Thus  again  the  proj)hecy  jioints 
directly  to  this  government. 

9.  The  Dragon  Voice. —  After  contemplating  all  the  good 
features  presented  in  this  symbol,  it  is  with  pain  we  read  that 
"  he  spake  as  a  dragon."  Before  entering  upon  a  discussion 
of  this  topic,  let  us  look  at  the  points  already  established.  It 
has  been  shown, — 

(1)  That  the  government  symbolized  by  the  two-horned 
beast  must  be  some  government  distinct  from  the  powers  of 
the  Old  World,  whether  civil  or  ecclesiastical. 

(2)  That  it  must  arise  in  the  Western  Hemisphere. 

(3)  That  it  must  be  seen  assuming  a  position  of  ])romi- 
nence  and  influence  about  the  vear  1798. 


GGU  THE  REVELATION 

(4)  That  it  must  rise  in  a  peaceful  aud  quiet  manner,  not 
augmenting  its  power,  as  other  nations  have  done,  by  aggres- 
sive wars  and  successful  conquests. 

(5)  That  its  progress  must  be  so  rapid  as  to  strike  the  be- 
holder with  as  much  wonder  as  would  the  perceptible  growth 
of  an  animal  before  his  eyes. 

(6)  That  it  must  be  republican  in  its  form  of  government. 

(7)  That  it  must  be  Protestant  in  its  religion. 

(8)  That  it  must  exhibit  before  the  world,  as  an  index  of 
its  character  and  the  elements  of  its  government,  two  great 
principles  which  are  in  themselves  perfectly  just,  innocent, 
and  lamblike. 

(9)  That  it  must  perform  its  work  this  side  of  1798. 
And  we  have  seen  that  of  these  nine  specifications,  it  can 

be  said,  first,  that  they  are  all  perfectly  met  in  the  history  of 
the  United  States  thus  far;  and  secondly,  that  they  are  not  met 
in  the  history  of  any  other  government  on  the  face  of  the 
earth.  It  is  therefore  impossible  to  apply  the  symbol  of  Rev. 
13  :  11  to  any  other  government  but  that  of  the  United  States. 

But  after  describing  tlie  lamblike  appearance  of  this  sym- 
l)ol,  the  prophet  immediately  adds  this,  "And  he  spake  as  a 
dragon."  The  dragon,  the  first  link  in  this  chain  of  prophecy, 
was  a  relentless  persecutor  of  the  church  of  God.  The  leopard 
beast,  which  follows,  was  likewise  a  persecuting  power,  grind- 
ing out  for  12(30  years  the  lives  of  millions  of  the  followers 
of  Christ.  The  third  actor  in  the  scene,  the  two-horned  beast, 
speaks  like  the  first,  and  thus  shows  himself  to  be  a  dragon  at 
heart;  "for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart,  the  mouth 
speaketh,"  and  in  the  heart  actions  are  conceived.  This, 
then,  like  the  others,  is  to  be  a  persecuting  power;  and  the 
reason  that  any  of  them  are  mentioned  in  ])rophecy,  is  simi)ly 
because  they  are  persecuting  powers.  ^Vnd  if  the  United 
States  is  the  power  intended  by  this  symbol  which  speaks  as 
a  dragon,  it  follows  that  this  government  is  to  enact  unjust  and 
o])pressive  laws  against  the  religious  profession  and  ])ractice  of 
some  of  its  subjects. 

Kor  is  this  so  improbable  an  event  as  might  at  first  api)ear. 
We  must  remember  that  in  the  hist  days  the  vast  majority  of 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-17  6G1 

the  people  of  the  most  fa\ored  lauds  are  to  relapse  into  the  low 
moral  condition  described  in  such  scriptures  as  Matt.  24:  12; 
2  Tim.  3  :  1  -  5  ;  2  Peter  3  :  3,  i ;  Luke  17  :  26  -  30 ;  18:8;  and 
it  is  from  such  that  those  who  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  will 
suffer  persecution.       2  Tim.  3  :  12. 

Evil  is  also  threatened  from  another  quarter.  Roman 
Catholicism,  which  has  grown  strong  through  immigration,  has 
fixed  its  rapacious  eyes  on  the  United  States, ,  determined  to 
bring  this  government  under  its  power.  Votes  rule  here,  and 
Romanism  controls  an  immense  suifrage,  wdiich  it  carefully 
manipulates  to  its  own  ends.  With  such  a  weapon  in  its 
hands,  its  power  for  evil  is  almost  unlimited ;  for  multitudes 
of  unscrupulous  politicians,  who  under  their  country's  pay, 
labor  not  for  their  country's  good  but  for  their  own  selfish 
aggrandizement,  stand  ready  to  helj)  any  party  carry  out  any 
scheme,  no  matter  how  wicked,  if  that  party  will  keep  them 
in  office. 

And  in  the  Protestant  churches  there  is  that  which  threatens 
to  lead  to  equally  serious  evils.  Wealth,  pride,  selfishness,  love 
of  display,  and  worldliness  in  general,  are  fostering  a  spirit 
of  religious  aristocracy  fatal  to  godliness  and  true  piety.  But 
above  all  the  creed-power  is  binding  —  perhaps  it  may  be  said, 
has  bound  —  the  churches  as  in  iron  bands.  Charles  Beecher's 
celebrated  sermon  on  creeds  arraigns  the  whole  church  polity 
of  Protestantism  as  ruinous  in  this  respect  to  religious  liberty. 
Though  uttered  many  year^  ago,  it  is  still  growing  more  true 
each  day.      He  says : — 

"  Our  best,  most  humble,  most  devoted  servants  of  Christ 
are  fostering  in  their  midst  what  will  one  day,  not  long  hence, 
show  itself  to  be  the  spawn  of  the  dragon.  They  shrink  from 
any  rude  word  against  creeds  with  the  same  sensitiveness  with 
which  those  holy  fathers  would  have  shrunk  from  a  rude  Avord 
against  the  rising  veneration  of  saints  and  martyrs  which  they 
were  fostering.  .  .  .  The  Protestant  evangelical  denominations 
have  so  tied  up  one  another's  hands,  and  their  own,  that,  be- 
tween them  all,  a  man  cannot  become  a  preacher  at  all,  any- 
where, without  accepting  some  book  besides  the  Bible.  .  .  . 
There  is  nothing  imaginary  in   the  statement  that  the  creed- 


(j(52  THE  REVELATION 

power  is  now  beginning  to  prohibit  the  Bible  as  really  as  Rome 
di'l,  thongh  in  a  subtler  way/' 

In  addition  to  this,  we  have  Spiritualism,  infidelity,  social- 
ism, free  love,  and  trades  unions,  or  labor  against  capital,  and 
connnunism, —  all  assiduously  spreading  their  principles  among 
the  masses.  These  are  the  very  principles  that  worked  among 
the  people,  as  the  exciting  cause,  just  prior  to  the  terrible 
French  Revolution  of  17S3  -  1800.  Human  nature  is  the  same 
in  all   ages,   and   like  causes  will   surely  produce  like  effects. 

10.  Great  Wonders. —  In  that  part  of  the  prediction  which 
sets  forth  the  work  of  the  twodiorned  l)east,  we  read  that  "  he 
doetli  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  fire  come  down  from 
heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  sight  of  men."  In  this  specifica 
tion  we  have  still  further  proof  that  the  United  States  is  the 
government  represented  by  the  two-horned  beast.  That  we 
are  living  in  an  age  of  wonders,  none  deny.  (See  on  Dan. 
12 :  4,  remarks  on  the  wonderful  achievements  of  the  present 
age,  and  double  page  of  vignettes  illustrating  some  of  the  lead- 
ing triumphs  of  scientific  and  inventive  skill.) 

But  this  prophecy  is  not  fulfilled  in  the  great  advancement 
in  knowledge,  (he  discoveries  and  inventions,  so  notable  at  the 
present  time ;  for  the  wonders  to  which  the  prophet  had  refer- 
ence are  evidently  wrought  for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  the 
people,  as  we  read  in  verse  14:  "And  deceiveth  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth  by  the  means  of  those  miracles  which  he 
had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast."  This  identifies  the 
two-horned  beast  with  the  false  prophet  of  Rev.  19:20;  for 
this  false  prophet  is  the  power  that  works  miracles  before  the 
beast,  ''  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that  worshiped  his  image,"^ —  the 
identical  work  oi  the  two-horned  beast.  We  can  now  ascertain 
by  what  means  the  miracles  in  question  are  wrought ;  for  Rev. 
K) :  13,  14  speaks  of  spirits  of  devils  working  miracles,  which 
go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole  world, 
to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty ; 
and  these  miracle-working  spirits  go  forth  out  of  the  mouths 
of  certain  ]-»owers,  one  of  which  is  this  very  false  prophet,  or 
two-horned  beast. 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-17  663 

The  Saviour,  predicting  events  to  occur  just  before  his 
second  coming,  says,  "  For  there  shall  arise  false  christs  and 
false  i^rophets,  and  shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders;  inso- 
much that,  if  it  were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very 
elect."  Here,  again,  are  wonders  foretold,  wrought  for  the 
purpose  of  deception,  so  powerful  that,  were  it  possible,  even 
the  very  elect  would  be  deceived  by  them. 

Thus  Ave  have  a  prophecy  (and  there  are  many  others) 
setting  forth  the  development,  in  the  last  days,  of  a  wonder- 
working power,  manifested  to  a  startling  and  unprecedented 
degree  in  the  interest  of  falsehood  and  error.  The  earthly 
government  with  which  it  was  to  be  especially  connected  is 
that  represented  by  the  two-horned  beast,  or  false  projihet. 
The  agency  lying  back  of  the  outward  manifestations  was  to 
be  Satanic,  the  spirit  of  devils.  The  prophecy  calls  for  such 
a  work  as  this  in  America  at  the  present  time.  Do  we  behold 
anything  like  it  i  Head  the  answer  in  the  lamentation  of  the 
prophet :  ''  AVoe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea  ! 
for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath, 
because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time.''  Stand 
aghast,  O  earth ;  tremble,  ye  people,  but  be  not  deceived ! 
The  huge  specter  of  evil  confronts  us,  as  the  prophet  declared. 
Satan  is  loosed.  From  the  depth  of  Tartarus  myriads  of 
demons  swarm  over  the  land.  The  prince  of  darkness  mani- 
fests himself  as  never  before,  and  throwing  over  his  work  a 
would-be  heavenly  garb,  he  calls  it  —  Spiritualism. 

(1)  Does  Sjoiritualism,  then,  bear  these  marks  of  Satanic 
agency  ? 

a.  The  spirits  which  communicate  claim  to  be  the  spirits 
of  our  departed  friends.  But  the  Bible,  in  the  most  explicit 
terms,  assures  us  that  the  dead  are  wholly  inactive  and  uncon- 
scious till  the  resurrection  ;  that  the  dead  know  not  anything 
(Feci.  9:5);  that  every  operation  of  the  mind  has  ceased  (Ps. 
146:4);  that  every  emotion  of  the  heart  is  suspended  (Feci. 
9:6);  and  that  there  is  neither  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowl- 
edge, nor  wisdom  in  the  grave,  where  they  lie.  Feci.  9:10. 
Whatever  intelligence,  therefore,  comes  to  us  professing  to  be 
one  of  our  dead  friends,  comes  claiming  to  be  Avhat,  from  the 
42 


QQ4:  THE  BEV ELATION 

word  of  God,  we  know  he  is  not.  But  angels  of  God  do  not 
lie;  therefore  these  are  not  the  good  angels.  Spirits  of  devils 
will  lie ;  this  is  their  work ;  and  these  are  the  credentials  which 
at  the  very  outset  thej  hand  us. 

h.  The  doctrines  which  they  teach  are  also  directly  contrary 
to  the  Bible.  They  deny  God.  They  deny  Christ.  They 
deny  the  atonement.  They  deny  the  Bible.  They  deny  the 
existence  of  sin,  and  all  distinction  between  right  and  wrong. 
They  deny  the  sacredness  of  the  marriage  covenant;  and,  in- 
terspersing their  utterances  with  blasphemies  against  God  and 
his  Son,  and  everything  that  is  lovely,  and  good,  and  pure, 
they  give  the  freest  license  to  every  propensity  to  sin,  and  to 
every  carnal  and  fleshly  lust.  Tell  us  not  that  these  things, 
openly  taught  under  the  garb  of  religion,  and  backed  up  by 
supernatural  sights  and  sounds,  are  anything  less  than  Satan's 
masterpiece.  For  proof  that  these  charges  are  none  too  severe, 
see  ''  Modern  S})i ritualism  a  Subject  of  Prophecy,"  contain- 
ing quotations  from  their  own  writings.  (Southern  Publish- 
ing Association,  Xashville,  Tenn.) 

(2)  Spiritualism  answers  accurately  to  the  prophecy  in 
the  exhibition  of  great  signs  and  wonders.  Among  its  many 
achievements,  these  may  be  mentioned :  Various  articles  have 
been  transported  from  place  to  place  by  spirits  alone ;  beautiful 
music  has  been  produced  independently  of  human  agency,  with 
and  without  the  aid  of  visible  instruments ;  many  well-attested 
cases  of  healing  have  been  presented ;  persons  have  been  carried 
through  the  air  by  the  spirits  in  the  presence  of  many  others ; 
tables  have  been  suspended  in  the  air  with  several  persons  upon 
them;  and,  finally,  spirits  have  presented  themselves  in  bodily 
form,  and  talked  with  an  audible  voice. 

(3)  Spiritualism  answers  to  the  prophecy  in  that  it  had  its 
origin  in  tlic  United  States,  thus  connecting  its  wonders  with 
the  work  of  the  two-horned  beast.  Commencing  in  Hydesville. 
j^.  y.,  in  the  family  of  Mr.  John  1).  Fox,  in  the  latter  part 
of  March,  1848,  it  spread  with  incredibl(»  rapidity  through  all 
the  world.  A  letter  to  the  writer  from  a  leading  Spiritualist 
])nblisher,  December,  1895,  claims  five  million  believers  in  the 
United  States,   and  fifty  million   throughout   the  world.       Of 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERGES  11-17  GG5 

those  who  have  become  its  devotees,  Judge  Edinouds  said,  as 
long  ago   as   1853 : — 

"  Besides  the  undistinguished  jnultitude,  there  are  many 
now  of  high  standing  and  talent  ranked  among  them, —  doctors, 
lawyers,  and  clergymen  in  great  numbers,  a  Protestant  bishop, 
the  learned  and  reverend  president  of  a  college,  judges  of  our 
higher  courts,  members  of  Congress,  foreign  ambassadors,  and 
ex-members  of  the  United  States   Senate." 

The  foregoing  statement  was  w^ritten  many  years  ago;  and 
from  that  time  to  this  the  work  of  the  spirits  has  been  steadily 
progressing,    and  spreading  among   all  classes   of  people. 

One  reason  why  it  is  now  difficult  to  estimate  the  number 
of  those  who  might  properly  be  denominated  Spiritualists,  is 
that  the  more  prominent  and  respectable  of  the  adherents  of 
this  movement  are  drawing  under  cover  the  obnoxious  and  im- 
moral features  of  the  system,  heretofore  so  prominent,  and  as- 
suming a  Christian  garb.  y>y  this  move  they  bring  themselves 
and  a  multitude  of  church-members  upon  common  ground, 
Avhere  there  is  no  distinction  between  them  in  fact,  though 
there  still  may  be  in  name;  the  latter  still  remaining  with 
their  various  denominations. 

A  little  work  by  Hudson  Tuttle,  What  is  Spiritualism  ? 
p.  6,  gives  a  list  of  twenty-two  emperors,  queens,  princes,  and 
members  of  the  nobility,  who  have  through  Spiritualism  sought 
counsel  in  their  affairs,  or  favored  and  supported  its  claims. 
It  is  thus  preparing  to  fulfil  Rev.  16 :  14,  and  gather  the  na- 
tions to  the  battle  of  the  great  day. 

11.  An  Image  to  the  Beast. —  Closely  associated  with  this 
working  of  miracles  is  the  erection  of  an  image  to  the  beast. 
The  prophet  thus  connects  the  two  in  verse  14:  '^And  deceiv- 
eth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by  the  means  of  those  mira- 
cles which  he  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast ;  saying 
to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an 
image  to  the  beast  which  had  the  wound  by  a  sword,  and  did 
live."  The  deception  accomplished  by  the  working  of  the  mira- 
cles prepares  the  way  for  compliance  with  this  demand  for  the 
formation  of  an  image  to  the  beast. 

To  understand  what  would  be  an  image  of  the  papacy,  we 


666  THE  REVELATION 

must  first  gain  some  deliuite  idea  of  what  constitutes  the  pa- 
pacy itself.  The  full  development  of  the  beast,  or  the  estab- 
lishment of  papal  supremacy,  dates  from  the  famous  letter  of 
Justinian,  which  was  made  effective  in  a.  d.  538,  constituting 
the  pope  the  head  of  the  church  and  the  corrector  of  heretics. 
The  papacy  was  a  church  clothed  with  civil  power, —  an  eccle- 
siastical body  having  authority  to  punish  all  dissenters  with 
confiscation  of  goods,  imprisonment,  torture,  and  death.  What 
would  be  an  image  of  the  papacy  i  —  Another  ecclesiastical  es- 
tablishment clothed  with  similar  power.  How  could  such  an 
image  be  formed  in  the  United  States  i  Let  the  Protestant 
churches  be  clothed  with  power  to  define  and  punish  heresy, 
to  enforce  their  dogmas  under  the  pains  and  penalties  of  the 
civil  law,  and  should  we  not  have  an  exact  representation  of 
the  })apacv  during  the  days  of   its  supremacy  i 

it  may  be  objected  that  whereas  the  papal  church  was  com- 
paratively a  unit,  and  hence  could  act  in  harmony  in  all  its 
departments  in  enforcing  its  dogmas,  the  Protestant  church  is 
so  divided  as  to  be  unable  to  agree  in  regard  to  what  doctrines 
shall  be  made  imperative  on  the  people.  The  answer  is,  There 
are  certain  points  which  they  hold  in  common,  and  which  are 
sufficient  to  form  a  basis  of  co-operation.  Chief  among  these 
may  be  mentioned  the  doctrine  of  the  conscious  state  of  the 
dead  and  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  which  is  both  the  founda- 
tion and  superstructure  of  Spiritualism;  and  also  the  doctrine 
that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  the  Christian  Sabbath. 

Let,  now,  an  ecclesiastical  organization  be  formed  by  these 
churches;  let  the  government  legalize  such  organization,  and 
give  it  ]x>wer  (a  power  which  it  will  not  have  till  the  govern- 
ment does  grant  it)  to  enforce  upon  th?  people  the  dogmas 
which  the  different  denominations  can   all   adopt  as  the  basis 

of  union,    and   what   do   we  have  ^ lust   what   the   prophecy 

represents," —  an  image  to  the  pa])al  beast,  endowed  with  life 
by  the  two-horned  l)east,  to  speak  and  act  with  power. 

And  are  there  any  indications  of  such  a  movement  i  The 
])reliminary  question  —  that  of  the  grand  union  of  all  the 
churches  —  is   now   ])vofoundly    agitating  the   religious    world. 

Chas.  Beecherj  in  his  sermon  at  tlie  <ledication  of  tlie  Sec- 


CHAPTER  13.  VERSES  11-17  667 

ond  Presbyterian  cliuroh,  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  Feb.  22,  1846, 
before  referred  to,  said : — 

"  Thus  are  the  ministry  of  the  evangelical  Protestant  de- 
nominations not  only  formed  all  the  way  up  under  a  tremen- 
dous pressure  of  merely  human  fear,  but  they  live,  and  move, 
and  breathe  in  a  state  of  things  radically  corrupt,  and  appeal- 
ing every  hour  to  every  baser  element  of  their  luiture  to  hush 
up  the  truth,  and  bow  the  knee  to  the  power  of  apostasy.  Was 
not  this  the  way  things  went  with  Rome  ?  Are  we  not  living 
her  life  over  again?  And  what  do  we  see  just  ahead?  — 
xVnother  general  council !  a  world's  convention !  evangelical 
alliance,  and  universal  creed !  " 

The  Banner  of  Light  of  July  30,  1864,  said: — 

"A  system  will  be  unfolded  sooner  or  later  that  will  em- 
brace in  its  folds  church  and  state ;  for  the  object  of  the  two 
should  be  one  and  the  same." 

The  Church  Advocate,  in  March,  1870,  speaking  of  the 
formation  of  an  "  Independent  American  Catholic  Church," 
a  movement  now  agitated  in  this  country,  said : — 

"  There  is  evidently  some  secret  power  at  work,  which  may 
be  preparing  the  world  for  great  events  in  the  near  future." 

A  Mr.  Havens,  in  a  speech  delivered  in  Js^ew  York  a  few 
years  ago,  said : — 

"'  For  my  own  part,  I  wait  to  see  the  day  when  a  Luther 
shall  spring  up  in  this  country,  Avho  shall  found  a  great  Amer- 
ican Catholic  Church,  instead  of  a  gTeat  lloman  Catholic 
Church ;  and  who  shall  teach  men  that  they  can  be  good 
Catholics  without  professing  allegiance  to  a  pontiff  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic." 

In  favor  of  this  union,  or  rather,  confederacy,  of  churches, 
journals  are  published,  and  speakers  are  pleading  to-day. 
Thus  there  are  indications  that  at  no  distant  day  such  a 
church  will  be  seen,  not,  indeed,  raised  up  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  a  Luther,  but  rather  through  the  operation 
of  the  same  spirit  that  inspired  a  Fernando  Nunez  or  a  Tor- 
quemada.  This  being  done,  another  instalment  of  the  proph- 
ecy will  l)e  accomplished,  and  the  image  will  be  formed.  And 
inasmuch  as  the  United  States  is  the  onlv  countrv  where  such 


QQS  THE  REVELATION 

a  move  can  be  looked  for,  and  as  events  are  here  openly  tending 
to  -such  a  result,  the  evidence  is  hereby  still  further  strength- 
ened  that   the   prophecy   applies   to   this   government. 

12.  llie  Mark  of  the  Beast. —  The  two-horned  beast  en- 
forces upon  its  subjects  the  mark  of  the  first  beast.  We  have 
now  in  the  prophecy  three  agents  introduced,  which  we  must 
carefully  distinguish  from  one  another  to  avoid  confusion. 

(1)  The  papal  beast.  This  power  is  designated  as  "  the 
beast,"  "  the  first  beast,"  "  the  beast  which  had  the  wound 
by  a  sword,  and  did  live,"  and  '*  the  beast  whose  deadly  wound 
was  healed."  These  expressions  all  refer  to  the  same  power; 
and  wherever  they  occur  in  this  prophecy,  they  have  exclusive 
reference  to  the  papacy. 

(2)  The  twodiorned  beast.  This  power,  after  its  intro- 
duction in  verse  11  of  chapter  13,  is  represented  through  the 
remainder  of  the  prophecy  by  the  pronoun  he;  and  wherever 
this  pronoun  occurs,  down  to  the  17th  verse  (with  possibly  the 
exception  of  the  IGth  verse,  wdiich  perhaps  may  refer  to  the 
image),    it   refers    invariably   to   the    two-horned   beast. 

(3)  The  image  of  the  beast.  This  is,  every  time,  with 
the  possible,  but  not  probable,  exception  just  stated,  called  the 
image ;  so  that  there  is  no  danger  of  confounding  this  with 
any  other  agent. 

The  acts  ascribed  to  the  image  are,  speaking  and  enforcing 
the  worship  of  itself  under  the  penalty  of  death ;  and  this  is 
the  only  enactment  which  the  prophecy  mentions  as  enforced 
under  the  death  penalty. 

The  mark  of  the  beast  is  enforced  by  the  two-horned  beast, 
either  directly  or  through  the  image.  The  penalty  attached  to 
a  refusal  to  receive  this  nnirk  is  a  forfeiture  of  all  social  privi- 
leges, a  deprivation  of  the  right  to  buy  and  sell.  The  mark 
is  the  mark  of  the  papal  beast.  Against  this  worship  of  the 
beast  and  his  inuige,  and  the  reception  of  his  mark,  the  third 
angel's  message  of  Rev.  11:  9  - 12  is  a  most  solenm  and  thrill- 
ing warning. 

Tliis,  then,  is  the  issue,  which,  according  to  this  ])rophecy, 
wo  are  soon  to  be  called  upon  to  meet ;  namely,  human  organ- 
izations,  ('onfr<>ll<'il   and    inspired  by  tlie  spirit  of  tlie   dragon, 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11  - 11  069 

are  to  command  men  to  do  those  acts  which  are  in  reality  the 
worshiping  of  an  apostate  religious  power  and  the  receiving  of 
his  mark ;  and  if  they  refuse  to  do  this,  they  lose  the  rights  of 
citizenship,  and  become  outlaws  in  the  land;  and  they  must  do 
that  which  constitutes  the  worship  of  the  image  of  the  beast, 
or  forfeit  their  lives.  On  the  other  hand,  God  sends  forth  a 
message  a  little  before  the  fearful  crisis  is  upon  us,  as  we 
shall  see  under  chapter  14:9-12,  declaring  that  all  who  do 
any  of  these  things  "  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  Avrath  of 
God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his 
indignation."  He  who  refuses  to  comply  with  these  demands 
of  earthly  powers  exposes  himself  to  the  severest  penalties 
which  human  beings  can  inflict ;  and  he  who  does  comply,  ex- 
poses himself  to  the  most  terrible  threatenings  of  divine  wrath 
to  be  found  in  the  word  of  God.  The  (piestion  whether  they 
will  obey  God  or  man  is  to  be  decided  by  the  people  of  the 
present  age  under  the  heaviest  pressure,  from  either  side,  that 
has  ever  been  brought  to  bear  upon  any  generation. 

The  worship  of  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  the  reception 
of  his  mark,  must  be  something  that  involves  the  greatest  of- 
fense that  can  be  committed  against  God,  to  call  down  so  severe 
a  denunciation  of  wrath  against  it.  This  is  a  work,  as  has 
already  been  shown,  which  takes  place  in  the  last  days;  and  as 
God  has  given  us  in  his  word  most  abundant  evidence  to  show 
when  we  are  in  the  last  days,  that  no  one  need  be  overtaken 
by  the  day  of  the  Lord  as  by  a  thief,  so,  likewise,  it  must  be 
that  he  has  given  us  the  means  whereby  we  may  determine 
what  the  receiving  of  the  mark  of  the  beast  is,  which  he  has 
so  strongly  condenmed,  that  we  may  avoid  the  fearful  penalty 
so  sure  to  follow  the  commission  of  this  act.  God  does  not 
so  trifle  with  human  hopes  and  human  destinies  as  to  denounce 
a  most  fearful  doom  against  a  certain  sin,  and  then  place  it 
out  of  our  power  to  understand  what  that  sin  is,  so  that  we 
have  no  means  of  guarding  against  it. 

We  therefore  now  call  attention  to  the  very  important  in- 
quiry, "SAliat  constitutes  the  mark  of  the  beast  I  The  figure  of 
a  mark  is  borrowed  from  an  ancient  custom.  Bishop  Newton 
(Dissertations  on  the  Prophecies,  Vol.   ITT,   p.    241)    says: — 


670  THE  REVELATION 

"  It  was  customary  among  the  ancients  for  servants  to  re- 
ceive the  mark  of  their  master,  and  soldiers  of  their  general, 
and  those  who  were  devoted  to  any  particular  deity,  of  the  par- 
ticular deity  to  wdiom  they  were  devoted.  These  marks  were 
usually  impressed  on  their  right  hand  or  on  their  forehead,  and 
consisted  of  some  hieroglyphic  character,  or  of  the  name  ex- 
pressed in  vulgar  letters,  or  of  the  name  disguised  in  numerical 
letters,  according  to  the  fancy  of  the  imposer," 

Prideaux  says  that  Ptolemy  Philopater  ordered  all  the  Jews 
who  applied  to  he  enrolled  as  citizens  of  Alexandria  to  have  the 
form  of  an  ivy  leaf  (the  badge  of  his  god,  Bacchus)  impressed 
upon  them  with  a  hot  iron,  under  pain  of  death.  (Prideaux's 
Connection,  Vol.   II,  p.   78.) 

The  word  used  for  mark  in  this  prophecy  is  yapayfm 
{charagma),  and  is  defined  to  mean,  '^  a  graving,  sculpture; 
a  mark  cut  in  or  stamped."  It  occurs  nine  times  in  the  I^ew 
Testament,  and  with  the  single  exception  of  Acts  17 :  29,  refers 
every  time  to  the  mark  of  the  beast.  We  are  not,  of  course, 
to  understand  in  this  symbolic  prophecy  that  a  literal  mark 
is  intended ;  but  the  giving  of  the  literal  mark,  as  practiced 
in  ancient  times,  is  used  as  a  figure  to  illustrate  certain  acts 
that  will  be  performed  in  the  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy.  And 
from  the  literal  mark  as  formerly  employed,  we  learn  some- 
thing of  its  meaning  as  used  in  the  prophecy ;  for  between  the 
symbol  and  the  thing  symbolized  there  must  be  some  resem- 
blance. The  mark,  as  literally  used,  signified  that  the  person 
receiving  it  was  the  servant  of,  acknowledged  the  authority  of, 
or  professed  allegiance  to,  the  person  whose  mark  he  bore. 
So  the  mark  of  the  beast,  or  of  the  papacy,  must  be  some  act 
or  profession  by  which  the  authority  of  that  power  is  acknowl- 
edged.     What  is  it  ? 

It  would  naturally  be  looked  for  in  some  of  the  special 
characteristics  of  the  papal  power.  Daniel,  describing  that 
power  under  the  symbol  of  a  little  horn,  speaks  of  it  as  waging 
a  special  warfare  against  God,  wearing  out  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High,  and  thinking  to  change  times  and  laws.  The 
prophet  expressly  specifies  on  this  point:  "He  shall  iliinh 
to  change  times  and  laws."      These  laws  must  certainlv  be  the 


CHAPTER  hi,  VERSES  U  - 17  071 

laws  of  the  Most  High.  To  ajjply  it  to  human  huvs,  and  make 
the  prophecy  read,  '"And  he  shall  speak  great  words  against 
the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
and  think  to  change  human  laws,"  would  be  doing  evident 
violence  to  the  language  of  the  ]>rophet.  But  apply  it  to  the 
laws  of  God,  and  let  it  read,  "And  he  shall  speak  great  words 
against  the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the 
]\rost  High,  and  shall  think  to  change  the  times  and  laws  of 
the  Most  High,"  and  all  is  consistent  and  forcible.  The  He- 
brew has  JT7  [daih),  laAV,  and  the  Septuagint  reads,  v6/aos 
(iiomos),  in  the  singular,  "  the  law,"  which  more  directly  sug- 
gests the  law  of  God.  The  j^apacy  has  been  able  to  do  more 
than  merely  "•  think  "  to  change  human  laws.  It  has  changed 
them  at  pleasure.  It  has  annulled  the  decrees  of  kings  and 
emperors,  and  absolved  subjects  from  allegiance  to  their  right- 
ful sovereigns.  It  has  thrust  its  long  arm  into  the  affairs  of 
nations,  and  brought  rulers  to  its  feet  in  the  most  abject 
humility.  But  the  prophet  lieholds  greater  acts  of  presump- 
tion than  these.  He  sees  it  endeavor  to  do  what  it  was  not 
able  to  do,  but  could  only  think  to  do ;  he  sees  it  attempt  an 
act  which  no  man,  nor  any  combination  of  men,  can  ever  ac- 
complish ;  and  that  is,  to  change  the  law  of  the  Most  High. 
Bear  this  in  mind  while  we  look  at  the  testimony  of  another 
sacred  writer  on  this  very  point. 

The  apostle  Paul  speaks  of  the  same  power  in  2  Thessalo- 
nians  2 ;  and  he  describes  it,  in  the  person  of  the  pojje,  as 
"  the  man  of  sin,"  and  as  ''  sitting  as  God  in  the  temple  of 
God"  (that  is,  the  church),  and  as  exalting  himself  "  above  all 
that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshiped."  According  to  this, 
the  pope  sets  himself  up  as  the  one  for  all  the  church  to  look 
to  for  authorit}^,  in  the  place  of  God.  And  now  we  ask  the 
reader  to  ponder  carefully  the  question  how  he  can  exalt  hiui- 
self  above  God.  Search  through  the  Avliole  range  of  human 
devices,  go  to  the  extent  of  human  effort;  by  what  plan,  by 
what  move,  by  what  claim,  could  this  usurper  exalt  himself 
above  God  ?  He  might  institute  any  nmnber  of  ceremonies, 
he  might  prescribe  any  form  of  worshi]),  he  might  exhibit  any 
degree  of  power;  but  so  long  as  God  luul  requirements  which 


672  THE  REVELATION 

the  people  felt  bound  to  regard  in  preference  to  his  own,  so 
long  he  would  not  be  above  God.  He  might  enact  a  law,  and 
teach  the  people  that  they  were  under  as  great  obligations  to 
that  as  to  the  law  of  God;  then  he  would  only  make  himself 
equal  Avith  God.  But  he  is  to  do  more  than  this;  he  is  to 
attempt  to  raise  himself  above  him.  Then  he  must  promulgate 
a  law  which  conflicts  with  the  law  of  God,  and  demand  obedi- 
ence to  his  own  law  in  preference  to  God's  law.  There  is  no 
other  possible  way  in  which  he  could  place  himself  in  the 
position  assigned  in  the  prophecy.  But  this  is  simply  to 
change  the  law  of  God ;  and  if  he  can  cause  this  change  to  be 
adopted  by  the  people  in  the  place  of  the  original  enactment, 
then  he,  the  law-changer,  is  above  God,  the  law-maker.  And 
this  is  the  very  work  that  Daniel  said  he  should  think  to  do. 
Such  a  work  as  this,  then,  the  papacy  must  accomplish 
according  to  the  prophecy ;  and  the  prophecy  cannot  fail.  And 
when  this  is  done,  what  do  the  people  of  the  world  have  '\  — 
They  have  two  laws  demanding  obedience, —  one,  the  law  of 
God  as  originally  enacted  by  him,  an  embodiment  of  his  will, 
and  expressing  his  claims  upon  his  creatures ;  the  other,  a  re- 
vised edition  of  that  law,  emanating  from  the  pope  of  Rome, 
and  expressing  his  will.  And  how  is  it  to  be  determined 
which  of  these  powers  the  people  honor  and  worship  ?  —  It  is 
determined  by  the  law  which  they  keep.  If  they  keep  the  law 
of  God  as  given  by  him,  they  worship  and  obey  God.  If  they 
keep  tie  law  as  changed  by  the  papacy,  they  worship  that 
power.  But  further :  the  prophecy  does  not  say  that  tlie  little 
horn,  the  papacy,  should  set  aside  the  law  of  God,  and  give 
one  entirely  different.  This  would  not  be  to  change  the  law, 
but  simply  to  givfe  a  new  one.  He  was  only  to  attempt  a 
change,  so  that  the  law  that  comes  from  God,  and  the  law  that 
comes  from  the  papacy,  are  precisely  alike,  excepting  the  change 
which  the  papacy  has  made  in  the  former.  They  have  many 
points  in  common.  But  none  of  the  precepts  which  they  con- 
tain ill  common  can  distinguish  a  person  as  the  worshiper  of 
oither  power  in  preference  to  the  other.  If  God's  law  says, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  and  the  law  as  giv(Mi  by  the  papacy 
says  the  same,  no  one  can  tell  by  a  pcu-son's  observance  of  that 


GH  APT  Ell  IJ,   \'EIiSE;S  11- n  G73 

precept  whether  he  designs  to  obey  God  rather  than  the  pope, 
or  the  pope  rather  than  God.  But  when  a  precept  that  has 
been  changed  is  the  subject  of  action,  then  whoever  observes 
that  precept  as  originally  given  by  God,  is  thereby  distin- 
guished as  a  worshiper  of  God ;  and  he  who  keeps  it  as  changed 
is  thereby  marked  as  a  follower  of  the  power  that  made  the 
change.  In  no  other  way  can  the  two  classes  of  worshipers  be 
distinguished.  From  this  conclusion,  no  candid  mind  can  dis- 
sent; but  in  this  conclusion  we  have  a  general  answer  to  the 
question,  '*  What  constitutes  the  mark  of  the  beast  ?  "  and  that 
answer  is  simj)ly  this :  The  marh  of  the  beast  is  the  change 
which  the  beast  has  attempted  to  make  in  the  law  of  God. 

We  now  inquire  what  that  change  is.  By  the  law  of  God, 
we  mean  the  moral  law,  the  only  law  in  the  universe  of  immu- 
table and  perpetual  obligation, —  the  law  of  w^hich  Webster 
says,  defining  the  term  according  to  the  sense  in  which  it  is 
almost  universally  used  in  Christendom,  "  The  moral  law  is 
summarily  contained  in  the  decalogue,  written  by  the  finger  of 
God  on  two  tables  of  stone,  and  delivered  to  Moses  on  Mount 
Sinai." 

If  now  the  reader  will  compare  the  ten  commandments  as 
found  in  Koman  Catholic  catechisms  with  those  commandments 
as  found  in  the  Bible,  he  will  see  in  the  catechisms  — ■  we  mean 
those  portions  specially  devoted  to  instruction  ■ — •  that  the  second 
commandment  is  left  out,  that  the  tenth  is  divided  into  two 
to  make  up  the  lack  caused  by  leaving  out  the  second,  and 
keep  good  the  number  ten,  and  that  the  fourth  commandment 
(called  the  third  in  their  enumeration)  is  made  to  enjoin  the 
observance  of  Sunday  as  the  Sabbath,  and  prescribe  that  the 
day  shall  be  spent  in  hearing  mass  devoutly,  attending  vespers, 
and  reading  moral  and  pious  books.  Here  are  several  varia- 
tions from  the  decalogue  as  found  in  the  Bible.  Which  of 
them,  if  any,  constitutes  the  change  of  the  law  intended  in  the 
prophecy  "i  or  are  they  all  included  in  that  change  'I  Let  it  be 
borne  in  mind,  that,  according  to  the  prophecy,  he  was  to  think 
to  change  times  and  laws.  This  plainly  conveys  the  idea  of 
intention  and  design,  and  makes  these  qualities  essential  to 
the  change  in  question.       T>ut  respecting  the  omission  of  the 


(374  THE  REVELATION 

second  commandmeiiL,  Catholics  argue  that  it  is  included  in  the 
tirst,  and  hence  should  not  be  numbered  as  a  separate  com- 
mandment; and  on  the  tenth  they  claim  that  there  is  so  plain 
a  distinction  of  ideas  as  to  require  two  commandments ;  so 
they  make  the  coveting  of  a  neighbor's  wife  the  ninth  com- 
mand, and  the  coveting  of  his  goods  the  tenth. 

In  all  this  they  claim  that  they  are  giving  the  command- 
ments exactly  as  God  intended  to  have  them  understood ;  so, 
while  we  may  regard  them  as  errors  in  their  interpretation  of 
th(;  commandments,  we  cannot  set  them  down  as  professedly 
intentional  changes.  ISTot  so,  however,  with  the  fourth  com- 
mandment. Respecting  this  commandment,  they  do  not  claim 
that  their  version  is  like  that  given  by  God.  They  expressly 
claim  a  change  here,  and  also  that  the  change  has  been  made 
by  the  church.  A  few  quotations  from  standard  Catholic 
works  will  make  this  matter  plain.  In  a  work  entitled.  Treat- 
ise of  Thirty  Controversies,  we  find  these  words : — 

''  The  word  of  God  commandeth  the  seventh  day  to  be  the 
Sabbath  of  our  Lord,  and  to  be  kept  holy;  you  [Protestants], 
without  any  prece])t  of  Scripture,  change  it  to  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  only  authorized  by  our  traditions.  Divers  English 
Puritans  oppose,  against  this  point,  that  the  observation  of  the 
first  day  is  proved  out  of  Scripture,  where  it  is  said,  the  first 
day  of'  the  week.  Acts  20:7;  1  Cor.  16:2;  Rev.  1:10. 
Have  they  not  spun  a  fair  thread  in  quoting  these  places  ?  If 
we  should  produce  no  better  for  purgatory  and  prayers  for  the 
dead,  invocation  of  the  saints,  and  the  like,  they  might  have 
good  cause  indeed  to  laugh  us  to  scorn,  for  where  was  it 
written  that  these  were  Sabbath  days  in  which  those  meetings 
were  kept  'i  or  where  is  it  ordained  they  should  be  always  ob- 
served ?  or,  which  is  the  sum  of  all,  where  is  it  decreed  that 
the  observation  of  the  first  day  should  abrogate,  or  abolish,  the 
sanctifying  of  the  seventh  day,  which  God  commanded  ever- 
lastingly to  be  kept  holy?  Xot  one  of  these  is  expressed  in 
llic   written   word  of  God." 

In  the  Catechism  of  the  Christian  Religion,  by  Stephen 
Keenan    (Boston,    Patrick    Donahue,    1857),    p.    206,    on    the 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-17  GT5 

subject  of  the  third  (fourth)  conunandmeut,  we  liud  these 
questions  aud  answers : — 

"Qiies. —  AYhat  does  God  ordain  hj  this  coniniandnient '^ 

"AiiS. — -He  ordains  that  we  sanctify,  in  a  special  manner, 
this  day  on  which  he  rested  from  the  labor  of  creation. 

'Q. —  AVhat  is  this  day  of  rest  ^ 

''A. —  The  seventh  day  of  the  week,  or  Saturday ;  fur  he 
employed  six  days  in  creation,  and  rested  on  the  seventh. 
Gen.   2:2;  Heb.  4:1;  etc. 

'Q. — -Is  it,  then,  Saturday  we  should  sanctify,  in  order  to 
obey  the  ordinance  of  God  i 

''A. — ■  During  the  old  law,  Saturday  was  the  day  sanctified; 
but  the  cliurcli,  instructed  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  directed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  has  substituted  Sunday  fur  Saturday;  so  now 
we  sanctify  the  first,  not  the  seventh  day.  Sunday  means,  aud 
now  is,  the  day  of  the  Lord." 

In  the  Catholic  Christian  Instructed  (-T.  P.  Kenedy,  Xew 
York,  1884),  p.  202,  we  read: — 

"Ques. —  What  Avarrant  have  you  for  keejjing'  thc'  Sunday 
preferable  to  the   ancient   Sabbath,   which   was  the   Satur;lay  ? 

"Ans. —  We  have  for  it  the  authority  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  apostolic  tradition. 

"Q. —  Does  the  Scripture  anywhere  connuaud  the  Suii<lay 
to  be  kept  for  the  Sabbath  I 

"A. —  The  Scripture  couuuands  us  to  hoar  the  church 
(Matt.  18:  17;  Luke  10:  16),  and  to  hold  fast  the  traditions 
of  the  apostles.  2  Thess.  2:15.  But  the  Scriptures  do  not 
in  particular  mention  this  change  of  the  Sabbath." 

In  the  Doctrinal  Catechism  (Kenedy,  !N^ew  York),  ]).  174, 
we  find  further  testimony  to  tlie  same  point : — 

"  Ques. —  Have  you  any  other  way  of  proving  that  the 
church  has  power  to  institute  festivals  of  precept  ? 

"Ans. —  Had  she  not  such  power,  she  could  not  have  done 
that  in  which  all  modern  religionists  agree  with  her  — •  she 
could  not  have  substituted  the  observance  of  Sunday,  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  for  the  observance  of  Saturday,  the  s'^veuth 
day,  a  change  for  which  there  is  no  Scriptural  autliority." 


07G  THE  REVELATWX 

In  Abridgment  of  Christian  Doctrine  (^ Kenedy,  Xew 
York),  p.  58,  we  find  this  testimony: — 

"  Ques. —  How  prove  you  that  the  church  hath  power  to 
command  feasts  and  holy  days  ? 

"Ans. —  By  the  very  act  of  changing  the  Sabbath  into  Sun- 
day, which  Protestants  allow  of!  and  therefore  they  fondly 
contradict  themselves  by  keeping  Sunday  strictly,  and  break- 
ing most  other  feasts  commanded  by  the  same  church. 

"Q.- — -How  prove  you  that? 

".-l.^i^ecause  by  keeping  Sunday  they  acknowledge  the 
church's  j^ower  to  ordain  feasts,  and  to  command  them  under 
sin." 

And  finally,  AY.  Lockhart,  late  B.  A.  of  Oxford,  in  the 
Toronto  (Catholic)  Mirror,  offered  the  following  ''  challenge  " 
to  all  the  Protestants  of  Ireland, —  a  challenge  as  well  calcu- 
lated for  this  locality  as  that.      He  says :- — 

'^  I  do  therefore  solemnly  challenge  the  Protestants  of  Ire- 
land to  prove,  by  plain  texts  of  Scripture,  these  questions  con- 
cerning the  obligations  of  the  Christian  Sabbath:  (1)  That 
Christians  may  work  on  Saturday,  the  old  seventh  day;  (2) 
that  the}'  are  bound  to  keep  holy  the  first  day,  namely,  Sun- 
day; (3)  that  they  are  not  bound  to  keep  holy  the  seventh 
day  also." 

This  is  Avhat  the  papal  power  claims  to  have  done  respecting 
the  fourth  commandment.  Catholics  plainly  acknowledge  that 
there  is  no  Scriptural  authority  for  the  change  they  have  made, 
but  that  it  rests  wholly  upon  the  authority  of  the  church;  and 
they  claim  it  as  a  token,  or  mark,  of  the  authority  of  that 
church ;  the  "  very  act  of  changing  the  Sahhath  into  Sunday  " 
being  set  forth  as  proof  of  its  j^ower  in  this  respect.  For  fur- 
ther testimony  on  this  point,  the  reader  is  referred  to  a  book 
published  by  the  Southern  Publishing  Association,  ISTashville, 
Tenn.,  entitled.  The  Change  of  the  Sabbath,  in  which  are  also 
extracts  from  Catholic  writers  refuting  the  arguments  usually 
relied  upon  to  prove  the  Sunday-sabbath,  and  showing  that 
its  only  authority  is  the  Catholic  Church. 

"  But,"  says  one,  "  I  supposed  that  Clirist  changed  the 
Sabbath."      A  great  many  suppose  so,  and  it  is  natural  that 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-11  CTT 

they  should;  for  they  have  been  so  taught.  And  while  we 
have  no  words  of  denunciation  to  utter  against  any  such  per- 
sons for  so  believing,  we  would  have  them  at  once  understand 
that  it  is,  in  reality,  one  of  the  most  enormous  of  errors.  We 
would  therefore  remind  such  persons  that,  according  to  the 
prophecy,  the  only  change  ever  to  be  made  in  the  law  of  God, 
Avas  to  be  made  by  the  little  horn  of  Daniel  7,  the  man  of  sin 
of  2  Thessalonians  2  ;  and  the  only  change  that  has  been  made 
in  it,  is  the  change  of  the  Sabbath.  Xow,  if  Christ  made 
this  change,  he  tilled  the  office  of  the  blasphemous  jjower  spoken 
of  by  both  Daniel  and  Paul, —  a  conclusion  sufficiently  hideous 
to  drive  any  Christian  from  the  view  which  leads  thereto. 

Why  should  any  one  labor  to  prove  that  Christ  changed 
the  Sabbath  ?  AMioever  does  this  is  performing  a  thankless 
task.  The  pope  Avill  not  thank  him ;  for  if  it  is  proved  that 
Christ  wrought  this  change,  then  the  pope  is  robbed  of  his 
badge  of  authority  and  power.  And  no  truly  enlightened 
Protestant  will  thank  him ;  for  if  he  succeeds,  he  only  shows 
that  the  papacy  has  not  done  the  work  which  it  was  predicted 
that  it  should  do,  and  so  that  the  prophecy  has  failed,  and 
the  Scriptures  are  unreliable.  The  matter  would  better  stand 
as  the  prophecy  has  it,  and  the  claim  which  the  pope  un- 
wittingly puts  forth  would  better  be  granted.  When  a  j)erson 
is  charged  with  any  work,  and  that  person  steps  forth  and 
confesses  that  he  has  done  the  work,  that  is  usually  considered 
sufficient  to  settle  the  matter.  So,  when  the  prophecy  affirms 
that  a  certain  power  shall  change  the  law  of  God,  and  in  due 
time  that  very  power  arises,  does  the  work  foretold,  and  then 
openly  claims  that  he  has  done  it,  what  need  have  we  of 
further  evidence  ?  The  world  should  not  forget  that  the  great 
apostasy  foretold  by  Paul  has  taken  place ;  that  the  man  of 
sin  for  long  ages  held  almost  a  monopoly  of  Christian  teach- 
ing in  the  w^orld ;  that  the  mystery  of  iniquity  has  cast  the 
darkness  of  its  shadow  and  the  errors  of  its  doctrines  over 
almost  all  Christendom;  and  that  out  of  this  era  of  error  and 
darkness  and  corruption,  the  theology  of  our  day  has  come. 
Would  it,  then,  be  anything  strange  if  there  were  y(>t  some 
relics  of  popery  to  be  discarded  ere  the  reformation   will   be 


67s  THE  REVELATIOX 

completed  A.  Camijbell  (Jjaptism,  p.  15),  speaking  of  the 
different   Protestant  sects,    says: — 

"All  of  them  retain  in  their  bosom, —  in  their  ecclesi- 
astical organizations,  worship,  doctrines,  and  observances, — 
various  relics  of  popery.  They  are  at  best  a  reformation  of 
popery,  and  only  reformations  in  part.  The  doctrines  and 
traditions  of  men  yet  impair  the  power  and  progress  of  the 
gospel  in  their  hands." 

The  nature  of  the  change  which  the  little  horn  has  at- 
tempted to  effect  in  the  law  of  God  is  worthy  of  notice.  True 
to  his  purpose  to  exalt  himself  above  God,  he  undertakes  to 
change  that  commandment  which,  of  all  others,  is  the  funda- 
mental commandment  of  the  law,  the  one  which  makes  known 
who  the  lawgiver  is,  and  contains  his  signature  of  royalty. 
The  fourth  commandment  does  this ;  no  other  one  does.  Four 
others,  it  is  true,  contain  the  word  God,  and  three  of  them  the 
word  Lord,  also.  But  who  is  this  Lord  God  of  whom  they 
speak  'I  Without  the  fourth  commandment,  it  is  impossible  to 
tell ;  for  idolaters  of  every  grade  apply  these  terms  to  the  mul- 
titudinous objects  of  their  adoration.  AVitli  the  fourth  com- 
mandinent  to  point  out  the  Author  of  the  decalogue,  the  claims 
of  every  false  god  are  annulled  at  one  stroke ;  for  the  God  who 
here  demands  our  worship  is  not  any  created  being,  but  the 
One  who  created  all  things.  The  maker  of  the  earth  and  sea, 
the  sun  and  moon,  and  all  the  starry  host,  the  upholder  and 
governor  of  the  universe,  is  the  One  who  claims,  and  who, 
from  his  jiosition,  has  a  right  to  claim,  our  supreme  regard  in 
preference  to  every  other  object.  The  commandment  which 
makes  known  these  facts  is  therefore  the  very  one  we  might 
suppose  that  power  Avhich  designed  to  exalt  itself  above  God 
would  undertake  to  change.  God  gave  the  Sabbath  as  a  memo- 
rial of  himself,  a  weekly  reminder  to  the  sons  of  men  of  his 
work  in  creating  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  a  great  barrier 
against  heathenism  and  idolatry.  It  is  the  signature  and  seal 
against  atheism  and  idolatry.  Tt  is  the  signature  and  seal 
of  the  law.  This  tlie  papacy  has  torn  from  its  place,  and 
erected  in  its  stead,  ou  its  own  nutliority,  another  institution. 
designcMl   lo  serve  anotlier  ]>iir])0s('. 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11-17  679 

This  chaiigo  of  the  fourth  commandment  must  therefore  bn 
the  change  to  which  the  prophecy  points,  and  Sunday-keeping 
must  be  the  mark  of  the  beast !  Some  wlio  have  long  been 
taught  to  regard  this  institution  with  reverence  will  perhaps 
start  back  with  little  less  than  feelings  of  horror  at  this  con- 
clusion. We  have  not  space,  nor  is  this,  perhaps,  the  place, 
to  enter  into  an  extended  argument  on  the  Sabbath  question, 
and  an  exposition  of  the  origin  and  nature  of  the  observance 
of  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Let  us  submit  this  one  proposi- 
tion: If  the  seventh  day  is  still  the  Sabbath  enjoined  in  the 
fourth  comnuindment ;  if  the  observance  of  the  first  day  of 
the  week  has  no  foundation  whatever  in  the  Scriptures ;  if  this 
observance  has  been  brought  in  as  a  Christian  institution,  and 
designedly  put  in  place  of  the  Sabbath  of  the  decalogue  by  that 
power  which  is  symbolized  by  the  beast,  and  placed  there  as  a 
badge  and  token  of  its  power  to  legislate  for  the  church,- —  is 
it  not  inevitably  the  mark  of  the  beast  ?  The  answer  must  be 
in  the   affimative.       But  these  hypotheses  are  all  certainties.-^ 

It  will  be  said  again,  Then  all  Sunday-keepers  have  the 
mark  of  the  beast ;  then  all  the  good  of  past  ages  who  kept  this 
day  had  the  mark  of  the  beast ;  then  Luther,  Whitefield,  the 
AVesleys,  and  all  who  have  done  a  good  and  noble  work  of  ref- 
ormation, had  the  mark  of  the  beast ;  then  all  the  blessings 
tliat  have  been  poured  upon  the  reformed  churches  have  been 
])Ourpd  upon  those  who  had  the  mark  of  the  beast ;  and  all 
Christians  of 'the  present  day  who  are  keeping  Sunday  as  the 
Sabbath,  haA'e  the  mark  of  the  beast.  We  answer,  jSTot  so! 
And  we  are  sorry  to  say  that  some  professedly  religious  teach- 
ers, though  many  times  corrected,  persist  in  misrepresenting 
us  on  this  point.  We  have  never  so  held ;  we  have  never  so 
taught.  Our  premises  lead  to  no  such  conclusions.  Give  ear: 
The  mark  and  worship  of  the  beast  are  enforced  by  the  two- 
horned  beast.  The  receiving  of  the  mark  of  the  beast  is  a 
specific  act  which  the  two-horned  beast  is  to  cause  to  be  do7ie. 
The  third  message  of  Revelation  14  is  a  warning  mercifully 
sent   out    ill    advance   to   prepare   the   people   for   the   coming 

'  See   "  History  of  the   Sabbath."  and  other  works   on   the  subject,   for   sale   by  the 
publishers  of  this  book.     To  these   we  can   only   refer  the  reader,  in  passing. 

43 


680  THE  REVELATION 

danger.  There  can  therefore  be  no  worship  of  the  beast,  nor 
reception  of  his  mark  such  as  the  prophecy  contemplates,  till  it 
is  enforced  by  the  two-horned  beast.  We  have  seen  that  inten- 
tion was  essential  to  the  change  which  the  papacy  has  made  in 
the  law  of  God,  to  constitute  it  the  mark  of  that  power;  su 
intention  is  necessary  in  the  adoption  of  that  change  to  make 
it,  on  the  part  of  any  individual,  the  reception  of  that  mark. 
In  other  Avords,  a  person  must  adopt  the  change  knowing  it  to 
be  the  work  of  the  beast,  and  receive  it  on  tlie  authority  of 
that  power,  in  opposition  to  the  requirement  of  God. 

But  how  is  it  with  those  mentioned  above,  who  havQ  kept 
Sunday  in  the  past,  and  the  majority  of  those  who  are  keeping- 
it  to-day  ?  Do  they  keep  it  as  an  institution  of  the  papacy  ?  — 
Ko.  Have  they  decided  between  this  and  the  Sabbath  of  our 
Lord,  understanding  the  claims  of  each  I  —  Xo.  On  what 
ground  have  they  kept  it,  and  on  what  do  they  still  keep 
it  ?  —  They  suppose  they  are  keeping  a  commandment  of  God. 
Have  such  the  mark  of  the  beast  ( —  P>y  no  means.  Their 
course  is  attributable  to  an  error  unwittingly  received  from  the 
Church  of  Rome,  not  to  an  act  of  worship  rendered  to  it. 

I>ut  how  is  it  to  be  in  the  future  ?  The  church  which  is  to 
be  prepared  for  the  second  coming  of  Christ  must  be  entirely 
free  from  papal  errors  and  corruj)tions.  A  reform  must  hence 
be  made  on  the  Sabbath  question.  The  third  angel  proclaims 
the  commandments  of  God,  leading  men  to  the  true  in  the  place 
of  the  counterfeit.  The  dragon  is  stirred,  and  so  controls  the 
wicked  governments  of  the  earth  that  all  the  authority  of  hu- 
man power  shall  be  exerted  to  enforce  the  claims  of  the  man 
of  sin.  Then  the  issue  is  fairly  before  the  people.  They  are 
required  to  keep,  on  the  one  hand,  the  true  Sabbath ;  on  the 
other,  a  counterfeit.  For  refusing  to  keep  the  true,  the  mes- 
sage threatens  the  unmingled  wrath  of  God ;  for  refusing  the 
false,  earthly  governments  threaten  them  with  persecution  and 
death.  With  this  issue  before  the  people,  Avhat  does  he  do  who 
yields  to  the  human  requirement  ?  —  He  virtually  says  to  God, 
I  know  your  claims,  Imt  I  will  not  heed  them.  I  know  that 
the  power  I  am  required  to  worship  is  antichristian,  but  I 
yield  to  it  to  save  my  life.      T  renounce  your  allegiance,  and 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11  - 17  681 

boAV  to  the  usurper.  The  beast  is  henceforth  the  object  of  my 
adoration;  under  his  banner,  in  opposition  to  your  authority, 
I  henceforth  array  myself;  to  him,  in  defiance  of  your  claims, 
I  henceforth  yield  the  obedience  of  my  heart  and  life. 

Such  is  the  spirit  which  will  actuate  the  hearts  of  the  beast- 
worshipers, —  a  spirit  which  insults  the  God  of  the  universe  to 
his  face,  and  is  prevented  only  by  lack  of  power  from  over- 
throwing his  government  and  annihilating  his  throne.  Is  it 
any  wonder  that  Jehovah  denounces  against  so  Heaven-daring 
a  course  the  most  terrible  threatening  that  his  Word  contains  ^ 

13.  The  Closing  Work. —  We  have  now  seen  what  would 
properly  constitute  an  image  to  the  beast,  such  as  the  two- 
horned  beast  is  to  erect,  and  also  the  probability  that  such  an 
image  will  soon  be  perfected  in  this  country;  and  we  have 
also  learned  what  constitutes  the  mark  of  the  beast,  which  is  to 
be  enforced  upon  all  the  people.  An  ecclesiastical  organization 
composed  of  a  greater  or  less  number  of  the  different  sects  of 
our  land,  with  some  degTee  of  coalition  also  between  these 
bodies  and  Roman  Catholicism,  together  with  the  promulga- 
tion and  enforcement  of  a  general  Sunday-sabbath  law,  would 
fulfil  what  the  prophecy  sets  forth  in  reference  to  the  image 
and  the  mark  of  the  beast;  and  these  movements,  or  their 
exact  equivalent,  the  prophecy  calls  for.  The  line  of  argu- 
ment leading  to  these  conclusions  is  so  direct  and  well-defined 
that  there  is  no  avoiding  them.  They  are  a  clear  and  logical 
sequence   from  the  premises  given  us. 

When  the  application  of  Rev.  13 :  11  - 17  to  the  United 
States  was  first  made,  as  early  as  the  year  1850,  these  posi- 
tions respecting  a  union  of  the  churches  and  a  grand  Sunday 
movement  were  taken.  But  at  that  time  no  sign  appeared 
above  or  beneath,  at  home  or  abroad, —  no  token  was  seen, 
no  indication  existed,  that  such  an  issue  would  ever  be  made. 
But  tliere  was  the  prophecy,  and  that  must  stand.  The  United 
States  government  had  given  abundant  evidence,  by  its  loca- 
tion, the  time  of  its  rise,  the  manner  of  its  rise,  and  its  apparent 
character,  that  it  was  the  power  symbolized  by  the  two-horned 
beast.  There  could  be  no  mistake  in  the  conclusion  that  it  was 
the  very  nation  intended  by  that  symbol.       This  being  so,  it 


682  THE  REVELATION 

must  take  the  course  and  perform  the  acts  foretold.  But  here 
were  predietious  which  coukl  be  fullilled  bv  nothing  less  than 
the  above-named  movement  respecting  church  and  state,  and 
the  enforcement  of  the  papal  Sabbath  as  a  mark  of  the  beast. 

To  take  the  position  at  that  time  that  this  government  was 
to  pursue  such  a  policy  and  engage  in  such  a  work,  without  any 
apparent  probability  in  its  favor,  Avas  no  small  act  of  faith. 
On  the  other  hand,  to  deny  or  ignore  it,  while  admitting  the 
application  of  the  syndxtl  to  this  government,  would  not  be  in 
accordance  with  either  Scripture  or  logic.  The  only  course 
for  the  humble,  confiding  student  of  prophecy  to  pursue  in 
such  cases  is  to  take  the  light  as  it  is  given,  and  believe  the 
prophecy  in  all  its  parts.  So  the  stand  was  boldly  taken ;  and 
open  proclamation  has  been  made  from  that  day  to  this,  that 
such  a  work  would  be  seen  in  the  United  States.  With  every 
review  of  the  argument,  new  features  of  strength  have  been 
discovered  in  the  application;  and  amid  a  storm  of  scornful 
incredulity  we  have  watched  the  progress  of  events,  and  awaited 
the  hour  of  fulfilment. 

Meanwhile,  Spiritualism  has  astonished  the  world  with  its 
terrible  progress,  and  shown  itself  to  be  the  wonder-working 
element  which  was  to  exist  in  connection  with  this  power. 
This  has  mightily  strengthened  the  force  of  the  application. 
And  now,  within  a  few  years  past,  what  have  we  further  seen? 
—  Xo  less  than  the  commencement  of  that  very  movement  re- 
specting the  formation  of  the  image,  and  the  enactment  of 
Sunday  laws,  which  we  have  so  long  expected,  and  which  is 
to  complete  the  prophecy  and  close  the  scene. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  movement  to  se- 
cure a  union  of  the  churches  for  the  purpose  of  adding  strength 
and  influence  to  ecclesiastical  movements  in  certain  directions. 
And  now  a  class  of  men  is  suddenly  sjiringing  up  all  over  the 
land  whose  souls  are  al)sorbed  with  the  cognate  idea  of  Sunday 
reform,  and  who  liave  dedicated  themselves,  heads,  hands,  and 
pockets,  to  the  carrying  forward  of  this  kindred  movement. 
Organizations  called  Sabbath  Committees  have  been  formed  in 
various  places,  and  have  labored  zealously,  by  means  of  books, 
tracts,  speeches,  and  sermons,  to  create  a  strong  public  senti- 


CI  I  APT  EU  IS,  VERSES  11-17  083 

nient  in  behalf  of  Suuclay.  j\Iaking  slow  i)rogTess  through 
moral  suasion,  they  seek  a  shorter  path  to  the  aecoinplisluuent 
of  their  purposes  through  political  power.  .Vud  why  uot  ? 
Christianity  has  become  popular,  and  her  jDrofessed  adherents 
are  numerous.  AVhy  not  avail  themselves  of  the  power  of 
the  ballot  to  secure  tlicir  ends?  llev.  J.  S.  Smart  (Meth- 
odist), in  a  published  sermou  on  the  Political  Duties  of  Chris- 
tian _Men  and  Ministers,  expresses  a  leading  sentiment  on  this 
question,  Avhen  he  says:— 

"  I  claim  that  "we  liave,  and  ought  to  have,  just  as  much 
concern  in  the  government  of  this  country  as  any  other  men. 
.  .  We  are  the  mass  of  the  people.  Virtue  in  this  country 
is  not  weak;  her  ranks  are  strong  in  numbers,  and  invincible 
from  the  righteousness  of  her  cause, —  invincible  if  united. 
Let  not  her  ranks  be  broken  by  party  names." 

In  accordance  with  the  logical  develo])ment  of  these  feel- 
ings, an  association  has  been  formed,  now  called  "  The  National 
Reform  Association,"  Avhich  has  for  its  object  the  securing  of 
legal  enactments  for  religious  institutions,  by  means  of  such 
an  amendment  to  the  national  Constitution  as  shall  "  place  all 
Christian  laws,  institutions,  and  usages  of  the  government  on 
an  undeniable  legal  basis  in  the  fundamental  law  of  the  land." 
Here  is  the  germ  of  religious  revolution,  the  (Altering  wedge 
of  church  and  state. 

This  movement  originated  at  Xenia,  Ohio,  in  Felnnuirv, 
1SG3,  in  a  convention  composed  of  eleven  different  religious 
denominations,  who  assembled  for  prayer  and  conference. 

To  be  sure  the  leaders  in  this  movement  disclaim  vehe- 
mently any  such  purpose  as  a  union  of  church  and  state ;  but 
a  sentence  now  and  then  escapes  theni  which  reveals  more  than 
they  intended.  Thus,  in  the  Pittsburgh  Convention,  Dr.  Ste- 
venson said : — 

"  Through  the  immense  largesses  it  receives  from  corrupt 
politicians,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is,  practically,  the  es- 
tablished church  of  the  city  of  Xew  York.  These  favors  are 
granted  under  the  guise  of  a  seeming  friendliness  to  religion. 
We  pro]>ose  to  put  the  substance  for  the  shadow, —  to  drive  out 
the  counterfeit  by  the  completer  substitution  of  the  true." 


684  THE  REVELATION 

There  are  several  guess-roads  tlirougli  wliich  we  may  look 
for  the  intent  of  this  language ;  but  inasmuch  as  they  all  arrive 
at  one  conclusion,  this  conclusion  is  neither  ambiguous  nor 
doubtful;  it  is  simply  that  the  Protestant  Church  shall  become 
really  established,  as  the  Roman  Catholic  now  is  practically. 
This  is  confirmed  by  the  very  next  sentence,  which  reads: — • 

"  Vvliat  we  propose  is  nothing  of  a  sectarian  character.  It 
will  give  no  branch  of  American  Christians  any  advantage 
over  any  other." 

Professor  Blanchard  undertakes  to  give  a  definition  of  what 
they  mean  by  a   "  union  of  church  and  state,"   as  follows : — 

'"  But  union  of  church  and  state  is  the  selection  by  the 
nation  of  one  church,  the  endowment  of  such  a  church,  the 
appointment  of  its  officers,  and  the  oversight  of  its  doctrines. 
For  such  a  union,  none  of  us  plead.  To  such  a  union  we  are 
all  of  us  ojiposed." 

The  reader  is  requested  to  mark  this  well.  Here  is  given  a 
definition  of  a  union  of  church  and  state  such  as  no  one  expects 
or  fears ;  such,  in  fact,  as  is  not  possible  in  the  existing  state  of 
the  churches,  and  then  a  special  ])lea  is  set  up  that  they  are 
opposed  to  a  union  of  church  and  state !  To  such  an  impossible 
combination  as  they  describe,  tliey  may  safely  write  themselves 
opposed;  but  to  a  union  of  church  and  state  in  the  po])ular 
sense  of  the  plirase, —  a  union,  not  of  one  church,  but  of  all 
the  churches  recognized  as  orthodox,  or  evangelical, —  a  union 
not  giving  the  state  power  to  elect  church  officers  nor  to  take 
the  oversight  of  church  doctrines,  but  giving  the  churches  the 
privilege  of  enforcing,  by  civil  'laws,  institutions  and  usages 
of  religion,  according  to  the  faith  of  the  churches,  or  to  the 
construction  put  upon  those  institutions  and  usages  by  the 
churches, — •  to  such  a  union,  we  say,  they  are  not  opposed. 
They  are  essentially  and  practically,  despite  their  professions, 
open  advocates  of  a  union  of  church  and  state. 

We  are  not  alone  in  this  view  of  the  subject.  Mr.  G.  A. 
Townsend  (ISTew  World  and  Old,  p.   212)   says: — 

"  Church  and  state  has  several  times  crept  into  American 
politics,  as  in  tlie  contentions  over  the  Bible  in  tlu^  public 
schools,    the    anti-Catholic    ])arty    of    1S44,    etc.       Our    ])eople 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11  - 17  685 

have  been  wise  enough  heretofore  to  respect  the  clergy  in  all 
religious  questions,  and  to  entertain  a  wholesome  jealousy  of 
of  them  in  politics.  The  latest  politico-religious  movement 
[italics  ours]  is  to  insert  the  name  of  the  Deity  in  the  Con- 
stitution." 

The  Christian  Union,  January,  1871,  said: — 

"  If  the  proposed  amendment  is  anything  more  than  a  bit 
of  sentimental  cant,  it  is  to  have  a  legal  effect.  It  is  to  alter 
the  status  of  the  nonchristian  citizen  before  the  law.  It  is  to 
affect  the  legal  oaths  and  instruments,  the  matrimonial  con- 
tracts, the  sumptuary  laws,  etc.,  etc.,  of  the  country.  This 
would  be   an  outrage  on  natural  right." 

The  Janesville  (Wis.)  Gazette,  at  the  close  of  an  article 
on  the  proposed  amendment,  speaks  thus  of  the  effect  of  the 
movement,  should  it  succeed: — 

"  But,  independent  of  the  question  as  to  what  extent  we 
are  a  Christian  nation,  it  may  well  be  doubted  whether,  if  the 
gentlemen  who  are  agitating  this  question  should  succeed,  they 
would  not  do  society  a  very  great  injury.  Such  measures  are 
but  the  initiatory  steps  which  ultimately  lead  to  restrictions  of 
religious  freedom,  and  to  commit  the  government  to  measures 
which  are  as  foreign  to  its  powers  and  purposes  as  would  be  its 
action  if  it  should  undertake  to  determine  a  disputed  question 
of  theology." 

The  Weel-ly  Alta  Californian,  of  San  Francisco,  ]\rarch  12, 
1870,  said: — 

"  The  parties  who  have  been  recently  holding  a  convention 
for  the  somewhat  novel  purpose  of  procuring  an  amendment 
to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  recognizing  the  Deity, 
do  not  fairly  state  the  case  when  they  assert  that  it  is  the 
riglit  of  a  Christian  people  to  govern  themselves  in  a  Christian 
manner.  If  we  are  not  governing  ourselves  in  a  Christian 
manner,  how  shall  the  doings  of  our  government  be  designated  ? 
The  fact  is,  that  the  movement  is  one  to  liring  about  in  this 
country  that  union  of  church  and  state  which  all  other  na- 
tions are  trying  to  dissolve." 

The  Champlain  Journal,  speaking  of  incorporating  the  re- 


686  THE  REVELATION 

ligions  principle  into  the  Constitution,  and  its  effect  npou  the 
Jews,  said: — 

"  However  slight,  it  is  the  entering  wedge  of  church  and 
state.  If  we  may  cut  off  ever  so  few  persons  from  the  right 
of  citizenship  on  account  of  difference  of  religious  helief,  then 
with  equal  justice  and  propriety  may  a  majority  at  any  time 
dictate  the  adoption  of  still  further  articles  of  belief,  until  our 
Constitution  is  hut  a  text-book  of  a  sect,  beneath  whose  tyran- 
nical sway  all  liberty  of  religious  opinion  ivill  he  crushed/' 

Petitions  and  remonstrances  are  both  being  circulated  with 
activity ;  and  shrewd  observers,  who  have  watched  the  move- 
ment with  a  jealous  eye,  and  heretofore  hoped  it  would  amount 
to  nothing,  now  confess  that  it  "  is  formidable."  ]^o  move- 
ment of  equal  magnitude  of  purpose  has  ever  sprung  wp  and 
become  strong,  and  secured  favor  so  rapidly  as  this.  Indeed, 
none  of  equal  magnitude  has  ever  been  sprung  upon  the  Amer- 
ican mind,  as  this  aims  to  remodel  the  whole  framework  of  our 
government,  and  give  to  it  a  strong  religious  cast,- —  a  thing 
which  the  framers  of  our  Constitution  were  careful  to  exclude 
from  it.  They  not  only  ask  that  the  Bible,  God,  and  Christ 
shall  be  recognized  in  the  Constitution,  but  that  it  shall  indi- 
cate this  as  "  a  Christian  nation,  and  place  all  Christian  laws, 
institutions,  and  usages  of  the  government,  on  an  undenial)le 
legal  basis  in  the  fundamental  law  of  the  land." 

Of  course,  appropriate  legislation  will  be  required  to  carry 
such  amendments  into  effect,  and  somebody  will  have  to  decide 
what  are  "  Christian  laws  and  institutions."  From  what  we 
learn  of  such  movements  in  the  past  in  other  countries,  and  of 
the  temjier  of  the  churches  of  this  country,  and  of  human 
nature  when  it  has  power  suddenly  conferred  upon  it,  wo  look 
for  no  good  from  this  movement.  From  a  lengthy  article 
in  the  Lansing  (Mich.)  State  Bepuhliran  in  reference  to  the 
Cincinnati  Convention,  held  in  1872,  we  take  the  f(dlowing 
extract : — 

"  JNTow  there  are  hundreds  and  thousands  of  moral  and  ])ro- 
fessedly  Christian  people  in  this  nation  to-day  Avho  do  not 
recognize  the  doctrine  of  tlie  Trinity, —  do  not  recognize  Jesus 
(Mirist  the  same  as  God.       And  tlu^re  aro  htuidrcMis  and  tliou- 


CHAPTER  IS,  VERSES  11-17  687 

sands  of  men  and  M'omen  who  do  not  recognize  the  Bible  as 
the  revelation  of  God.  The  attempt  to  make  any  such  amend- 
ment to  the  Constitution  Moidd  b(?  regarded  by  a  large  minor- 
ity, perhaps  a  majority,  of  our  luition  as  a  j^alpable  violation 
of  liberty  of  conscience.  Thousands  of  men,  if  called  upon 
to  vote  for  such  an  aniondmeiit,  Avonld  hesitate  to  vote  against 
God,  although  they  miglit  not  believe  that  the  amendment  is 
necessary  or  that  it  is  right ;  and  such  men  would  either  vote 
affirmatively  or  not  at  all.  In  every  case,  such  an  amendment 
would  be  likely  to  receive  an  affirmative  vote  which  would  by 
no  means  indicate  the  true  sentiment  of  the  people.  And  the 
same  rule  would  hold  good  in  relation  to  the  adoption  of  such 
an  amendment  by  Congress  or  by  the  legislatures  of  three 
(quarters  of  the  states.  j\Ien  who  make  politics  a  trade  would 
hesitate  to  record  their  names  against  the  proposed  Constitu- 
tional Amendment,  advocated  by  the  leaders  of  the  great  relig- 
ious denominations  of  the  land,  and  indorsed  by  such  men  as 
Bishop  Simpson,  Bishop  ]\[cllvaine.  Bishop  Eastburn,  Presi- 
dent Finney,  Professor  Lewis,  Professor  Seelye,  Bishop  Hunt- 
ington, Bishop  Kerfoot,  Dr.  Patterson,  Dr.  Cuyler,  and  many 
other  divines  who  are  the  representative  men  of  their  respective 
denominations." 

Among  the  first  bills  to  be  presented  to  the  United  States 
Congress  on  its  assembling  in  Decendjer,  1895,  Avas  this  same 
religious  amendment  of  the  Constitution.  This  shows  the  un- 
mitigated persistence  with  which  this  matter  is  to  be  pressed. 

jSTot  only  the  representative  men  of  the  churches  are  pledged 
to  this  movement,  but  go^'ernors,  judges,  and  many  of  tlie  most 
eminent  men  of  the  land,  are  working  for  it.  Who  doubts  the 
power  of  the  "  representative  men  of  the  denominations  "  to 
rally  the  strength  of  their  denominations  to  sustain  this  work 
at  their  call  ?  AYe  utter  no  projihecy  of  the  future ;  it  is  not 
needed.  Events  transpire  in  these  days  faster  than  our  minds 
are  prepared  to  grasp  them.  Let  us  heed  the  admonition  to 
"  watch !  "  and  wuth  reliance  upon  God,  prepare  for  ''  those 
things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth." 

But  it  may  be  asked  how  the  Sunday  question  is  to  l)e 
affected  by  the  proposed  Constitutional  Amendment.      Answer: 


688  THE  REVELATION 

The  object,  or,  to  sav  the  least,  one  object  of  this  amendment, 
is  to  put  the  Sunday  institution  on  a  legal  basis,  and  compel  its 
observance  bv  the  arm  of  tlie  law.  At  the  national  convention 
held  in  Philadeli:)hia,  Jan.  18,  19,  1871,  the  following  resolu- 
tion was  among  the  first  offered  by  the  business  committee : — 

"  liesolred,  Tliat,  in  view  of  the  controlling  power  of  the 
Constitution  in  shaping  state  as  well  as  national  ])oli('y,  it  is 
of  inuiiediate  importance  to  public  morals  and  to  social  order, 
to  secure  such  an  amendment  as  will  indicate  that  this  is  a 
Christian  nation,  and  place  all  Christian  laws,  institutions,  and 
usages  in  our  government  on  an  undeniable  legal  basis  in  the 
fundamental  law  of  the  nation,  specially  those  Avhich  secure  a 
proper  oath,  and  which  protect  society  against  blasphemy.  Sab- 
bath-breaking, and'  polygamy." 

By  Sabbath-breaking  is  meant  nothing  else  but  Sunday- 
breaking.  In  a  convention  of  the  friends  of  Sunday,  assembled 
Xov,  29,  1870,  in  Xew  Concord,  Ohio,  one  of  the  speakers  is 
reported  to  have  said :  ''  The  question  [of  Sunday  observance] 
is  closely  connected  with  the  Xational  Reform  ]\[ovement ;  for 
until  the  government  comes  to  know  God  and  honor  his  law, 
we  need  not  expect  to  restrain  Sabbath-breaking  corporations." 
Here,  again,  the  idea  of  the  legal  enforcement  of  Sunday  ob- 
servance stands  foremost ;  and  the  same  principle  would  apply 
equally  to  individuals. 

Once  more:  the  Philadelphia  Press  of  Dec.  5,  1870,  stated 
that  some  Congressmen  arrived  in  Washington  by  Sunday 
trains,  December  -1,  on  which  the  Cliristian  Statesman  camw- 
mented  as  follows   (we  give  italics  as  we  find  them)  : — 

"  1.  x\ot  one  of  those  men  iclio  ilius  violated  the  Sahhath 
is  fit  to  liold  any  official  position  in  a  Christian  nation.  .  .   . 

'•'  2.  The  sin  of  these  Congressmen  is  a  national  sin,  because 
the  nation  hath  not  said  to  them  in  the  Constitution,  the  su- 
preme rule  for  our  public  servants,  '  We  charge  you  to  serve 
us  in  accordance  with  the  higher  law  of  God.'  These  Sabbath- 
breaking  railroads,  moreover,  are  corporations  created  by  the 
state,  and  amenable  to  it.  The  state  is  responsible  to  God  for 
the  conduct  of  these  creatures  Avliich  it  calls  into  being.  It  is 
bound,   therefore,   to  restrain   them  from   this   as   from   otlier 


CHAPTER  13.  VERSES  11-17  689 

crimes,  and  any  violation  of  tlie  Sabbath  by  any  corporation 
should  work  immediate  forfeiture  of  its  charter.  And  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  with  which  all  state  legis- 
lation is  required  to  be  in  harmony,  should  be  of  such  a  char- 
acter as  to  prevent  any  state  from  tolerating  such  infractions 
of  fundamental  moral  law. 

"■  3.  Give  us  in  the  national  (Jonstitution  the  simple  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  law  of  God  as  the  supreme  law  of  nations,  and 
all  the  results  indicated  in  fJtis  note  will  ultimately  he  secured. 
Let  no  one  say  that  the  movement  does  not  contemplate  suffi- 
ciently practical  ends." 

'No  less  significant  is  the  fact  that  the  Sunday  agitation  is 
appearing  in  other  countries  simultaneously  with  the  Sunday 
Uiovement  in  America.  Who  can  explain  the  fact  that  Sunday 
seems  everywhere  coming  to  the  front  except  on  the  ground 
that  we  have  reached  the  time  pointed  out  in  the  prophecy  when 
such  a  movement  should  be  seen?  The  Chester  (Eng.)  Chroii' 
icle  of  July  9,  1S81,  reported  a  meeting  of  tliree  thousand 
persons  in  Liverpool  in  favor  of  closing  all  public  houses  on 
Sunday.  The  Christian  Statesman  of  July  22,  1S80,  gave 
information  from  England  to  the  effect  that  a  ''  Working-man's 
Lord's-day  Rest  Association  "  had  been  formed  there,  and  that 
two  of  England's  prime  ministers,  Beaconsfield  and  Gladstone, 
had  given  their  voice  against  the  opening  of  museums,  etc.,  on 
Sunday.  The  same  policy  is  enforced  by  some,  at  least,  of  the 
English  in  their  dependencies.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  the 
Marquis  of  Ripon,  Avho  was  made  vicercn'  of  India  in  18S0, 
was,  according  to  the  Christian  Weel-ly,  to  issue  an  order  for- 
bidding official  work  of  any  kind  on   Sunday. 

Li  France  the  question  is  agitated.  The  senate  having 
occasion  to  consiiler  some  proposed  changes  in  the  Sunday 
laws,  an  eminent  senat(n-,  M.  Barthclemy  Saint  Ililaire,  accord- 
ing to  the  French  journal  Le  Cliristianisine  au  19e  Sierle,  of 
June  11,  1880,  opened  the  eyes  of  his  hearers  by  clear  argu- 
ments showing  that  the  seventh  day,  and  not  the  first  day,  is 
the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible. 

In  Switzerland  and  Germany  this  question  is  before  the 
people.       Tn  the  latter   country,   according   to   the    T^ew   York 


0<)()  THE  REVELATION 

IndciK  iidcitt,  a  meeting  was  held  a  few  years  ago,  numbering 
some  live  thousand  persons,  to  encourage  a  more  strict  observ- 
ance of  Sunday.       ]\Ian3^  of  these  were  socialists. 

Austria  also  sluires  in  the  general  movement.  A  j^ew 
York  i^ajjer,  in  Januarv,  1883,  published  this  item: — 

"A  telegram  from  Vienna,  Austria,  says:  'A  meeting  of 
0,000  workmen  was  held  to-day,  at  Avhich  a  resolution  was 
passed  protesting  against  Sunday  work.  A  resolution  was 
also  passed  in  fa\'or  of  legal  j^rohibition  of  news^japer  and 
other  work  on  that  day.'  " 

There  is  a  local  Sabbath  (Sunday)  Committee  in  many 
of  the  great  cities,  and  an  International  Sabbath  (Sunday) 
Association  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  other  nations.  This 
Association   has   its   headcpiarters   in   AVashington,    D.    C. 

Another  organization,  called  the  American  Sabbath  Union, 
has  come  into  existence  to  forward  the  movement  in  behalf  of 
Sunday  observance ;  and  other  reform  organizations  have  swung 
into  the  same  line.  ^sotable  among  these  is  the  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union,  which  has  great  strength  in  the 
United  States,  and  many  auxiliaries  in  other  lands  as  well. 
This  organization,  having  at  first  in  view  the  one  specific  object 
of  temperance  reform,  has  now  added  to  its  declared  intentions 
the  enthroning  of  Christ  in  American  politics,  in  order  to  se- 
ciire,  in  this  land,  a  theocracy,  and  the  better  observance  of  the 
Sunday.  In  this  theocracy,  of  course,  if  established,  theological 
leaders  would  be  the  interi^reters  of  Christ's  will,  and  their 
decisions  be  enforced  u})on  the  people  ])y  the  civil  law.  ^Vnd 
what  would  fhis  l)e  l)ut  the  papacy  over  again,  well  called  in 
the  prophecy  '*  an  inuige  "  of  that  beast  'i 

What  these  Xaticmal  Reformers  desire  and  design  to  secure 
in  their  campaign,  is  expressed  by  one  of  t\\6  secretaries  of 
said  association,  J.  ^l.  Foster,  in  the  Christian  Statesiiiaii. 
October,    18i)2.       lie   says: — 

"But  one  danger  lies  in  this:  The  church  does  not  s])eak 
as  a  church.  The  American  Sabbath  Union  has  done  a  good 
work.  The  denominations  have  spoken.  But  the  Christian 
organized  church  lias  not  ofiicially  gone  to  AVashington  and 
s])oken.       The    work    there    has   l)een    largely    turned    over    to 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11-17  (jjjl 

associations.  But  the  voice  of  God,  authoritative,  official,  is 
through  his  church.  Should  there  not  be  joint  action  of  the 
denominations  in  this  I  They  should,  it  would  appear,  appoint 
a  joint  committee  to  speak  for  God;  and  properly  and  coura- 
geously done,  there  can  follow  but  the  very  same  results.  .  .  . 
Much  is  lost  by  the  church  failing  officially  to  speak  at  the 
right  time,  and  in  the  right  place.  Xo  association  is  clothed 
with  this  authority.  They  are  individual  and  social;  hut  the 
churcJi  is  divine.  She  can,  and  ought  to,  utter  the  voice  of 
God  in  the  halls  of  Congress,  as  an  organized  church." 

The  italics  are  as  we  find  them ;  but  other  declarations  in 
the  foregoing  extract  are  equally  deserving  of  emphasis.  It 
may  well  be  questioned  whether  any  more  arrogant  and  pom- 
pous words  were  uttered  previous  to  the  setting  uj)  of  the  papacy 
itself.  What  they  comjdain  that  they  lack,  they  of  course 
intend  to  have.  And  look  at  the  picture:  The  church  (that  is 
the  different  denominations,  confederating  on  dogmas  held  in 
common,  and  represented  by  a  "  joint  committee," —  a  cen- 
tral authority)  is  divine,  and  woe  unto  all  dissenters  from  the 
authority  of  a  divine  cliurch!  ^  So  said  Kome  in  its  palmiest 
days  of  dungeons,  stakes,  and  blood ;  so  she  would  say  to-day 
had  she  the  power;  .and  so  apostatized  Protestantism  will  say 
when  it  gets  the  power !  And  this  "  joint  committee  "  is  to 
"speak  for  God,"  "utter  the  voice  of  God"  (a  second  vicege- 
rent of  the  Most  High,  now  claimed  as  a  monopoly  by  the 
l)ope),  and  authoritatively  and  officially  lay  upon  Congress 
the  commands  of  God,  for  it  to  perform!  Such  are  the  dark 
schemes  for  which  these  men  are  now  working.  Alas,  that  the 
realization  of  them  should  now  stand  as  an  attainable  prospect 
before  their  eyes !  Did  ever  Rome  ask  for  more  ?  .Vud  when 
these  would-be  spokesmen  for  God  secure  their  ol)je('t,  will  it 
not  be,  we  still  ask,  Rome  over  again  in  a  Protestant  garl)  — 
a  very  image  of  the  beast  itself  ? 

1  Since  these  words  were  written,  a  great  anrl  notable  step  toward  the  realization 
of  this  project  has  been  taken  by  the  Protestant  churches  of  the  United  States,  in  tlic 
organization  of  a  church  federation  embracing  the  leading  Protestant  churches  in  this 
country,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  to  bear  upon  city,  state,  and  national  govern- 
ment the  combined  influence  and  power  of  the  churches  in  the  field  of  moral  _  re- 
form. The  first  meeting  of  this  federation  was  held  in  Carnegie  Hall.  New  '^'ork 
City,  in  November,  11!()."»,  and  another  session  is  to  be  held  in  the  near  future. 
Thirty-two  Protestant  denominations  are  joined  in  this  federation,  and  an  invitation 
has   been   extended    to   the    Roman    Catholic    Church    to    join   the    movement. 


692  THE  REVELATION 

Another  most  significant  and  alarming  step  toward  the 
accomi)lishment  of  these  evil  designs,  is  the  position  taken  by 
the  great  "  Christian  Endeavor ''  movement,  which  has  arisen 
to  a  membership  of  millions  within  a  few  years,  and  is  a 
common  channel  through  which  all  denominations  can  work. 
The  political  functions  of  this  great  body  are  centered  in  a 
"  Christian  Citizenship  League,"  which  boasts  that  it  will  have 
branches  in  every  state,  county,  city,  village,  and  hamlet  in 
the  United  States,  and  see  to  it  that  only  Christian  men  are 
put  into  office.  '  What  remarkable  "  conversions "  Avill  then 
take  place!  How  politicians  will  become  ''Christians,"  and 
the  "  millennium  "  hasten  on !  At  the  great  Christian  En- 
deavor convention,  held  in  Boston,  Mass.,  July  10  - 15,  1895, 
W.  H.  McMillan,  as  given  in  the  published  Proceedings,  p. 
19,  said: — 

"  Here  is  a  power  that  is  going  to  wrest  the  control  of 
affairs  from  the  hands  of  political  demagogues,  and  place  it 
in  the  hands  of  Him  who  is  King  over  all,  and  rules  the  world 
in  righteousness.  Our  political  leaders  have  been  counting  the 
saloon  vote,  the  illiterate  vote,  and  the  stay-at-home  vote,  and 
all  other  elements  that  have  hitherto  entered  into  their  can- 
vassings  of  probabilities;  but  thoy  have  not  yet  learned  to 
count  the  Christian  Endeavor  vote.  I  want  to  serve  notice 
on  them  now  that  the  time  is  drawing  near  when  they  will 
discover  that  a  political  revolution  has  occurred,  and  they  will 
be  found  coming  home  from  Washington  and  our  state  capitals 
without  a  job." 

These  sentiments  were  cheered  to  the  echo  in  the  conven- 
tion ;  and  it  is  not  difiicult  to  foresee  the  effect  they  will  have ; 
for  they  were  intended  for  that  class  of  men  among  whom  they 
''  will  do  the  most  good;  "  that  is,  the  body  of  average  politi- 
cians, who,  when  threatened  with  a  IxA-cott.  become  the  most 
abject  sycopliants  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

All  this,  however,  would  be  of  no  avail,  if  those  who  are 
really  patriots  at  heart  would  awake  to  this  danger  before  they 
find  themselves  committed  to  movements,  the  effects  of  which 
they  did  not  foresee,  and  if  the  two  houses  of  Congress  would 
stand  true  to  the  Constitution  which  they  are  sworn  to  main- 


CHAPTER  13,  VERSES  11  - 17  693 

^iu ;  for  this  movement  means  nothing  less  than  a  subversion 
of  that  nohle  instrument. 

But  ahis!  Congress  has  already  turned  its  back  on  its  sa- 
cred trust  to  fawn  upon  the  church  influence  so  rapidly  rising. 
When  the  managers  of  the  World's  Fair  of  1893,  in  Chicago, 
asked  Congress  for  an  appropriation  in  their  behalf,  church- 
men brought  their  influence  to  bear  upon  the  national  legis- 
t'ators,  and  induced  them  to  make  it  a  condition  of  the  gift 
that  the  gates  of  the  Fair  be  closed  on  Sunday.  In  carrying 
this  point  a  most  remarkable  scene  occurred.  A  senator  called 
for  a  Bible,  and  caused  the  clerk  to  read  the  fourth  command- 
ment of  the  decalogue;  whereupon  grave  statesmen  aigued, 
and  at  length  by  vote  decided,  that  the  day  enjoined  by  that 
connnandment  as  the  Sabbath,  is  Sunday! 

This  was  legislating  upon  a  religious  question,  which  the 
Constitution  expressly  forl)i(ls.  (See  Amendment  I.)  It  broke 
do■\^^l  the  barriers  against  the  union  of  church  and  state,  and 
opened  the  flood-gates  for  all  the  evils  that  invariably  accom- 
pany such  a  union.  The  religious-amendment  clergy  hailed  the 
event  as  a  great  triumph,  and  now  openly  boast  that  they  have 
Congress  in  their  hands,  and  can  compel  it  to  do  their  bid- 
ding. How  far  away,  then,  is  that  ''  image,"  the  coming  of 
which  the  Scriptures  have  foretold  ?  The  outlines  of  every 
element  necessary  for  its  erection  are  clearly  develoj^ed ;  all 
the  agents  sufiicient  for  an  assault  upon  the  bulwarks  of  Amer- 
ican liberty  are  being  rapidly  enrolled  and  drilled ;  the  outposts 
have  already  been  carried ;  and  as  these  pages  go  to  press,  the 
leaders  of  this  fatal  revolution  are  again  clamoring  around  the 
citadel  of  the  nation's  strength.  It  needs  but  another  step  to 
turn  the  nation  entirely  from  its  high  conmiission  as  the  con- 
servator of  the  principles  of  the  gospel, —  that  is,  to  "  render  to 
Cjpsar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things 
that  are  God's," —  and  lead  it  to  form  and  foster  a  religious 
tyranny  which  wall  fetter  the  consciences  of  men,  and  crush 
out  soul  liberty  among  the  people.  And  this  tyranny  w^ill  be 
as  much  more  wicked  than  any  that  has  gone  before  it,  as 
men  have  now  more  light,  and  the  experience  of  all  the  past 
to  guide  them. 


(;!)4  THE  BEY  ELATION 

What  the  practical  working  of  these  changes  will  be  is 
already  made  ap[)arent.  On  the  statute-books  of  most  of  the 
states  of  the  American  Union,  are  found  Sunday  laws ;  and  a:-! 
the  agitation  in  behalf  of  the  seventh  day  increases,  religious 
zealots  are  not  slow  to  use  these  laws  to  put  the  machinery  of 
persecution  in  operation.  Observers  of  the  seventh  day  mani- 
fest no  defiance  of  these  laws  in  laboring  on  Sunday,  as  the 
higher  law  of  God  gives  them  an  unalienable  right  to  do; 
and  they  studiously  refrain  from  disturbing  others,  or  in  any 
way  infringing  upon  their  rights,  by  boisterous  or  offensive 
labor.  Yet  it  is  construed  to  be  "  disturbance,"  if  they  are 
even  seen  anywhere  at  work,  or  even  if  it  is  known  that  they 
are  at  work  anywhere,  though  unseen  or  unheard.  If  no  other 
way  appears  for  detection,  they  are  searched  out  l)y  minister? 
or  church-members,  or  the  police  acting  under  their  direction- 
Then  follow  arrest,  conviction,  and  penalty  by  fine,  imprison- 
ment, or  the  chain-gang.  Up  to  Jan.  1,  1896,  ninety  arrests  of 
this  kind  had  been  nuide,  some  of  them  under  circumstances 
of  great  oppression  and  cruelty,  and  prisoners  had  served  an 
aggregate  of  nearly  fifteen  hundred  days  in  jail  and  chain- 
gangs.  And  from  the  windows  of  some  of  these  jails  these 
very  seventh-day  keepers,  who  were  there  confined  in  "  durance 
vile "  for  not  resting  on  Sunday,  could  behold  on  Sundays 
train-loads  of  Avorkmen  going  to  their  lal)or,  picknickers  to 
their  frolics,  hunters  to  their  game,  and  railroad  cars  to  their 
traffic.  But  these,  it  is  to  be  observed,  were  not  keepers  of 
the  seventh  day.  jSTational  Reformers,  years  ago,  professed  to 
smile  at  the  apprehensions  of  those  who  keep  the  seventh  day, 
that  their  work  would  result  in  persecution.  I^ow  they  only 
smile  a  little  more  grimly  and  call  for  stricter  hnvs  —  for  the 
seven th-(hiy  people. 

]\rost  of  the  state  governments  ha.ve  in  their  constitutions, 
or  in  their  adopted  "  Bill  of  Rights,"  provisions  guaranteeing 
the  fulh'st  religious  lil)erty;  and  the  inconsistency  of  legislating 
on  religious  questions,  under  thes(?  circumstances,  is  at  once 
seen ;  while  the  treachery  of  oppressing  jieople  for  opinion's 
sake,  in  sucli  hin(]s,  is  keenly  f(»lt.  Every  conceivable  inven- 
tion is  therefore  resorted  to,  to  make  it  appear  that   it   is  not 


CHAPTER  IS.   VERSES  11-17  69') 

ivligi(m.s  persecution  at  all,  but  only  the  (question  of  obedience 
to  civil  law.  One  of  these  inventions  is  that  Sunday  is  only  a 
civil  institution,  and  its  enforcement  only  a  police  regulation, 
a  civil  requirement  necessary  for  the  public  good.  But  this  is 
impossible;  for  every  one  knows  that  Sunday  in  its  origin,  his- 
tory, and  very  nature,  is  a  religious  institution.  Xo  claims  in 
its  behalf  would  ever  have  been  heard  of,  but  for  its  religious 
basis.  Hence  any  enactment  to  enforce  it  by  pains  and  pen- 
alties is  religious  legislation  and  religious  oppression. 

lint  if  there  is  a  law  for  it,  should  not  that  law  be  obeyed 
until  repealed^  Every  law  that  does  not  trench  upon  t!:j  do- 
main of  conscience,  if  it  becomes  unacceptable  to  the  people, 
should  nevertheless  be  obeyed  till  it  can  be  changed  or  re- 
pealed. Jjut  Sunday  laws  interfere  with  the  conscience  of  the 
observer  of  another  day,  and  for  that  reason  cannot  "  bear  upon 
all  alike."  And  no  true  Christian  can  nuike  his  obedience  to 
God  depend  upon  the  permission  of  his  fellow  men.  It  may 
be  said  again.  In  a  country  like  the  United  States,  do  not 
majorities  rule  ?  and  must  not  their  decisions  be  obeyed  i  And 
the  answer  again  is.  Yes,  in  everything  but  questions  of  con- 
science, but  never  there.  "  Render  .  .  .  unto  Caesar  the  things 
that  are  Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's." 
Men  may  legislate  to  guard  the  mutual  rights  of  all  meiubers 
of  society,  but  no  further ;  and  in  this  they  will  never  infringe 
upon  the  rights  of  any  one's  conscience ;  for  a  "  good  "  con- 
science (1  Peter  3:  21)  will  never  invade  the  rights  of  others, 
like  the  polygamy  of  the  Mormons,  or  the  human  sacrifices  of 
the  heathen. 

The  founders  of  the  American  republic  never  intended  that 
any  trouble  should  arise,  through  the  laws  of  the  land,  over  any 
(piestion  of  conscience ;  but  they  permitted  the  evil  principle  of 
religious  laAvs  to  remain  in  their  political  structure,  a  principle 
sure  to  spring  to  life  at  the  first  opportunity.  In  the  further 
development  of  religious  truth,  it  is  now  found  that  these  laws 
forbid  men  to  render  obedience  to  what  the  J]ible  requires  of 
them,  and  thus  conflict  with  their  unalienable  rights.  Such 
laws,  therefore,  the  Christian  cannot  regard,  and  the  govern- 
ment, to  be  liMic  (o  its  professed  principles,  should  Avipc  them 
U 


690  THE  REVELATION 

olf  the  statute-books  where^'er  fouml.  But  this  the  religiu- 
political  clergy  will  not  permit ;  and  the  nation  is  doomed ;  for 
it  will  thus  put  itself  in  line  with  the  religious  despotisms  of 
the  past ;  and  the  cry  will  go  up  from  God's  suffering  children, 
"  It  is  time  for  thee,  Lord,  to  Avork :  for  they  have  made  void 
thy  law."      Ps.  119:126. 

And  this  work  is  not  confined  to  America.  In  Switzerland, 
by  an  iniquitous  application  of  a  so-called  "  Factory  Law,"  in 
behalf  of  Sunday,  the  authorities  have  closed  the  large  print- 
iri  "^establishment  of  the  Seventh-day  Adventists,  although  state 
troops  drill,  and  target  practice  is  performed,  on  Sunday,  with 
all  the  accompaniments  of  such  exercises,  in  the  campus  im- 
mediately in  front  of  the  building.  This  has  been  refloated  in 
London,  where  the  office  of  a  Seventh-day  Adventist  paper. 
The  Present  Trutli,  has  been  closed  by  tlie  English  authorities, 
on  the  same  grounds. 

AVhile,  according  to  the  proj)hecy,  the  '"  image "  can  bo 
looked  for  only  in  the  United  States,  the  worship  of  the  beast 
will  prevail  in  other  countries  also ;  for  all  the  world  is  to 
wonder  after  the  beast. 

Some  one  may  now  say.  As  you  expect  this  movement  to 
carry,  you  must  look  for  a  period  of  religious  persecution  in 
the  United  States ;  nay,  more,  you  must  take  the  position  that 
all  the  saints  of  God  are  to  be  put  to  death ;  for  the  image 
is  to  cause  that  all  who  will  not  worship  it  shall  be  killed. 

A  period  of  persecution  has  been  for  about  fifty  years 
expected  and  predicted.  It  has  now  begun,  and  is  thus  demon- 
strating the  correctness  of  the  application  of  the  prophecy  as 
set  forth  in  this  work;  but  it  does  not  by  any  means  follow 
that  all,  and  we  do  not  think  that  even  many,  will  be  put  to 
death,  though  a  decree  to  that  effect  will  be  promulgated ;  for, 
as  the  prophet  elsewhere  declares,  God  does  not  abandon  his 
people  to  defeat  in  this  dire  conflict,  but  grants  them  a  com- 
plete victory  over  the  beast,  his  image,  his  mark,  and  the  number 
of  his  name.  Rev.  15:2.  We  further  read  respecting  this 
earthly  power,  tlint  he  causeth  all  to  receive  a  mark  in  their 
right  hand  or  in  thcMr  foreheads;  yet  chapter  20:4  speaks  of 
the  people  of  God  as  those  who  do  not  receive  tlie  mark,  nor 


CHAPTER  IS.  VERSES  11-11  (;«)7 

worship  tlio  imaji>(\  If,  then,  he  could  "  cause  "  all  to  receive 
the  mark,  and  yet  all  not  actually  receive  it,  in  like  manner  his 
causing  all  to  be  put  to  death  who  will  not  worship  the  image 
does  not  necessarily  signify  that  their  lives  are  actually  to  bo 
taken. 

l>ut  how  can  this  be  ?  Answer :  It  evidently  comes  under 
that  rule  of  interpretation  in  acc(»r(hince  with  which  verbs  of 
action  sometimes  signify  merely  the  will  and  endeavor  to  do 
the  action  in  question,  and  not  the  actual  performance  of  the 
thing  specified.  The  late  George  Bush,  Professor  of  Hebrew 
and  Oriental  Literature  in  Xew  York  City  University,  makes 
this  matter  plain.       In  his  notes  on  Ex.   7:11  he  says:— 

'^  It  is  a  canon  of  interpretation  of  fre([uent  use  in  the  ex- 
])Osition  of  the  sacred  writings  that  verbs  of  action  sometimes 
signify  merely  the  will  and  endeavor  to  do  the  action  in  ques- 
tion. Thus  in  Eze.  24:13:  'I  have  purified  thee,  and  thou 
wast  not  purged ;  '  /.  e.,  I  have  endeavored,  used  means,  been 
at  pains,  to  purify  thee.  John  5  :  44 :  ^  How  can  ye  believe 
which  receive  honor  one  of  another  ? '  /.  e.,  endeavor  to  receive. 
Rom.  2:4:  '  The  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance ;  ' 
i.  e.,  endeavors,  or  tends,  to  lead  thee.  Amos  9:3:  '  Though 
the}^  be  hid  from  my  sight  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea;  '  %.  e., 
though  they  aim  to  be  hid.  1  Cor.  10  :  33  :  '  I  please  all  men  ;  ' 
i.  e.,  endeavor  to  please.  Gal.  5:4:  'Whosoever  of  you  are 
jusiified  by  the  law;'  i.  e.,  seek  or  endeavor  to  be  justified. 
Ps.  09:  4:  '  They  that  destroy  me  are  mighty;  '  i.  e.,  that  en- 
deavor to  destroy  me;  English,  '  That  would  destroy  me.'  Acts 
7:  20:  'And  set  them  at  one  again;  '  /.  e.,  wished  and  endeav- 
ore<l,  English,  '^ Would  have  set  them.'  " 

So  in  the  passage  before  us.  He  causes  all  to  receive  a 
mark,  and  all  who  Avill  not  worship  the  image  to  be  killed ; 
that  is,  he  wills,  purposes,  and  endeavors  to  do  this.  He 
makes  such  an  enactment ;  passes  such  a  law,  but  is  not  able 
to  execute  it ;  for  God  interposes  in  behalf  of  his  people ;  and 
then  those  who  have  kept  the  word  of  Christ's  patience  are 
kept  from  falling  in  this  hour  of  temptation,  according  to  Rev. 
3:10;  then  tlK>se  who  have  made  God  their  refuge  are  ke]it 
from  all  evil,  and  no  plague  comes  nigh  their  dwelling,  accord- 


G<j«  THE  REVELATION 

ing  to  Ps.  91:  9,  10;  tlien  all  who  are  found  written  in  tlie 
book  are  delivered,  according  to  Dan.  12 :  1 ;  and,  being  victors 
over  tlie  beast  and  his  image,  they  are  redeemed  from  among 
men,  and  raise  a  song  of  triumph  before  the  throne  of  God, 
according  to  Rev.  14 :  2  -  -1. 

Tlie  objector  may  further  say,  You  are  altogether  too  credu- 
lous in  supposing  that  the  masses  of  our  people,  nuniy  of  whom 
are  either  indifferent  or  wholly  opposed  to  the  claims  of  relig- 
ion, can  be  so  far  brought  to  favor  the  religious  observance  of 
Sunday  that  a  general  law  can  be  promulgated  in  its  behalf. 

AVe  answer.  The  prophecy  must  be  fulfilled,  and  if  the 
prophecy  requires  such  a  revolution,  it  will  be  accomplished. 

To  receive  the  mark  of  the  beast  in  the  forehead  is,  we  un- 
derstand, to  give  the  assent  of  tlie  mind  and  judgment  to  his 
authority  in  the  adoption  of  that  institution  which  constitutes 
the  mark.  By  parity  of  reasoning,  to  receive  it  in  the  hand 
would  be  to  signify  allegiance  by  some  oiitward   act.-^ 

Verse  18.  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath  luiderstaiidiiigj 
count  the  number  of  the  beast;  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man;  and 
his  number  is   Six  hundred  threescore  and  six. 

Tlie  Number'  of  His  Name. —  The  number  of  tlie  beast,  says 
the  prophecy,  "  is  the  number  of  a  man ;  and  his  number  is 
Six  liundred  threescore  and  six"  (6(30).  This  number,  some 
attempt  to  find  in  the  w(U'd  Lnteinos,  the  "Latin"  kingdom. 
Thus  they  make,  l>y  what  rule  we  do  not  understand,  L  stand 
for  30;  A,  for  1 ;  T,  for  300;  E,  for  5  ;  I,  for  10;  :N",  for  50; 
0,  f<u'  TO;  and  S,  for  200;  which  numbers,  added  together, 
make  066.  Deriving  the  number  from  the  name  in  this  man- 
ner must  be  regarded  as  rather  conjectural  than  otherwise,  see- 
ing tliat  names  making  just  that  numl)er  can  be  found  to  almost 
any  extent.  W(^  think  we  discover,  however,  a  serious  objection 
to  the  name  here  suggested.  The  number,  says  the  prophecy, 
is  the  number  of  a  man ;  and  if  it  is  to  be  derived  from  a 
name  or  title,  the  natural  conclusi(m  would  Ik^  that  it  must  be 
the  name  or  title  of  souu^  particular  man.       But  in   this  we 


'  I'nr    a    nuicli    more    full    exposition    of    this    imrtion     of    tlie    pro|)liecy,    see    work 
entitled,    "  Tlie    Marvel   of    Nations,"    for   .sale    by    the    puhlisliers   of   this   hook. 


THE  POPE'S    TIARA 


FROM   PHOTOGRAPH  TAKEN  IN  VATICAN  MUSEUM,   SHOWING  TIARA  WORN 
BY    POPE  LEO  XIII 


CHAPTER  IS.  VERSE  18  -  701 

have  the  name  of  a   i)e()i)le,  or  kingdom,  not  of  "  a  man,"  as 
the  prophecy  says. 

The  most  phmsible  name  we  have  ever  seen  suggested  as 
containing  the  number  of  the  beast,  is  the  title  which  the  pope 
applies  to  himself,  and  allows  others  to  apply  to  him.  That 
title  is  this:  Vlcarius  Filil  Dei,  ''Vicegerent  of  the  Son  of 
God."  Taking  the  letters  out  of  this  title  which  the  Latins 
used  as  numerals,  and  giving  them  their  numerical  value,  we 
have  just  606.  Thus  we  have  V,  5  ;  I,  1 ;  C,  100  {a  and  r 
not  used  as  numerals)  ;  I,  1 ;  U  (formerly  the  same  as  V),  5 
(.s  and  /  not  used  as  numerals)  ;  I,  1 ;  L,  50 ;  I,  1 ;  I,  1 ;  D, 
500  (e  not  used  as  a  numeral)  ;  I,  1.  Adding  these  numbers 
together,  we  have  just   666. 

This  title  has  been  placed  upon  the  pope  s  crown.  While 
the  Vatican  authorities  have  of  late  years  shown  a  disposition 
not  to  make  this  title  conspicuous,  there  is  good  evidence  that  it 
was  formerly  so  used,  and  that  at  least  one  of  the  papal  crowns 
bears  this  inscription.  The  following  testimony  on  this  point 
is  given  by  the  late  Elder  1).  E.  Scoles,  of  Washburn,  Mo: — 

'•  I  have  met  two  men  who  declare  that  they  have  seen  this 
specific  crown ;  and  their  testimony  is  so  perfectly  in  agree- 
ment that  I  am  convinced  that  what  they  say  is  true.  The 
first  man  was  M.  De  Latti,  a  Sabbath-keeper  who  had  pre- 
viously been  a  Catholic  priest,  and  had  spent  four  years  in 
Rome.  lie  visited  me  when  I  was  pastor  in  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
several  years  ago.  I  showed  him  my  tract,  '  The  Seal  of  God 
and  the  ]\[ark  of  the  Beast.'  He  at  once  told  me  that  the  in- 
scription was  not  correctly  placed  in  my  illustration.  He  stated 
that  he  had  often  seen  it  in  the  museum  at  the  Vatican,  and 
gave  a  detailed  and  accurate  description  of  the  whole  crown. 
When  my  tract  was  published,  1  was  ignorant  of  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  words  of  the  Latin  inscription,  hence,  in  the  illus- 
tration of  the  crown,  placed  them  in  one  line.  l]rother  De 
Latti  at  once  pointed  out  the  mistake,  and  said  the  first  word 
of  the  sentence  was  on  the  first  crown  of  the  triple  arrangement, 
the  second  word  on  the  second  part  of  the  crown,  Avhile  the 
word  Dei  was  on  the  lower  division  of  the  triple  crown.  He 
also   explained  that  the  first  two  wnrfls  were  in  dark-colored 


702  THE  UFA' FLAT  ION 

jewels,    while    llie   Dei   was    composed    of    diamonds    entirely. 

"  During  a  tent-meeting  Avliieli  I  held  in  Webb  City,  ^lo., 
I  presented  the  subject,  '  The  Seal  of  God  and  the  Mark  of  the 
Beast.'  I  used  charts  to  illustrate  it,  one  being  a  reproduc- 
tion of  the  crown  as  Brother  De  Latti  had  described  it.  A 
Presbyterian  minister  was  present,  Rev.  B.  Hoffman,  and  when 
I  described  the  crown,  he  spoke  out  publicly  and  made  a  state- 
ment to  the  congregation,  saying  that  while  in  Home  studying 
for  the  priesthood,  he  had  seen  this  very  crown,  and  noted  its 
inscri])ti()n,  and  that  the  word  Dei  was  composed  of  one  hun- 
dred diamonds.  I  met  him  and  learned  his  name,  and  visited 
liim  at  his  home,  and  was  convinced  from  his  description  that 
this  was  the  identical  crown  that  jlrother  De  Latti  had  seen, 
but  which  has  been  denied  by  many.  I  then  asked  him  for  a 
written  statement,  and  he  gave  me  the  following: — 

"'To  Whom  It  May  Concern:  This  is  to  certify  that  I 
was  born  in  Bavaria  in  1828,  was  educated  in  Munich,  and 
was  reared  a  Boman  Catholic.  In  184-4  and  1845  I  was  a  stu- 
dent for  the  priesthood  in  the  Jesuit  College  in  Rome.  Dur- 
ing the  Easter  service  of  1845,  Pope  Gregory  XVI  wore  a 
triple  crown  uj^on  which  was  the  inscription,  in  jewels,  Vicarius 
Filii  Dei.  We  w^ere  told  that  there  were  one  hundred  diamonds 
in  the  word  Dei;  the  other  words  were  of  some  other  kind  of 
])recious  stones  of  a  darker  color.  There  Avas  one  word  upon 
each  crown,  and  not  all  on  the  same  line.  I  was  present  at 
the  service,  and  saw  the  crown  distinctly,  and  noted  it  carefully. 

''  '  In  1850  I  was  converted  to  God  and  to  Protestantism. 
Two  years  later  I  entered  the  Evangelical  Church  ministry, 
but  later  in  life  I  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church ;  of 
which  I  am  now  a  retired  pastor,  having  been  in  the  ministry 
for  fifty  years. 

''  '  I  have  made  the  above  statement  at  the  request  of  Elder 
D.  E.  Scoles,  as  he  states  that  some  deny  that  the  pope  ever 
wore  this  tiara.  iJut  I  know  that  he  did,  for  1  saw  it  upon 
Ills  heail. 

"'Sincerely  yours    in    Christian    service, 

(vSigned)  "'  I>.  Hoffman. 

"'  Wrhh    Cihi.    Mo..    Orl.    JU ,    lUOiL'  " 


CI  I  AFTER   I.'..  VERSE  IS  7();j 

The  following  extract  is  from  a  work  entitled  The  llefori na- 
tion, bearing'  the  date  of  1882 : — 

"  '  ]\lrs.  A.,'  said  Miss  Emmons,  '  I  saw  a  very  curious  fact 
the  other  day;  1  have  dwelt  upon  it  much,  and  will  menti(m  it. 
A  person,  lately,  was  witnessing  a  ceremony  of  the  Il(jniish 
Church.  As  the  jjope  passed  him  in  i)rocession,  splendidly 
dressed  in  his  pontiiical  robes,  the  gentleman's  eye  rested  on 
these  full,  blazing  letters  in  front  of  his  miter:  "  VICARICS 
riLII  DEI,"  the  Vicar  of  the  Son  of  God.  His  thoughts, 
■with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  reverted  to  llev.  18:18.' 
'  Will  you  turn  to  it  ?  '  said  ^Irs.  A.  Alice  opened  the  Xew 
Testament  and  read :  '  Let  him  that  hath  understanding  count 
the  nund^er  of  the  beast :  for  it  is  the  luunber  of  a  man  ;  and 
his  number  is  Six  hundred  threescore  and  six.'  She  paused, 
and  Miss  Emmons  said,  '  lie  took  out  his  pencil,  and  marking 
the  numerical  letters  of  the  inscrij^tion  on  his  tablet,  it  stood 
CGG.'  " 

Here  we  have  indeed  the  nnndjer  of  a  man,  even  the  ''  man 
of  sin;"  and  it  is  a  little  singular,  perhaps  providential,  that 
he  shoidd  select  a  title  which  shows  the  blasphemous  character 
of  the  beast,  and  then  cause  it  to  be  inscribed  upon  his  miter, 
as  if  to  brand  himself  with  the  number  666.  The  foregoing 
extract  doubtless  refers  to  a  particular  pope  on  a  particular 
occasion.  Other  popes  might  not  wear  the  title  emblazoned 
on  the  miter,  as  there  stated.  But  this  does  not  affect  the  ap- 
plication at  all;  for  the  popes  all  assume  to  be  the  "Vicar  of 
Christ"  (see  Standard  Dictionary  under  '"vicar"),  and  the 
Latin  words  given  above  are  the  words  which  express  that 
title,  in  the  form  "vicar  <.)f  tlu;  Son  of  God;"  and  their  nu- 
merical value  is  666. 

Thus  closes  chapter  18,  leaving  the  people  of  God  with  the 
powers  of  earth  in  deadly  array  against  them,  and  the  decrees 
of  death  and  banishment  from  society  out  upon  them  for  their 
adherence  to  the  truth.  S})iritnalism  will  be,  at  the  time  spec- 
ified, performing  its  most  imposing  wonders,  deceiving  all  the 
world  except  the  elect.  JMatt.  24:24;  2  Thess.  2:8-12. 
This  A^•ill  1)0  the  "  hour  of  temptation,"  or  trial,  which  is  to 
come,  as  the  closing  test,  upon  all  the  world,  to  try  them  that 


704 


THE  BEY  ELATION 


dwell  upon  the  earth,  as  mentioned  in  Rev.  3  :  10.  AYhat  is 
the  issue  of  this  conflict  ?  This  important  inqniry  is  not  left 
unanswered.  The  first  five  verses  of  the  following  chapter, 
which  shonld  have  been  numbered  as  a  part  of  this,  complete 
the  chain  of  this  prophecy,  and  reveal  the  glorious  triumph  of 
the  champions  of  the  truth. 


TWtag^ 


CHAPTER  XIY 


Verse  1.  And. I  looked,  and,  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  the  Mount 
Sion,  and  with  him  a  hundred  forty  and  four  tholisand,  having  his 
Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads.  2.  And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great 
thunder :  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps : 
3.  And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before 
the  four  beasts,  and  the  elders :  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song  but 
the  hundred  and  forty  and  foui  thousand,  which  were  redeemed  from 
the  eartli.  4.  These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with  women ;  for 
they  are  virgins.  These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
soever he  goeth.  These  were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being  the 
first-fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb.  5.  And  in  their  mouth  was 
found  no  guile :  for  they  are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of  God. 

IT  is  a  pleasing  feature  of  the  proj^hetic  word  that  the 
people  of  God  are  never  bronght  into  positions  of  trial  and 
difficnlty,  and  there  abandoned.  Taking  tlieni  down  into 
scenes  of  danger,  the  voice  of  prophecy  does  not  there  cease, 
leaving  them  to  gness  their  fate,  in  donbt,  perhaps  despair, 
as  to  the  final  resnlt ;  bnt  it  takes  them  tlirongh  to  the  end,  and 
shows  the  issne  in  every  conflict.  The  first  five  verses  of  Rev- 
elation 14:  are  an  instance  of  this.  The  l'3tli  chapter  closed 
Avitli  the  people  of  God,  a  small  and  apparently  weak  and  de- 
fenseless company,  in  deadly  conflict  with  the  mightiest  powers 
of  earth  which  the  dragon  is  able  to  mnster  to  his  service.  A 
decree  is  passed,  backed  up  by  the  supreme  power  of  the  land, 
that  they  shall  worship  the  image  and  receive  the  mark,  under 
pain  of  death  if  they  refuse  to  comply.  What  can  the  people 
of  God  do  in  such  a  conflict  and  in  such  an  extremitv  ?      What 

(705) 


700  THE  liEVELATIOX 

will  become  of  them  ^  Glance  forward  with  the  apostle  to 
the  \'ery  next  scene  in  the  program,  and  what  do  we  behold  i 
—  The  very  same  company  standing  on  Mount  Zion  with  the 
Land:), — ■  a  victorious  company,  harping  on  symphonic  harps 
their  trium])h  in  the  court  of  heaven.  Thus  are  we  assured 
that  when  the  time  of  our  conflict  with  the  powers  of  darkness 
comes,  deliverance  is  not  only  certain,  but  will  immediately  be 
given. 

That  the  114,000  here  seen  on  Mount  Zion  are  the  saints 
who  were  just  before  brought  to  view  as  objects  of  the  wrath 
of  the  beast  and  his  image,  there  are  the  very  best  of  reasons 
for   believing. 

1.  They  are  identical  with  those  sealed  in  Revelation  7, 
who  have  already  been  shown  to  be  the  righteous  who  are 
alive  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 

2.  They  are  the  overcomers  in  the  sixth  or  Philadelphian 
state  of  the  church.       (See  Rev.  3:11,  12.) 

o.  Th(y'  are  "redeemed  from  among  men"  (verse  4),  an 
expression  which  can  be  applicable  only  to  those  who  arc 
translated  from  among  the  living.  Paul  labored,  if  by  any 
means  he  might  attain  to  a  resurrection  out  from  among  the 
dead.  I^hil.  3:  11.  This  is  the  hope  of  those  who  sleep  in 
Jesus, —  a  resurrection  from  the  dead.  A  redemption  from 
among  men,  from  among  the  living,  must  mean  a  different 
thing,  and  can  mean  oidy  one  thing,  and  that  is  translation. 
Hence  the  141,000  are  tlu^  living  saints,  who  will  be  trans- 
lated at  the  second  coming  of  Christ.       (See  on  verse  13,  note.) 

On  Avliat  Mount  Zion  does  John  see  this  company  standing^ 
• — •  The  Mount  Zion  above ;  for  the  voict^  of  harpers,  which  no 
doubt  is  uttered  by  these  ■s-ery  ones,  is  heard  from  heaven ; 
the  same  Zion  from  Avhich  the  Lord  utters  his  voice  when  he 
speaks  to  liis  people  in  close  connection  with  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  num.  Joel  3  :  Ki ;  Ileb.  12  :  20  -  28  ;  Rev.  1(5 :  17.  A 
just  consideration  of  the  fact  that  tliere  is  a  Mount  Zion  in 
heaven,  and  a  Jernsalem  al)ove,  wo\dd  be  a  powerful  antidote 
for  the  hallucination  of  the  doctrine  known  as  "  The  Age  to 
rVnne." 

A   few   more   particulars  only  respecting   the    144,000    in 


CHAPTER  U.  VERSES  1-5  707 

addition  to  those  given  in  cha})fer  7,  will  claim  notice  in  these 
brief  remarks. 

1.  They  have  the  name  of  the  Lamb's  Father  in  their  fore- 
heads. In  chapter  7,  they  are  said  to  have  the  seal  of  God  in 
their  foreheads.  An  imi)ortant  key  to  an  understanding  of 
the  seal  of  God  is  thus  furnished  us ;  for  we  at  once  perceive 
that  the  Father  regards  his  name  as  his  seal.  That  connnand- 
ment  of  the  law  which  contains  God's  name  is  therefore  tlu; 
seal  of  the  law.  The  Sabbath  connnandment  is  the  only  one 
which  has  this;  that  is,  that  contains  the  descriptive  title  which 
distinguishes  the  true  God  from  all  false  gods.  Wherever  this 
was  placed,  there  the  Father's  name  Avas  said  to  be  (Ueut. 
1:2:  5,  1-i,  18,  21;  14:  23;  10:  2,  G;  etc.)  ;  and  wdioever  keeps 
this  commandment  has,  consequently,  the  seal  of  the  living  God. 

2.  They  sing  a  new  song  which  no  other  company  is  able 
to  learn.  In  chapter  1.5  :  3,  it  is  called  the  song  of  Moses  and 
the  song  of  the  Land). .  The  song  of  Moses,  as  may  be  seen  by 
reference  to  Exodus  15,  was  the  song  of  his  experience  and 
deliverance.  Therefore  the  song  of  the  l-l:l-,000  is  the  song 
of  their  deliverance.  Xo  others  can  join  in  it;  for  no  other 
company  will  have  had  an  experience  like  theirs. 

3.  They  were  not  defiled  with  women.  A  woman  is  in 
Scri])ture  the  symbol  of  a  church,  a  virtuous  woman  represent- 
ing a  pure  church,  a  corrupt  Avonian  an  a})ostate  church.  It  is, 
then,  a  characteristic  of  this  com])any  that  at  the  time  of  their 
deliverance  they  are  not  deliled  with,  or  have  no  connection 
with,  the  fallen  churches  of  the  land.  Yet  we  are  not  to  under- 
stand that  they  never  had  any  connection  with  these  churches ; 
for  it  is  only  at  a  certain  time  that  people  become  defiled  by 
them.  In  chapter  iS:-!,  we  find  a  call  issued  to  the  people 
of  God  while  they  are  in  Babylon,  to  come  out,  Icsl  they 
become  partakers  of  her  sins.  Heeding  that  call,  and  kniviug 
her  connection,  they  escape  the  defilement  of  her  sins.  So 
of  the  l-llr,000 ;  though  some  of  them  may  have  once  had  a 
connection  with  corrupt  churches,  they  sever  that  connection 
when  it  would  become  sin  to  retain   it  longer. 

4.  They  follow  the  Land)  whithersoever  he  goctli.  We  un- 
derstand that  this  is  spoken  of  them  in   their  redeemed   stale. 


708  THE  BEY  ELATION 

They  are  the  special  companions  of  their  glorified  Lord  in  the 
kingdom.  Chapter  7:  17,  speaking  of  the  same  company  and 
at  the  same  time,  says,  "  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  amto  living 
fountains  of  waters." 

5.  They  are  "  first-fruits  "  unto  God  and  the  Lamb.  This 
term  appears  to  l)e  applied  to  different  ones  to  denote  especial 
conditions.  Christ  is  the  first-fruits  as  the  antitype  of  the 
wave-sheaf.  The  first  receivers  of  the  gospel  are  called  by 
James  (chapter  1:  IS)  a  kind  of  first-fruits.  So  the  144,000, 
ri])ening  up  for  the  heavenly  garner  here  on  earth  during  the 
troublous  scenes  of  the  last  days,  being  translated  to  heaven 
without  seeing  death,  and  occupying  a  pre-eminent  position, 
are,  in  this  sense,  as  would  seem  very  consistent,  called  first- 
fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb.  With  this  description  of  the 
144,000  triumphant,  the  line  of  prophecy  commencing  with 
chapter  12  comes  to  a  close. 

Verse  0.  And  I  saw  another  ang'el  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  hav- 
ing the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth, 
and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  7.  Saying 
with  a  loud  voice.  Fear  God,  and  give  glory  to  him;  for  the  hour  of 
his  judgment  is  come:  and  worship  him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth, 
and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters.  8.  And  there  followed  an- 
other angel,  saying,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  be- 
cause she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her 
fornication.  9.  And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying  with  a 
loud  voice.  If  'Awy  man  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  reeeivi 
his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand,  10.  The  same  shall  drink  of 
the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation;  and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire 
and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  Lamb:  11.  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up 
forever  and  ever :  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night,  who  worship 
the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his 
name.  12.  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints :  here  are  they  that 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus. 

The  First  Message. —  Another  scene  and  another  chain  of 
prophetic  events  is  introduced  in  these  verses.  AVe  know  that 
this  is  so,  because  the  preceding  verses  of  this  chapter  describe 
a  company  of  tlu'  redeemed  in  tlie  immortal  state  —  a  scene 
which  constitutes   a   })ai't    ol'   llie   prophetic   chain  commencing 


THE     EVERLASTING     GOSPEL 


CHAPTER  lit,  VERSES  6-12  711 

Avitli  the  first  verse  of  chapter  12,  and  with  which  that  chain 
of  events  closes;  for  no  proi^hecy  goes  beyond  the  innnortal 
stat(> ;  and  whenever  we  are  brought  in  a  line  of  ])rophccy  to 
the  end  of  the  world,  we  know  that  that  line  there  ends,  and 
that  what  is  introduced  subse(piently  belongs  to  a  new  series  of 
events.  The  Revelation  in  particular  is  composed  of  these 
independent  2>i'<^phetic  chains,  as  has  already  been  set  forth, 
of  which  fact,  jn-evious  to  this  instance,  we  have  had  a  nund.»er 
of  examples. 

The  messages  described  in  these  verses  are  known  as  "  the 
three  angel's  messages  of  Revelation  14."  We  are  justified 
in  applying  to  them  the  ordinals,  first  second,  and  third,  by 
the  prophecy  itself ;  for  the  last  one  is  distinctly  called  "  the 
third  angel,"  from  which  it  follows  that  the  one  preceding  was 
the  second  angel ;  and  the  one  before  that,  the  first  angel. 

These  angels  are  evidently  symbolic;  for  the  work  assigned 
them  is  that  of  preaching  the  everlasting  gospel  to  the  people. 
But  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  has  not  been  intrusted  to 
literal  angels ;  it  has  been  committed  unto  men,  who  are  re- 
sponsible for  this  sacred  trust  placed  in  their  hands.  Each 
of  these  three  angels,  therefore,  symbolizes  a  body  of  religious 
teachers,  who  are  commissioned  to  make  known  to  their  fellow 
men  the  special  truths  which  constitute  the  burden  of  these 
messages  respectively. 

But  ^\'e  are  to  consider  further  that  angels,  literally,  are 
intensely  interested  in  the  work  of  grace  among  men,  being 
sent  forth  to  minister  to  those  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation. 
And  as  there  is  order  in  all  the  movements  and  appointments 
of  the  heavenly  world,  it  may  not  be  fanciful  to  suppose  that 
a  literal  angel  has  charge  and  oversight  of  the  Avork  of  each 
message.      Ileb.  1:14;  lie  v.   1:1;   22:10. 

In  these  symbols  we  see  the  sharp  contrast  the  l^ible  draws 
between  earthly  and  heavenly  things.  Wherever  earthly  gov- 
ernments are  to  be  represented, —  even  the  best  of  them, — 
the  most  appropriate  symbol  that  can  be  found  is  a  cruel  and 
ravenous  wild  beast;  but  when  the  work  of  God  is  to  be  set 
forth,  an  angel,  clad  in  beauty  and  girt  with  power,  is  taken 
to  symbolize  it. 
45 


712  THE  REVELATION 

The  imjjortanco  of  the  work  set  forth  in  the  verses  last 
quoted  -will  be  ajjparent  to  any  one  who  will  attentively  study 
them.  Whenever  these  messages  are  due,  and  are  proclaimed, 
they  must,  from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  constitute  the 
great  theme  of  interest  for  that  generation.  We  do  not  mean 
that  the  great  mass  of  mankind  then  living  will  give  them 
attention;  for  in  every  age  of  the  world,  the  present  truth 
for  that  time  has  been  generally  overlooked;  but  they  will 
constitute  the  theme  to  which  the  people  would  pay  most 
earnest  regard  if  they  were  awake  to  that  Avhich  concerns  their 
highest  interests.  When  God  commissions  his  ministers  to 
announce  to  the  world  that  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come, 
that  Babylon  has  fallen,  and  that  whoever  worships  the  beast 
and  his  image  must  drink  of  his  wrath  poured  out  unmingled 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation, —  a  threatening  more  terrible 
than  any  other  which  can  be  found  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth, 
—  no  man,  except  at  the  peril  of  his  soul,  can  treat  these  warn- 
ings as  nonessential,  passing  them  by  with  neglect  and  disre- 
gard. Hence  the  necessity  for  the  most  earnest  endeavor  in 
every  age,  and  especially  in  the  jDresent  age,  Avhen  so  many 
evidences  betoken  the  soon-coming  of  earth's  final  crisis,  to 
understand  the  work  of  the  Lord,  lest  we  lose  the  benefit  of 
the  present  truth. 

This  angel  of  Rev.  14:6  is  called  "another  angel,"  from 
the  fact  that  John  had  previously  seen  an  angel  flying  through 
heaven  in  a  similar  manner,  as  described  in  chapter  8 :  13, 
lu'oclaiming  that  the  last  three  of  the  series  of  seven  trumpets 
were  woe  trumpets.  This  was  near  the  close  of  the  sixth 
century.       (See  imder  chapter  8:12.) 

The  first  point  to  be  determined  is  the  chronology  of  this 
message.  AVhen  may  the  proclamation,  "  The  hour  of  his 
judgment  is  come,"  be  consistently  expected?  The  bare  possi- 
])ility  that  it  may  be  in  our  own  day  renders  it  very  becoming 
in  us  to  examine  this  question  with  serious  attention;  but  the 
great  probability,  nay,  more,  the  positive  proof  that  this  is  so, 
which  will  appear  in  the  develoi^ment  of  this  argument,  should 
set  every  pulse  bounding,  and  every  heart  beating  high  with  a 
sense  of  the  thrilling  importance  of  this   hour. 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  G  - 12  713 

Three  positions  only  are  possible  on  this  question  of  the 
chronology  of  this  prophecy,  and  as  might  be  expected,  all  of 
them  are  taken  by  different  expositors.  These  positions  are 
(1)  That  this  message  has  been  given  in  the  past;  as,  first, 
in  the  days  of  the  apostles ;  or  secondly,  in  the  days  of  the 
Reformers;  (2)  that  it  is  to  be  given  in  a  future  age;  or  (3) 
that  it  belongs  to  the  present  generation. 

We  inquire,  first,  resj^ecting  the  i)ast.  The  very  nature  of 
the  message  forbids  the  idea  that  it  could  have  been  given  in 
the  apostles'  days.  They  did  not  proclaim  that  the  hour  of 
God's  judgment  had  come.  If  they  had,  it  would  not  have 
been  true,  aiul  their  message  would  have  been  stamped  with 
the  infamy  of  falsehood.  They  did  have  something  to  say, 
however,  respecting  the  judgment ;  but  they  pointed  to  an  in- 
definite future  for  its  accomplishment.  In  Matt.  10:  15;  11: 
21  -  24,  a  quotation  from  Christ's  own  words,  the  judgment  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  Tyre,  Sidon,  Chorazin,  and  Capernaum, 
was  located  indefinitely  in  the  future  from  that  day.  Paul 
declared  to  the  superstitious  Athenians  that  God  had  appointed 
a  day  in  which  he  would  judge  the  world.  Acts  17 :  31.  He 
reasoned  before  Felix  "  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and 
judgment  to  come."  Acts  21:  25.  To  the  Romans  he  wrote, 
directing  their  minds  forward  to  a  day  when  God  should  judge 
the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ.  Rom.  2:16.  He  pointed 
the  Corinthians  forward  to  a  time  when  we  must  all  appear 
before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  2  Cor.  5 :  10.  James 
wrote  to  the  brethren  scattered  abroad  that  they  were,  at  some 
time  in  the  future,  to  be  judged  by  the  law  of  liberty.  James 
2 :  12.  And  both  Peter  and  Jude  speak  of  the  first  rebel 
angels  as  reserved  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day,  still  in 
the  future  at  that  time  (2  Peter  2:4;  Jude  6),  to  which  the 
ungodly  in  this  world  are  also  reserved.  2  Peter  2:  9.  How 
different  is  all  this  from  ringing  out  upon  the  world  the  start- 
line;  declaration  that  "'the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come!  " — 
a  sound  Avhicli  must  be  heard  whenever  the  solemn  message 
before  us  is  fidfilled. 

From  tlu^  days  of  the  a])ostles  nothing  has  taken  place  which 
au^'  one,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  could  construe  into  a  sugges- 


714  THE  BEVELATION 

tiuu  of  the  fullilinent  of  the  message,  till  we  come  to  the  Kefor- 
mation  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Here  some  seem  disposed  to 
make  quite  a  determined  stand,  claiming  that  Luther  and  his 
oolaborers  gave  the  first  message,  and  that  the  two  following 
messages  have  been  given  since  his  day.  This  is  a  question 
to  be  decided  by  historical  fact  rather  than  by  argument;  and 
hence  we  inquire  for  the  evidence  that  the  Keformers  made 
any  such  proclamation.  Their  teaching  has  been  very  fully 
recorded,  and  their  writings  preserved.  When  and  where  did 
they  arouse  the  world  with  the  proclamation  that  the  hour  of 
God's  judgment  had  come  ?  AVe  find  no  record  that  such  was 
the  burden  of  their  preaching  at  all.  On  the  contrary,  it  is 
recorded  of  Luther  that  he  placed  the  judgment  some  three 
liundred  years  in  the  future  from  his  day.  Such  records  ought 
to  be  decisive,  so  far  as  the  Eeformers  are  concerned. 

The  foregoing  considerations  being  sufiicient  to  forbid  ut- 
t(^rly  the  application  of  the  message  to  the  past,  we  now  turn  to 
that  view  Avhich  locates  it  in  a  future  age.  By  "  future  age  " 
is  meant  a  period  subsequent  to  the  second  advent;  and  the 
reason  urged  for  locating  the  message  in  that  age  is  the  fact 
that  John  saw  the  angel  flying  through  heaven,  immediately 
after  having  seen  the  Lamb  standing  on  Mount  Zion  with  the 
144^000,  which  is  a  future  event.  If  the  book  of  Revelation 
were  one  consecutive  prophecy,  there  would  be  force  in  this 
reasoning;  but  as  it  consists  of  a  series  of  independent  lines 
<if  ])ro])liecy,  and  as  it  has  already  been  shown  that  one  such 
chain  ends  Avith  veivse  5  of  this  chapter,  and  a  new^  one  begins 
with  verse  6,  the  foregoing  view  cannot  be  urged.  To  show 
that  the  message  cannot  ha^•e  its  fulfilment  in  a  future  age, 
it  will  be  sufiicient  to  remark: — 

1.  The  apostolic  commission  extended  only  to  the  "har- 
vest," which  is  the  end  of  the  world.  If,  therefore,  this  angel 
with  the  "  everlasting  gospel "  comes  after  that  event,  he 
])reaches  another  gospel,  and  subjects  himself  to  the  anatliema 
of   Paul   in  Gal.    1:8. 

2.  The  second  message  cannot,  of  course,  be  given  before^ 
flic  first;  but  the  second  message  announces  tlu^  fall  of  ISabv- 
l,„i,    jind    a    voice    is    heard    fr<>ui    heaven    after    that,    saying, 


en  APT  EH  IJ,.   VERESES  (>  - 12  7ir, 

"  Come  out  of  licr,  my  people.-'  How  absurd  to  locale  this 
after  the  second  advent  of  Christ,  seeing  that  all  God's  people, 
both  lining  and  d(>ad,  are  at  that  time  caught  up  to  meet  the 
J.ord  in  the  air,  to  he  thenceforth  forever  with  him.  They 
cannot  he  called  out  of  Habylon  after  this.  Christ  does  not 
take  them  to  JJabylon,  hut  to  the  Father's  house,  where  there 
are  many  mansions.       -lohn  1-1::2,  3. 

o.  A  glance  at  the  third  angel's  message,  .which  nnist  he 
fid  tilled  in  a  future  age  if  the  first  one  is,  will  still  further 
show  the  absurdity  of  this  view.  This  message  warns  against 
the  worship  of  the  beast,  which  refers,  beyond  question,  to  the 
pai)al  beast.  ]3ut  the  papal  beast  is  destroyed  and  given  to 
the  burning  flame  when  Christ  conies.  Dan.  7:  11;  2  Thess. 
2 :  8.  He  goes  into  the  lake  of  fire  at  that  time,  to  disturb 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High  no  more.  Rev.  19  :  20.  Why  will 
people  involve  themselves  in  the  al)surdity  of  locating  a  mes- 
sage against  the  worship  of  the  beast  at  a  time  when  the  beast 
has  ceased  to  exist,  and  his  worship  is  impossible  ? 

In  verse  13  of  Revelation  14,  a  blessing  is  pronounced  upon 
the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  '"  from  henceforth ;  "  that  is, 
from  the  time  the  third  message  begins  to  be  given.  This  is  a 
complete  demonstration  of  the  fact  that  the  message  must  be 
given  prior  to  the  first  resurrection ;  for  after  that  event  all 
who  have  a  part  therein  (and  this  includes  all,  both  living 
and  dead,  who  are  not  assigned  to  the  second  death)  become 
as  the  angels  of  God,  and  can  die  no  more.  AVe  therefore 
dismiss  this  view  concerning  the  future  age  as  unscriptural, 
absurd,    and  impossible. 

AVe  are  now  prepared  to  examine  the  third  view,  that  the 
message  belongs  to  the  present  generation.  The  argument  on 
the  two  preceding  points  has  done  much  to  establish  the  pres- 
ent proposition;  for  if  the  message  has  not  been  given  in  the 
past,  and  cannot  be  given  in  the  future  after  Christ  comes, 
where  else  can  we  locate  it  but  in  the  present  generation,  if 
we  are  in  the  last  days,  as  we  suppose  'I  Indeed,  the  very 
nature  of  the  message  itself  confines  it  to  the  last  generation 
of  men.  It  proclaims  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  come.  But 
the   judgment   jx'rtains  to  the  closing  up   of  tlie  work   of  sal- 


710  THE  EEYELATIOX 

^'atioll  for  the  world;  and  the  jiroclaination  announcing  its 
approach  can  therefore  he  made  only  as  we  come  near  the 
end.  It  is  further  shown  that  the  message  helongs  to  the 
])resent  time  when  it  is  proved  that  this  angel  is  identical 
\\-ith  the  angel  of  Kevelation  10,  who  utters  his  message  in 
this  generation.  That  the  first  angel  of  Revelation  1-i  and 
the  angel  of  Ilevelation  10  are  identical,  see  argument  on  the 
latter  chapter. 

But  the  strongest  and  most  conclusive  evidence  that  the 
message  belongs  to  the  present  time  will  consist  in  finding- 
some  movement  in  this  generation  through  which  its  fulfilment 
has  been,  or  is  going  forward.  On  this  point  we  refer  to  a 
movement  of  which  it  would  now  be  hard  to  find  any  one 
who  is  wholly  ignorant.  It  is  the  great  Advent  movement  of 
the  last  century.  As  early  as  1S31,  Wni.  ]\[iller,  of  Low 
Hampton,  I^.  Y.,  by  an  earnest  and  consistent  study  of  the 
])rophecies,  was  led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  gospel  dis2:)ensa- 
tion  was  near  its  close.  He  placed  the  termination,  which  he 
thought  would  occur  at  the  end  of  the  ])roplietic  periods,  about 
the  year  18-13.  This  date  was  afterward  extended  to  the 
autumn  of  ISI-t.  (See  diagram  and  argument  under  Dan. 
0:21- -27.)  We  call  his  investigations  a  consistent  study  of 
the  prophecies,  because  he  adoj^ted  that  rule  of  interpretation 
which  will  be  found  lying  at  the  base  of  every  religious  ref(n'- 
mation,  and  of  every  advance  movement  in  prophetic  knowl- 
edge ;  namely,  to  take  all  the  language  of  the  Scriptures,  just 
as  we  would  that  of  any  other  book,  to  be  literal,  unless  the 
context  or  the  laws  of  language  require  it  to  be  understood 
figuratively ;  and  to  let  scripture  interpret  scripture.  True, 
on  a  vital  point  he  made  a  mistake,  as  will  be  exjdained  here- 
after;  but  in  ])rinciple,  and  in  a  great  number  of  ])articulars, 
he  was  correct.  He  was  on  the  right  road,  and  made  an  im- 
mense advance  over  every  theological  system  of  his  day.  AVhen 
lie  began  to  ]:)romulgate  his  views,  they  met  with  general  favor, 
and  were  followed  by  great  religious  awakenings  in  difi'erent 
]iarts  of  the  land.  Soon  a  multitude  of  colal)orers  gathered 
around  his  standard,  among  whom  may  be  menticmed  such 
men  as  F.  G.  Brown,  Chas.  Fitcli,  Josiah  Titcli,  J.  V.  Himes. 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  G  - 12  T17 

and  otliers,  Avlio  Avcre  then  eminent  for  piety,  and  men  of 
influence  in  the  religions  world.  The  period  marked  by  the 
years  1840  - 1844  was  one  of  intense  activity  and  great  progress 
in  this  work.  A  message  was  proclaimed  to  the  world  which 
hore  every  characteristic  of  a  fulfilment  of  the  proclamation 
of  Rev.  14 :  0,  7.  The  preaching  was  emphatically  such  as 
might  be  called  the  everlasting  (age-lasting)  gospel.  It  per- 
tained to  the  closing  up  of  this  age,  and  the  incoming  of  the 
everlasting  age  (  alwv  )  of  the  King  of  righteousness.  It  was 
that  gospel  of  the  kingdom  which  Christ  declared  should  be 
preached  in  all  the  world  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations,  and 
then  the  end  should  come.  Matt.  24 :  14.  The  fulfilment  of 
either  of  these  scriptures  involves  the  preaching  of  the  near- 
ness of  the  end.  The  gospel  could  not  be  preached  to  all 
nations  as  a  sign  of  the  end,  unless  it  was  understood  to  be 
such,  and  the  proximity  of  the  end  was  at  least  one  of  its  lead- 
ing themes.  The  Adcent  Herald  of  Dec.  14,  1850,  Avell  ex- 
pressed the  truth  on  this  point  in  the  following  language  :^ — - 

*'As  an  indication  of  the  approach  of  the  end,  there  was, 
however,  to  be  seen  another  angel  flying  through  the  midst  of 
lieaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  j)eople.  Rev.  14 :  6.  The  burden  of  this  angel 
was  to  be  the  same  gospel  which  had  been  before  proclaimed ; 
but  connected  with  it  was  the  additional  motive  of  the  prox- 
imity of  the  kingdom  — '  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Fear  God, 
and  give  glory  to  him ;  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come : 
and  worship  him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea, 
and  the  fountains  of  waters.'  Verse  7.  Xo  mere  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  without  announcing  its  proximity,  could  fulfil 
this  message." 

The  persons  who  were  engaged  in  this  movement  supposed 
it  to  be  a  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  and  claimed  that  they  were 
giving  the  message  of  Rev.   14:6,  7. 

AVith  this  movement  also  began  the  fulfilment  of  the  para- 
ble of  the  ten  virgins,  recorded  in  Matthew  25,  which  our  Lord 
uttered  to  illustrate  and  enforce  the  doctrine  of  his  second 
coming  and  the  end  of  the  world,  which  he  had   just  set  forth 


ns  THE  BEY  ELATION 

in  Matthew  2-i,       Those  who  hecame  interested  in  this  move- 
ment went  forth  to  meet  the  Bridegroom ;  that  is,  they  were 
aronsed  to  expect  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  to  look  and  wait 
for  his  retnrn  from  heaven.      The  Bridegroom  tarried.      The 
first  point  of  expectation,  the  close  of  the  year  1843,  which 
according  to  Jewish  reckoning  ended  in  the  spring  of   1844, 
passed  hy,  and  the  Lord  did  not  come.      AVhile  he  tarried,  they 
ail  slundjered  and  slept.       Surprised  hy  the  unexpected  doubt 
and  uncertainty  into  which  they  were  thrown,  the  interest  of 
the  people  began  to  wane,  and  their  efforts  to  flag.      At  mid- 
night there  was  a  cry  made,  "  Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh ! 
go   ye   out   to   meet   him."       Midway   between   the    sjDring   of 
1844,  where  it  was  at  first  supposed  that  the  2300  days  would 
terminate,  and  that  point  in  the  autumn  of  1844  to  which  it 
Avas  afterward  ascertained  that  they  really  extended,  just  such 
a  cry  as  this  was  suddenly  raised.       Involuntarily,   this  very 
phraseology  was  adopted:   "Behold,  the   Bridegroom  cometh." 
The  cause  of  this  sudden  arousing  was  tlie  discovery  that  the 
great   prophetic   period  of   2300   days    (years)    of  Dan.    8:14 
did  not  end  in  the  spring  of  1844,  but  would  extend  to  the 
autumn  of  that  year,  and  consequently  that  the  time  at  which 
they  supposed  they  were  warranted  to  look  for  the  appearing 
of  the  Lord  had  not  passed  by,  but  was  indeed  at  the  door. 
At  the  same  time,  the  relation  between  the  type  and  the  anti- 
tyjie  relating  to  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  was  partially 
seen.      The  prophecy  declared  that  at  the  end  of  the  2300  days 
the  sanctuary  should  be  cleansed ;  and  as  in  the  type  the  sanc- 
tuary was  cleansed  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  seventh  month  of 
the  Jewish  year,  that  point  in  the  autumn  of  1844  was  accord- 
ingly fixed  upon  for  the  termination  of  the  2300  years.      It 
fell   on    the    22d   of    October.       Between   the    mid-summer   of 
1844,  when  the  light  on  these  subjects  Avas  first  seen,  and  the 
day  and  month  above  named  when  the  2300  years  terminated, 
])erlia]is  no  movement  ever  exhibited  greater  actitvity  than  this 
res])ecting  the  soon  coming  of  Christ,  and  in  no  cause  was  ever 
more  accomplished  in  so  short  a  space  of  time.      A  religious 
v/ave  swept  over  this  country,   and  the  nation   was   stirred  as 
]io   ])oople   have   been   stirred   since   the   opening   of   tlie   great 


i'iiAvrh:i:  i^  verses  6-1.2  vr.t 

Ivcfunuutioii  vi  tlio  sixteenth  century.  Tliis  was  called  the 
"  seventh-month  movement,"  and  was  more  particularly  con- 
fined to  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

But  the  general  movement  respecting  the  second  advent  of 
Christ,  and  the  proclamation  that  "  the  hour  of  his  judgment 
is  come,"  was  not  confined  to  this  hemisphere.  It  was  M'orld- 
wide.  It  fulfilled  in  this  resj^ect  the  ^proclamation  of  the  angel 
'*  to  every  nation  and  kindred  and  tongue  and  people."  In 
Advent  Tracts,  Vol.   II,  p.   185,  Mourant  Brock,  an  English 

writer,  is  quoted  as  saying : 

"  It  is  not  merely  in  Great  Britain  that  the  expectation  of 
the  near  return  of  the  Redeemer  is  entertaiiied,  and  the  voice 
of  warning  raised,  but  also  in  America,  India,  and  on  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe.  In  America,  about  three  hundred  ministers 
of  the  word  are  thus  preaching  '  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom;  ' 
while  in  this  country  [Great  Britain],  about  seven  hundred  of 
the  Church  of  England  are  raising  the  same  cry." 

Dr.  Josej^h  Wolff  traveled  in  Arabia  Felix,  through  the 
region  inhabited  by  the  descendants  of  Hobab,  Moses'  father- 
in-law.  In  his  Mission  to  Bokhara,  he  speaks  as  follows  of 
a  book  which  he  saw  in  Yemen: — ■ 

"  The  Arabs  of  this  place  have  a  book  called  ^  Seera,' 
which  treats  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  and  Ills  reign 
in  glory!  In  A'emen  I  spent  six  days  with  the  Rechabites. 
'  They  drink  no  wine,  plant  no  vineyards,  sow  no  seed,  live 
in  tents,  and  remember  the  words  of  Jonadab,  the  son  of 
Rechab.'  With  them  were  the  children  of  Israel  of  the  tribe 
of  Dan,  who  reside  near  Terim  in  Ilatramawt,  irlio  expect. 
In  common  ivlth  the  children  of  Rechab,  the  speedi/  arrival 
of  the  Messiah  in  tlie  clouds  of  heaven." 

The  Voice  of  the  Church,  by  D.  T.  Taylor,  ii]>.  ;U2  -  ;]44, 
speaks  as  follows  concerning  the  wide  diffusion  of  the  ndv(>iit 
sentiment : — 

"  In  Wurtendjcrg,  there  is  a  Christian  colony  numlx'ring 
hundreds,  who  look  for  the  speedy  advent  of  (Iirist;  also 
another  of  like  belief  on  the  shores  of  the  Caspian ;  the  ^lolo- 
kaners,  a  large  body  of  Dissenters  from  the  Russian  Greek 
Church,   residing  on   the  shores  of  the    Haltic  —  a   very  ]u*ous 


720  THE  BEV ELATION 

jjeoplo,  of  wlioui  it  is  said,  '  Taking  the  Bible  alone  for  their 
creed,  the  norm  of  their  faith  is  simplj  the  Holy  Scriptures ' — 
are  characterized  by  the  '  expectation  of  Christ's  immediate  and 
visible  reign  ii2)on  earth.'  In  Russia,  the  doctrine  of  Christ's 
coming  and  reign  is  preached  to  some  extent,  and  received  by 
many  of  the  lower  class.  It  has  been  extensively  agitated  in 
Germany,  j^articularly  in  the  south  part  among  the  Moravians. 
In  Is^orway,  charts  and  books  on  the  advent  have  been  circu- 
lated extensively,  and  the  doctrine  has  been  received  by  many. 
Among  the  Tartars  in  Tartary,  there  prevails  an  expectation  of 
Christ's  advent  about  this  time.  English  and  American  publi- 
cations on  this  doctrine  have  been  sent  to  Holland,  Germany, 
India,  Ireland,  Constantinoi^le,  Rome,  and  to  nearly  every 
missionary  station  on  the  globe.  At  the  Turk's  Islands,  it 
has  been  received  to  some  extent  among  the  AVesleyans. 

''  Mr  Fox,  a  Scottish  missionary  to  the  Teloogoo  peo2')le, 
was  a  believer  in  Christ's  soon  coming.  James  McGregor 
Bertram,  a  Scottish  missionary  of  the  Baptist  order  at  St. 
Helena,  has  sounded  the  cry  extensively  on  that  island,  making 
many  converts  and  premillennialists ;  he  has  also  preached  it  at 
South  Africa  at  the  missionary  stations  there.  David  JST.  Lord 
informs  us  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  missionaries  who  have 
gone  from  Great  Britain  to  make  known  the  gospel  to  the 
heathen,  and  who  are  now  laboring  in  Asia  and  Africa,  are 
millenarians ;  and  Joseph  Wolff,  D.  D.,  according  to  his  jour- 
nals, between  the  years  1821  and  1845,  proclaimed  the  Lord's 
speedy  advent  in  Palestine,  Egypt,  on  the  shores  of  the  Red 
Sea,  Mesopotamia,  the  Crimea,  Persia,  Georgia,  throughout 
the  Ottoman  empire,  in  Greece,  Arabia,  Toorkistan,  Bokhara, 
Afghanistan,  Cashmere,  Llindustan,  Thibet,  Holland,  Scotland, 
and  Ireland,  at  Constantinople,  Jerusalem,  St.  Helena,  also  on 
shipboard  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  at  Xew  York  City  to 
all  denominations.  He  declares  he  has  ji reached  among  Jews, 
Turks,  Mohammedans,  Parsees,  Hindus,  Chaldeans,  Yeseedes, 
Syrians,  Sabeans,  to  pashas,  sheiks,  shahs,  the  kings  of  Or- 
gantsh  and  Bokhara,  the  queen  of  Greece,  etc. ;  and  of  liis 
extraordinary  labors  the  Investigator  says,  '  l^o  individual  has, 
])erlia])s,  given  greater  })ubli('ity  to  llie  doctrine  of  the  second 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSEH  (J  - 12  721 

coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  than  has  this  well-known 
missionary  to  the  ^vorkl.  Wherever  he  goes,  he  proclaims  the 
approaching   advent  of  the  Itessiah   in  glory.'  " 

Elder  J.  J^.  Andrews,  in  his  work  on  The  Three  ]\ressages 
of  Kevelation  14:  6-12,  pp.  32  -  35,  speaks  as  follows  concern- 
ing the  message  under  consideration : — 

''  Xone  can  deny  that  this  world-wide  warning  of  impending 
judgment  has  been  given.  The  nature  of  the  evidence  adduced 
in  its  suj^port  now  claims  our  attention,  as  furnishing  the  most 
conclusive  testimony  that  it  was  a  message  from  Heaven. 

"All  the  great  outlines  of  the  world's  prophetic  history 
were  shown  to  be  complete  in  the  present  generation.  The 
great  prophetic  chain  of  Daniel  2,  also  those  of  chapters  7,  8, 
11,  and  12,  were  shown  to  be  just  accomplished.  The  same 
was  true  of  our  Lord's  prophetic  description  of  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation. Matthew  2-4;  Mark  13;  Luke  21.  The  prophetic 
periods  of  Daniel  7,  8,  9,  12;  Revelation  11,  12,  13,  were 
shown  to  harmonize  with,  and  unitedly  to  .sustain,  this  great 
proclamation.  The  signs  in  the  heavens  and  upon  the  earth 
and  sea,  in  the  church  and  among  the  nations,  with  one  voice 
bore  witness  to  the  warning  which  God  addressed  to  the  human 
family.  Joel  2  :  30,  31 ;  Matt.  24 ;  29  -  31 ;  Mark  13  :  24  -  20  ; 
Luke  21:25-36;  2  Timothy  3;  2  Peter  3;  Eev.  6:12,  13. 
And  besides  the  mighty  array  of  evidence  on  which  this 
warning  is  based,  the  great  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  connection  with  this  proclamation  set  the  seal  of  Lleaven 
to   its   truth. 

"  The  warning  of  John  the  Laptist,  which  was  to  prepare 
the  way  for  the  first  advent  of  our  Lord,  was  of  short  duration, 
and  liuiited  in  its  extent.  For  each  prophetic  testimony  which 
sustained  the  work  of  John,  we  have  several  which  support  the 
proclamation  of  Christ's  near  advent.  John  had  not  the  aid 
of  the  press  to  disseminate  his  proclamation,  nor  the  facility  of 
Xahum's  chariots;  he  Avas  a  hundjle  man,  dressed  in  camel's 
hair,  and  he  performed  no  miracles.  If  the  Pharisees  and 
lawyers  rejected  the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves  in  not 
being  baptized  of  John,  how  great  must  be  the  guilt  of  those 


T22  THE  nEY ELATION 

Avlio  reject  the  Avarniug'  sent  by  God  to  2)repare  the  way  of  the 
second  advent ! 

"  Bnt  those  "were  disappointed  wlio  expected  the  Lord  in 
IS!;]  and  1844.  This  fact  is  with  many  a  sufficient  reason  for 
rejecting  all  the  testimony  in  this  case.  AVe  acknowledge  the 
disap])ointment,  but  cannot  acknowledge  that  this  furnishes  a 
just  reason  for  denying  the  hand  of  God  in  this  work.  The 
Jewish  church  was  disappointed  when,  at  the  close  of  the  work 
of  John  the  Baptist,  Jesus  presented  himself  as  the  promised 
Messiah.  And  the  trusting  disciples  were  most  sadly  disap- 
pointed when  he  whom  they  expected  to  deliver  Israel  was 
by  wicked  hands  taken  and  slain.  And  after  his  resurrection, 
when  they  expected  him  to  restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel, 
they  could  not  but  be  disappointed  when  they  understood  that 
he  was  going  away  to  his  Father,  and  that  they  were  to  be  left 
for  a  long  season  to  tribulation  and  anguish.  But  disappoint- 
ment does  not  prove  that  God  has  no  hand  in  the  guidance  of 
his  people.  It  should  lead  them  to  correct  their  errors,  but  it 
should  not  lead  them  to  cast  away  their  confidence  in  God.  It 
A\-as  because  the  children  of  Israel  were  disappointed  in  the 
wilderness  that  they  so  often  denied  divine  guidance.  They 
are  set  forth  as  an  admonition  to  us,  that  we  should  not  fall 
after  the  same  examjde  of  unbelief. 

"  But  it  must  be  apparent  to  every  student  of  the  Scriptures 
that  the  angel  who  proclaims  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  does 
not  give  the  latest  message  of  mercy.  Revelation  14  presents 
two  other  and  later  proclamations  before  the  close  of  human 
]irobatiou.  This  fact  alone  is  sufficient  to  prove  that  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  does  not  take  place  until  the  second  and 
third  proclamations  have  been  added  to  the  first.  The  same 
thing  may  also  be  seen  in  the  fact  that  after  the  angel  of 
chapter  10  has  sworn  that  time  shall  be  no  longer,  another 
Avork  of  prophesying  before  many  people  and  nations  is  an- 
nounced. Hence  Ave  understand  that  the  first  angel  ])reaches 
the  hour  of  God's  judgment  come;  that  is,  he  ]n-(^aches  the 
termination  of  the  projihetic  periods ;  and  that  this  is  the  time 
which  he  swears  shall  be  no  louger. 

"  The  judgment  does  of  necessity  connuence  before  the  ad- 


C II AFTER  U,  VER^E^  0-12  72:] 

vent  of  Christ;  for  ho  comes  to  execute  the  judgment  (Jude 
14,  15;  Kev.  22:12;  2  Tim.  -4:1);  ami  at  the  sound  of  the 
last  trumpet  he  confers  immortality  upon  every  one  of  the 
I'ighteous,  and  passes  by  all  the  wicked.  The  investigative 
judgment  does  therefore  precede  the  execution  of  the  same  by 
•the  Saviour.  It  is  the  province  of  the  Father  to  preside  in 
this  investigative  work,  as  set  forth  in  Daniel  7.  At  this 
tribunal,  the  Son  closes  up  his  work  as  high  priest,  and  is 
crowned  king.  Thence  he  comes  to  earth  to  execute  the  de- 
cisions of  his  Father.  It  is  this  work  of  judgment  by  the 
Father  which  the  first  angel  introduces. 

''  The  great  period  of  2300  days,  which  was  the  most  im- 
portant period  in  marking  the  definite  time  in  that  proclanni- 
mation,  extends  to  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary.  That  the 
cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  is  not  the  cleansing  of  any  part  of 
the  earth,  but  that  it  is  the  last  work  of  our  great  High  Priest 
in  the  heavenly  tabernacle  before  his  advent  to  the  earth,  has 
been  clearly  shown.  [See  on  Dan.  8:14.]  And  we  under- 
stand that  it  is  while  the  work  of  cleansing  the  sanctuary  is 
taking  place,  that  the  latest  message  of  mercy  is  proclaimed. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  prophetic  periods,  and  the  proc- 
lanuition  which  is  based  upon  them,  do  not  extend  to  the 
coming  of  the  Lord." 

That  the  mistake  maue  by  Adventists  in  1844  was  nut  in 
the  fiine,  has  been  shown  by  the  argument  on  the  seventy 
weeks  and  twenty-three  hundred  days  in  Daniel  1) ;  that  it 
vas  in  the  nature  of  the  event  to  occur  at  the  end  of  those  days, 
lias  been  shown  in  the  argument  on  the  sanctuary  in  Daniel  8. 
Supposing  that  the  earth  was  the  sanctuary,  and  that  its  cleans- 
ing.was  to  be  accomplished  by  fire  at  the  revelation  of  \\m  Lord 
from  heaven,  they  naturally  looked  for  the  appearing  of  dirist 
at  the  end  of  the  days.  And  through  their  misa])]u-ehension 
on  this  p(jint,  they  met  Avith  a  crushing  disapimintmcnt,  though 
everything  which  the  proi)h('('y  declared,  and  evei'vthing  which 
they  were  warranted  to  ex})ect,  took  ])lace  witli  absolute  accu- 
racy at  that  time.  There  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  began  : 
but  this  did  not  bi'ing  Clirisf  lo  this  earth,  for  the  earlli  is  not 
the  sanctuarv;   and   its  cleausiuLf  does   not   iu\'ol\c   the   destruc- 


1-24:  THE  REVELATION 

tioii  of  the  eartlij  for  it  is  aecomplislied  with  the  blood  of  a 
sacrificial  offering,  not  with  fire.  Here  was  the  bitterness  of 
the  little  book  to  the  chnrch.  Rev.  10:10.  Here  was  the 
coming  of  one  like  the  Son  of  man,  not  to  this  earth,  but  to 
the  Ancient  of  days.  Dan.  7 :  13,  14.  Here  was  the  coming 
of  the  Bridegroom  to  the  marriage,  as  set  forth  in  the  parable 
of  the  ten  virgins  in  Matthew  25.  We  have  spoken  of  the 
midnight  cry  of  that  parable  in  the  summer  of  1814.  The 
foolish  virgins  then  said  to  the  wise,  "  Give  us  of  your  oil ; 
for  our  lamps  are  gone  [margin,  going]  out."  The  wise  an- 
sAvered,  "  Go  and  bu}-  for  yourselves."  And  while  they  went 
to  buy,  the  Bridegroom  came.  This  is  not  the  coming  of 
Christ  to  this  earth;  for  it  is  a  coming  which  precedes  the 
marriage;  but  the  marriage,  that  is,  the  reception  of  the  king- 
dom (see  on  chapter  21),  must  precede  his  coming  to  this  earth 
to  receive  to  himself  his  people,  who  are  to  be  the  guests  at 
the  marriage  supper.  Luke  10:12;  Rev.  19:7-9.  This 
coming,  in  the  parable,  must  therefore  be  the  same  as  the  com- 
ing to  the  Ancient  of  days  spoken  of  in  Dan.  7 :  13,  14. 

And  they  that  were  ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  mar- 
riage, and  the  door  was  shut.  After  the  Bridegroom  comes  to 
the  marriage,  there  is  an  examination  of  guests  to  see  who 
are  ready  to  participate  in  the  ceremony,  according  to  the 
parable  of  Matt.  22:1- 13.  As  the  last  thing  before  the  mar- 
riage, the  King  comes  in  to  see  the  guests,  to  ascertain  if  all 
are  properly  arrayed  in  the  wedding  garment ;  and  whoever, 
after  due  examination,  is  found  with  the  garment  on,  and  is 
accepted  by  the  King,  never  after  loses  that  garment,  but  is 
sure  of  immortality.  But  this  question  of  fitness  for  the  king- 
dom can  be  determined  only  by  the  investigative  judgment  of 
the  sanctuary.  This  closing  work  in  the  sanctuary,  therefore, 
which  is  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  atonement,  is 
nothing  else  than  the  examination  of  the  guests  to  see  who 
have  on  the  wedding  garment;  and  consequently  until  this 
Avork  is  finished,  it  is  not  determined  who  are  "  ready  "  to  go 
in  to  the  marriage.  "  They  that  were  readi/  went  in  with  him 
to  the  marriage."  T)y  this  shcn't  expression  we  arc  carried 
from  the  time  when   the    IJridegroom  comes  to   the   marriage, 


THE     THREE      MESSAGES     OF      REVELATION      14 


VllAL'TER   I',.   VERSES  C  - 12  727 

oiitiroly  Tliruugli  tlic  jx-riod  of  the  cleansing-  of  the  sanctuary, 
or  the  examination  of  the  guests;  and  when  this  is  concluded, 
probation  Avill  end,   and  the   door  will  be  shut. 

The  connection  of  the  parable  with  the  message  under 
examination  is  now  ai)parent.  It  brings  to  view  a  period  of 
making  ready  the  guests  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb,  which 
is  the  work  of  judgment  to  which  the  message  brings  us  when 
it  declares,  '*  The  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come."  This  mes- 
sage was  to  be  proclaimed  with  a  loud  voice.  It  went  forth 
with  the  power  thus  indicated  between  the  vears  1840  -  4-i,  more 
especially  in  the  seventh-month  movement  of  the  latter  year, 
bringing  us  to  the  end  of  the  2300  days,  when  the  Avork  of 
judgment  commenced  as  Christ  began  the  work  of  cleansing 
the  sanctuary. 

But,  as  has  been  already  shown,  this  did  not  bring  the  close 
of  probation,  but  only  the  period  of  the  investigative  judg- 
ment. In  this  judgment  we  are  now  living;  and  during  this 
time  other  messages  are  proclaimed,  as  the  prophecy  further 
declares. 

The  Second  Message. —  This  message,  following  the  first,  is 
announced  (verse  8)  in  these  few  words:  '"And  there  followed 
another  angel,  saying,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great 
city,  because  she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the 
Avratli  of  her  fornication."  The  chronology  of  this  message 
is  determined,  to  a  great  extent,  by  that  of  the  first  message. 
This  cannot  precede  that ;  but  that,  as  has  been  shown,  is  con- 
fined to  the  last  days ;  yet  this  must  be  given  before  the  end, 
for  no  move  of  this  kind  is  possible  after  that  event.  It  is 
therefore  a  part  of  that  religious  movement  which  takes  place 
in  the  last  days  with  especial  reference  to  the  coming  of  Christ. 

The  inquiries  therefore  naturally  follow:  What  is  meant  bv 
the  term  Babylon?  what  is  its  fall?  and  how  is  it  fulfilled? 
As  to  the  etymology  of  the  word,  we  learn  something  fr(^m  the 
marginal  readings  of  Gen.  10:10  and  11:0.  The  beginning 
of  Ximrod's  kingdom  was  Babel,  or  l^alndon ;  and  the  jdacc^ 
was  so  called  because  God  there  confounded  the  language  of 
the  builders  of  the  tower;  and  the  word  means  confusion.  The 
word  is  h('r(>  used  figuratiyely  to  designate  tlie  great  symbolic 
40 


728  THE  REVELATION 

city  of  the  book  of  Revelation,  probaLlv  with  special  reference 
to  the  signifieation  of  the  term,  and  the  circumstances  from 
Avliich  it  originated.  It  applies  to  something  on  which,  as 
specifying  its  chief  characteristic,  may  be  written  the  word 
"  confusion." 

There  are  but  three  possible  objects  to  which  the  Avord  can 
be  applied;  and  these  are  (1)  the  apostate  religious  world  in 
general,  (2)  the  papal  church  in  particular,  and  (3)  the  city 
of  Rome.  In  examining  these  terms,  we  shall  first  show  what 
Babylon  is  not. 

1.  Babylon  is  not  confined  to  the  Romish  Church.  That 
this  church  is  a  very  j^rominent  component  part  of  great  Baby- 
lon, is  not  denied.  The  descriptions  of  chapter  17  seem  to 
apply  very  particularly  to  that  church.  But  the  name  which 
she  bears  on  her  forehead,  ^"  Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great,  the 
Mother  of  Harlots  and  Abominations  of  the  Earth,"  reveals 
other  family  connections.  If  this  church  is  the  mother,  who 
are  the  daughters  I  The  fact  that  these  daughters  are  spoken 
of,  shows  that  there  are  other  religious  bodies  besides  the  Ro- 
mish Church  which  come  iinder  this  designation.  Again,  there 
is  to  be  a  call  made  in  connection  with  this  message,  "  Come 
out  of  her,  my  people  "  (Rev.  18 :  1-4)  ;  and  as  this  message 
is  located  in  the  present  generation,  it  follows,  if  no  other 
church  but  the  Romish  is  included  in  Babylon,  that  the  people 
of  God,  as  a  body,  are  now  found  in  the  communion  of  that 
church,  and  are  to  be  called  out.  But  this  conclusion,  no 
Protestant  at  least  will  be  willing  to  adopt. 

2.  Babylon  is  not  che  city  of  Rome.  The  argument  relied 
upon  to  show  that  the  city  of  Rome  is  the  Babylon  of  the 
Apocalypse  runs  thus:  "The  angel  told  John  that  the  woman 
which  he  had  seen  was  the  great  city  which  reigned  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth,  and  that  the  seven  heads  of  the  beast  are 
seven  mountains  upon  which  the  woman  sitteth."  And  then, 
taking  the  city  and  the  mountains  to  l)e  literal,  and  timliiig 
Rome  built  upon  just  seven  hills,  tlu^  a])plication  is  made  at 
once  to  literal  Rome. 

The  principle  u]X)n  Avldcli  lliis  iiitorpi-etation  rests  is  the 
assumption  that  the  exj>laiiati(tn  of  a  symbol   must  always  ho 


en  AFTER  IJf,   VEU8ES  G-12  72»J 

literal.  It  falls  to  the  ground  the  moment  it  can  he  shown 
that  sjmhols  are  sometimes  explained  hy  suhstituting-  for  them 
other  symbols,  and  then  exi)laining  the  latter.  This  can  easily 
be  done.  In  Rev.  11:3,  the  symbol  of  the  two  witnesses  is 
introduced.  The  next  verse  reads :  "  These  are  the  two  olive 
trees  and  the  two  candlesticks  standing  before  the  God  of  the 
earth.'  In  this  case  the  first  symbol  is  said  to  be  the  same  as 
another  symbol  Avhich  is  elsewhere  clearly  explained.  So  in 
the  case  before  us.  "  The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains," 
and  ''  The  woman  is  that  great  city ;  "  and  it  will  not  be  diffi- 
cult to  show  that  the  mountains  and  the  city  are  both  used 
symbolically.  The  reader's  attention  is  asked  to  the  follow- 
ing points: — • 

(1)  We  are  informed  in  chapter  13  that  one  of  the  seven 
heads  was  wounded  to  death.  This  head  therefore  cannot  be  a 
literal  mountain ;  for  it  w^ould  be  folly  to  speak  of  wounding  a 
mountain  to   death. 

(2)  Each  of  the  seven  heads  has  a  crown  upon  it.  But 
who  ever  saw  a  literal  mountain  wdth  a  crown  upon  it  ? 

(3)  The  seven  heads  are  evidently  successive  in  order  of 
time ;  for  we  read,  "  Five  are  fallen,  and  one  is,  and  the  other 
is  not  yet  come."  Revelation  17.  But  the  seven  hills  on 
^vllich  Rome  is  built  are  not  successive,  and  it  would  be  ab- 
surd to  apply  such  language  to  them. 

(4)  According  to  Dan.  7:  (>,  compared  with  Dan.  8:  8,  22, 
heads  denote  governments;  and  according  to  Dan.  2:35,  44; 
Jer.  51 :  25,  mountains  denote  kingdoms.  According  to  these 
facts,  the  version  of  Rev.  17 :  9,  10  given  by  Professor  Whiting, 
which  is  a  literal  translation  of  the  text,  removes  all  obscurity: 
*^  The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains  on  which  the  woman 
silteth,  and  they  are  seven  kings."  It  Avill  thus  be  seen  that 
the  angel  represents  the  heads  as  mountains,  and  then  explains 
the  mountains  to  be  seven  successive  kings,  or  forms  of  govern- 
ment. The  meaning  is  transferred  from  one  symbol  to  another, 
and  then  an  explanation  is  given  of  the  second  symbol. 

From  the  foregoing  argument,  it  folloM's  that  the  "  woman  " 
cannot  represent  a  literal  city;  for  the  mountains  upon  which 
the    woman    sitteth    bcinii;   svnd)olic,    a    literal    citv    cannot    sit 


730  THE  REVELATION 

upon  symbolic  moTintains.  Again,  Konie  was  the  seat  of  the 
dragon  of  chapter  12,  and  this  was  transferred  to  the  beast 
(Rev.  13:  2),  thus  becoming  the  seat  of  the  beast;  but  it  would 
be  a  singular  mixture  of  figures  to  take  the  seat,  which  is  sat 
upon  by  the  beast,  and  make  that  a  woman  sitting  upon  the 
beast. 

(5)  \Vero  the  city  of  Rome  the  Babylon  of  the  Apocaljqjse, 
what  nonsense  should  we  have  in  chapter  18:1-4;  for  in 
this  case  the  fall  of  Babylon  would  be  the  overthrow  and  de- 
struction of  the  city,  in  fact,  its  utter  consumption  by  fire, 
according  to  verse  8,  But  mark  what  takes  place  after  the 
fall.  ]>abylon  becomes  a  habitation  of  devils,  the  hold  of 
every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful 
bird.  How  can  this  happen  to  a  city  after  that  city  is  de- 
stroyed, even  being  utterly  burned  with  fire?  But  worse  still, 
after  all  this  a  voice  is  heard,  saying,  "  Come  out  of  her,  my 
people."  Are  God's  people  in  Rome  ?  —  Xot  to  any  great 
extent,  even  in  her  best  estate.  But  how  many  can  we  sup- 
pose to  be  there,  to  be  called  out,  after  the  city  is  burned  with 
fire  ?  It  is  not  necessary  to  say  more  to  show  that  Babylon 
cannot  be  the  city  of  Rome. 

3.  Babylon  signifies  the  universal  worldly  church.  Having 
seen  that  it  cannot  be  any  one  of  the  only  other  three  possible 
objects  to  which  it  could  be  applied,  it  nnist  mean  this.  But 
we  are  not  left  to  this  a  priori  kind  of  reasoning  on  this 
subject.  Babylon  is  called  a  woman.  A  woman,  used  as 
a  symbol,  signifies  a  church.  __  The  woman  of  chapter  12  was 
interpreted  to  mean  a  church.  The  Avoman  of  chapter  IT 
should  undoubtedly  be  interpreted  as  signifying  also  a  church. 
The  character  of  the  woman  determines  the  character  of  the 
church  represented,  a  chaste  woman  standing  for  a  pure  church, 
a  vile  woman  for  an  im])ure  or  apostate  church.  The  woman 
l^)abylon  is  herself  a  harlot,  and  the  motlier  of  daughters  like 
herself.  This  circumstance,  as  well  as  the  name  itself,  shows 
that  Babylon  is  not  limited  to  any  single  ecclesiastical  body, 
l)ut  must  be  composed  of  many.  It  must  take  in  all  of  a  like 
nature,  and  represent  tlie  entire  corrupt  or  apostate  church  of 
tlif   earth.       This  will  perhaps  explain   the   language  of  Rev. 


CJlAPTi'Jh'   II,.   \l^Jh'SJ'JS  0-JJ  731 

IS:  24,  which  i'C2)reseuts  that  when  God  makes  re(iiiisitiou 
upon  great  Babylon  for  the  blood  of  his  martyrs,  in  her  will 
be  found  "  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints,  and  of  all '' 
that  have  been  slain  upon  the  earth.  Tlie  Greek  Church  is  the 
established  church  of  Kussia  and  Greece ;  the  Lutheran  Church 
is  the  established  church  of  Prussia,  Holland,  Sweden,  Norway, 
and  a  j^art  of  the  smaller  German  states ;  England  has  Epis- 
copacy for  her  state  religion,  and  other  countries  have  their 
established  religions,  and  zealously  oppose  dissenters.  Babylon 
has  made  all  nations  drunken  with  the  wine  of  her  fornication, 
that  is,  her  false  doctrines;  it  can  therefore  symbolize  nothing- 
less  than  the  universal  worldly  church. 

The  great  city,  Babylon,  is  spoken  of  as  composed  of  three 
divisions.  So  the  great  religions  of  the  world  may  be  arranged 
under  three  heads.  The  first,  oldest,  and  most  wide-spread  is 
paganism,  separately  symbolized  under  the  form  of  a  dragon ; 
the  second  is  the  great  Romish  apostasy,  symbolized  by  the 
beast ;  and  the  third  is  the  daughters,  or  descendants  from  that 
church.  Under  this  head  comes  the  two-horned  beast,  though 
that  does  not  embrace  it  all.  War,  oppression,  conformity  to 
the  world,  the  worship  of  mammon,  the  creed- power,  pursuit 
of  pleasure,  and  the  maintenance  of  very  many  errors  of  the 
old  Romish  Church,  identify,  with  sad  and  faithful  accuracy, 
the  great  body  of  the  Protestant  churches  as  an  important 
constituent  part  of  this  great  Babylon. 

A  glance  at  some  of  the  ways  in  which  the  Protestant 
church  has  deported  herself  will  still  further  show  this.  Rome, 
having  the  power,  destroyed  vast  multitudes  of  those  whom 
she  adjudged  heretics.  The  Protestant  church  has  shown  the 
same  spirit.  Witness  the  burning  of  Michael  Servetus  by  the 
Protestants  of  Geneva  with  John  Calvin  at  their  head.  Wit- 
ness the  long-continued  oppression  of  dissenters  by  the  Church 
of  England.  Witness  the  hanging  of  Quakers  and  Avhipping 
of  Baptists  even  by  the  Puritan  fathers  of  Xew  Enghuid, 
themselves  fugitives  from  like  oppression  by  the  Churcli  of 
England.  But  these,  some  may  say,  are  things  of  the  past. 
Verv  true;  yet  they  show  that  when  jiersons  governed  by 
strung  religious  prejudice  have  the  ])ower  to  coerce  dissenters. 


7V,2  THE  REVELATION 

they  cannot  forbear  to  use  it  —  a  state  of  things  Avhich  we  look 
for  in  this  conntrv  nnder  a  further  fiiltihnent  of  the  closing 
l)rophecy  of  chapter  13. 

Mark  also  liow  far  they  haA'e  departed  from  the  teachings 
of  Christ  in  other  respects.  Christ  forbade  his  people  to  seek 
after  the  treasures  of  this  world.  I]ut  the  popular  church,  as 
a  body,  exhibits  greater  eagerness  for  wealth  than  do  worldlings 
themselves.  In  how  nuiny  churches  does  mammon  bear  rule ! 
Christ  says,  "  Be  not  ye  called  Eabbi,"  that  is,  master,  or  doc- 
tor; ''  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ."  To  do  this  is  to 
partake  of  the  same  spirit  which  has  led  aspiring  men  to  as- 
sume to  be  the  head  of  the  church,  the  successor  of  St.  Peter, 
the  vicegerent  of  Christ,  and  a  god  ui)on  earth.  Yet  how  many 
in  the  Protestant  church,  in  imitation  of  the  Romish,  adopt 
the  title  of  "  Reverend,"  which  in  our  version  of  the  Scrip- 
tures is  applied  to  God  alone :  "  Holy  and  reverend  is  his  name." 
But  not  content  with  this,  some  become  "  Very  Reverend,"  and 
"  Right  Reverend,"  and  ''  Doctors  of  Divinity."  The  Js^ew 
Testament  speaks  in  the  most  decided  terms  against  adorn- 
ments and  extravagance  in  dress ;  yet  where  shall  we  look 
for  a  display  of  the  latest  fashions,  the  most  costly  attire,  the 
most  gaudy  adornments,  the  richest  diamonds,  and  the  most 
dazzling  jewelry,  except  in  a  fashionable  assembly  in  a  Prot- 
estant church  on  a  pleasant  Sunday  ?  Such  is  now  the  state  of 
the  religious  world,  that  many,  in  pursuit  of  their  vocation  as 
lawyers,  doctors,  politicians,  merchant  kings,  etc.,  seek  through 
the  avenue  of  church  connection  success  in  business,  honor  in 
society,  high  offices  in  tlie  nation,  and  lucrative  positions  every- 
Avhere.  iVnd  much  more  of  this  will  be  seen,  when,  as  already 
('X])lained,  church  and  state  shall  be  .united  in  America,  and  a 
religious  profession  shall  become  a  qualification  for  political 
office.  To  adopt  the  form  of  godliness  from  such  motives 
must  be  most  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God;  yet  these  very 
classes  are  welcomed  by  the  churches,  because  it  will  make 
them  still  more  popular. 

Babylon  is  represented  as  trafficking  in  the  souls  of  men. 
A  custom  common  in  the  Church  of  England  M'oidd  seem  to 
come  under  tliis  liead.      Tliere,  vacant  livings  are  somctimc^s  set 


en  AFTER  Ik.  VERSES  6-12  7;};} 

up  for  sale,  and  the  highest  bidder,  regardless  of  his  moral 
qualilications  or  religious  standing,  becomes  the  possessor  of  the 
revenue  belonging  to  the  position,  and  the  pastor  of  the  people 
of  that  parish.  To  come  to  the  United  States,  look  at  all  the 
arts  and  devices  resorted  to  to  draw  the  multitude,  not  to  con- 
vert and  save  them,  but  to  gain  their  patronage  and  influence. 
The  most  disastrous  result  of  all  this  is  that  the  minister  must 
preach  smooth  things,  and  tickle  fashionable  ears  with  pleasing 
fables. 

It  was  the  Avill  of  Christ  that  his  church  should  be  one. 
He  prayed  that  his  disciples  might  be  one,  as  he  and  the  Father 
"were  one ;  for  this  would  give  power  to  his  gospel,  and  cause 
the  world  to  believe  in  him.  Instead  of  this,  look  at  the  con- 
fusion that  exists  in  the  Protestant  world,  the  many  sectional 
walls  that  divide  it  up  into  a  network  of  societies,  and  the 
many  creeds,  discordant  as  the  languages  of  those  who  were 
dispersed  at  the  tower  of  Babel.  God  is  not  the  author  of  all 
these.  It  is  just  this  state  of  things  which  the  word  Babylon, 
as  a  descriptive  term,  appropriately  designates.  It  is  evidently 
used  for  this  very  purpose,  and  not  at  all  as  a  term  of  reproach. 
Instead  of  being  stirred  with  feelings  of  resentment  when  this 
term  is  mentioned,  people  should  rather  examine  their  position, 
to  see  if  in  faith  or  practice  they  are  guilty  of  any  connection 
Avitli  this  great  city  of  confusion,  and  if  so,  separate  at  once 
therefrom. 

The  true  church  is  a  chaste  virgin.  2  Cor.  11:2.  The 
church  that  is  joined  with  the  world  in  friendship,  is  a  harlot. 
It  is  this  unlawful  connection  with  the  kings  of  the  earth  that 
constitutes  her  the  great  harlot  of  the  Apocalypse.  Revelation 
17.  Thus  the  Jewish  Church,  at  first  espoused  to  the  Lord 
(Jeremiah,  chapters  2,  3,  and  31:  32),  became  a  harlot.  Eze- 
kiel  16.  This  church,  when  thus  apostatized  from  God,  was 
called  Sodom  (Isaiah  1),  just  as  "the  great  city"  (Babylon) 
is  so  call(Ml  in  Revelation  11.  The  unlawful  union  with  the 
Avorld  of  which  Babylon  is  guilty,  is  positive  proof  that  it  is 
not  the  civil  power.  That  the  peo])le  of  God  are  in  her  midst 
just  before  her  overthrow  is  proof  that  she  is  ])rofessedly  a 
religious  l)ody.      For  these  reasons,  is  it  not  very  evident  that 


734  THE  REVELATION 

the  Bal)jlon  of  the  Aj)OcaIypse  is  the  professed  church  united 
\vith  the  world  ? 

The  fall  of  Babylon  will  next  claim  attention.  Having 
now  learned  what  constitutes  Babjlon,  it  will  not  be  difficult 
to  decide  what  is  meant  bv  the  declaration  that  ]>abylon  is 
fallen.  As  Babylon  is  not  a  literal  city,  the  fall  cannot  be  a 
literal  overthrow.  We  have  already  seen  what  an  absurdity 
this  would  involve.  And  besides,  between  the  fall  and  the 
destruction  of  Babylon,  the  clearest  distinction  is  maintained 
by  the  prophecy  itself.  Babylon  "  falls  "  before  it  is  with 
violence  ''  thrown  down,"  as  a  millstone  cast  into  the  sea,  and 
"  utterly  burned  with  fire."  The  fall  is  therefore  a  moral 
fall ;  for  after  the  fall,  the  voice  is  addressed  to  the  people  of 
God  who  are  still  in  her  connection,  "  Come  out  of  her,  my 
l^eople ;  "  and  the  reason  is  immediately  given, —  ''  that  ye 
be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her 
plagues."  Babylon  therefore  still  exists  to  sin,  and  her  plagues 
are  still  future,  after  the  fall. 

Those  who  make  Babylon  apply  exclusively  to  the  papacy, 
claim  that  the  fall  of  Baliylon  is  the  loss  of  civil  power  by  the 
papal  church.  But  such  a  view  would  be  inconsistent  with 
the  prophecy   in   several  particulars : — 

1.  Babylon  falls  because  she  makes  all  nations  drink  of  her 
wine,  or  instils  among  them  her  false  doctrines.  But  this  bv 
110  means  caused  the  loss  of  the  pope's  temporal  power;  on  the 
contrary,  it  Avas  the  very  means  by  which  he  so  long  maintained 
his  supremacy. 

2.  Because  of  the  fall  of  Babylon,  she  becomes  the  hold  of 
foul  spirits  and  hateful  birds;  but  such  is  not  at  all  the  result 
to  Bonie  of  the  loss  of  civil  power. 

3.  The  people  of  God  are  called  out  of  Babylon  on  account 
of  her  increasing  sinfulness  resulting  from  the  fall ;  but  the  loss 
of  the  temporal  power  of  the  pa])acy  constitutes  no  additional 
reason  why  the  people  of  God  should  leave  that  churdi. 

The  reasons  given  why  Babyhni  meets  with  this  moral  fall 
is  "  because  she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  t\\o  wrath 
I  not  anger.  l)nt  intense  ]iassion  |  of  lior  fornication."  I'hcre  is 
l)Ut   one   thin"-   to   which   this  can    refer,    and   tliat   is   false   doc- 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  G  - 12  7:j5 

triues.  She  has  c'()n'ii])t('(l  the  pure  truths  of  God's  word,  and 
made  the  nations  drunken  with  pleasing  fables.  Among  the 
doctrines  she  teaches  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  may  Ijt; 
mentioned  the  following: — 

1.  The  doctrine  of  a  temporal  millennium,  or  a  thousand 
years  of  peace  and  prosperity  and  righteousness  all  over  the 
earth  before  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  This  doctrine  is 
especially  calculated  to  shut  the  ears  of  the  people  against  the 
evidences  of  the  second  advent  near,  and  will  probably  lull  as 
many  souls  into  a  state  of  carnal  security  which  will  lead  to 
their  final  ruin  as  any  heresy  which  has  ever  l)een  devised  by 
the  great  enemy  of  truth. 

2.  Sprinkling  instead  of  immersion,  which  is  the  only  Scrip- 
tural mode  of  baptism,  and  a  fitting  memorial  of  the  burial  and 
resurrection  of  our  Lord,  for  which  purpose  it  was  designed. 
Having  corrupted  this  ordinance,  and  destroyed  it  as  a  memo- 
rial of  the  resnrrection  of  Christ,  the  way  was  prepared  for 
the  substitution  of  something  else  for  this  purpose,  which  she 
attempted  in  — • 

3.  The  change  of  the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment, 
the  seventh  day,  into  the  festival  of  Sunday  as  the  rest-day  of 
the  Lord  and  a  memorial  of  his  resurrection,  a  memorial  wliich 
has  never  been  commanded,  and  can  by  no  possible  means  ap- 
propriately commemorate  that  event.  Fathered  by  heathenism 
as  '"  the  wild  solar  holiday  of  all  pagan  times,"  Sunday  was 
led  to  the  font  by  the  pope,  and  christened  as  an  institution 
of  the  gos])el  church.  Thus  an  attempt  was  made  to  de.sti-oy 
a  memorial  which  the  great  God  had  set  u])  to  eomnuMnorate 
his  own  magnificent  creative  work,  and  erect  another  in  its 
stead  to  commemorate  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  for  which 
there  was  no  occasion,  as  the  Lord  himself  had  aln^ady  ]n'o- 
vided  a  memorial  for  tlmt  ])ur]iose. 

4.  The  doctrine  of  tlie  natural  immortality  of  the  soul. 
This  also  was  derived  from  the  ])agan  world.  As  distinguishcil 
converts  from  heathenism  entered  the  ranks  of  Christians,  they 
soon  became  "  Fathers  of  the  church,"  and  foster-fa tluu-s  of 
this  ])('rnicious  doctriiu'  as  a  ])art  of  (li\'ine  ti'uth.  'This  error 
nullifies  the  two  great  Scri])ture  doctriiu^s  of  tlu;  resurn^ctiou 


73G  THE  BEVEL  ATI  ON 

and  the  general  jndgnient,  and  furnishes  a  welMaid  track  for 
the  ear  of  modern  Spiritualism  with  its  load  of  ijollution. 
From  it  have  sprung  such  other  evil  doctrines  as  the  conscious 
state  of  the  dead,  saint-worship,  Mariolatry,  pnrgatory,  reward 
at  death,  prayers  and  baptisms  for  the  dead,  eternal  torment, 
and  Universalism. 

5.  The  doctrine  that  the  saints,  as  unclothed,  immaterialized 
spirits,  find  their  eternal  inheritance  in  far-away,  indefinable 
regions,  "  beyond  the  bounds  of  time  and  space."  Thus  nnil- 
titudes  have  been  turned  away  from  the  Scriptural  view  that 
this  present  earth  is  to  be  destroyed  by  fire  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment and  perdition  of  ungodly  men,  and  that  from  its  ashes  the 
voice  of  Omnipotence  will  evoke  a  new  earth,  which  will  be  the 
future  everlasting  kingdom  of  glory,  and  which  the  saints  will 
possess  as  their  eternal  iidieritance. 

6.  That  the  coming  of  Christ  is  a  spiritual,  not  a  literal 
event,  and  was  fulfilled  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  or  is 
fulfilled  in  conversion,  in  death,  in  Spiritualism,  etc.  How 
many  minds  have  by  such  teaching  been  forever  closed  against 
the  Scriptural  view  that  the  second  coming  of  Christ  is  a  future, 
definite  event,  literal,  personal,  visible,  resulting  in  destruction 
to  all  his  foes,  and  everlasting  life  to  all  his  people ! 

7.  Trailing  the  standard  of  godliness  into  the  very  dust. 
^fen  are  made  to  believe  that  a  form  of  godliness  is  all-suffi- 
cient, and  that  the  Avords,  "  Lord,  Lord,"  though  repeated  as 
an  empty  formula,  will  be  a  safe  passport  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  If  any  one  doubts  this  statement,  let  him  listen  to 
the  next  funeral  discourse,  or  visit  the  cemetery,  and  mark 
what  the  tombstones  say. 

The  world  has  gone  almost  stark  mad  in  the  pursuit  of 
riches  and  honor ;  but  in  these  things  the  church  takes  tlie 
lead,  and  thus  openly  sanctions  what  the  Lord  strictly  forbade. 
If  the  churches  wore  united  as  they  should  be,  what  a  stum- 
bling-block woidd  bo  taken  out  of  the  way  of  sinners!  And  if 
it  were  not  for  the  false  doctrines  which  she  has  instilled  into 
the  minds  of  all  men,  how  the  plain  truths  of  the  Bible  would 
move  the  world  !  But  people  are  held  by  these,  as  under  the 
stupefying  influence  of  tlu?  most  powerful  intoxicant. 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  0-13  ^:>,7 

To  come  now  iiioro  paiiicularly  to  the  application  of  the 
prophecy  concerning  the  fall  of  ]3abylon,  lot  us  see  how  the 
religious  A\orl(l  stood  with  reference  to  the  possibility  of  such  a 
change,  when  the  time  came  for  the  proclamation  of  this  mes- 
sage, in  connection  with  the  first  message,  about  the  year  1844. 
Paganism  was  only  a})ostasy  and  corrujjtion  in  the  beginning, 
and  is  so  still ;  and  no  moral  fall  is  possible  there.  Catholicism 
has  been  for  centuries  about  as  low  in  the  scale  as  it  is  possi1)le 
for  a  church  to  sink.  Xo  room  for  a  moral  fall  in  that  church. 
Two  great  branches  of  Babylon  were,  therefore,  when  the  sec- 
ond message  became  due,  in  so  low  a  condition  morally  that  a 
further  declension  with  them  was  scarcely  possible.  Xot  so, 
however,  with  the  Protestant  branch  of  this  great  city.  These 
cliurches,  which  counnenced  the  great  work  of  reformation 
from  papal  corruption,  had  done  some  noble  work.  They  had 
run  well  for  a  season.  They  reached  a  moral  plane  vastly 
higher  than  that  of  the  other  divisions  named.  They  were,  in 
a  word,  in  such  a  position  that  with  them  a  moral  fall  was 
possible.  The  conclusion  is  therefore  inevitable  that  the  mes- 
sage announcing  the  fall  had  reference  almost  wholly  to  the 
Protestant  churches. 

The  question  may  then  be  asked  why  this  announcement 
was  not  made  sooner,  if  so  large  a  portion  of  Babylon,  the 
pagan  and  papal  divisions,  had  been  so  long  fallen.  And  the 
answer  is  at  hand:  Babylon,  as  a  whole,  could  not  be  said  to 
be  fallen  so  long  as  one  division  of  it  remained  unfallen.  It 
could  not  be  announced,  therefore,  till  a  change  for  the  worse 
came  over  the  Protestant  world,  and  the  truth,  through  which 
alone  the  path  of  progress  lay,  had  l)een  deliberately  discarded. 
But  when  this  took  ]:)lace,  and  a  moral  fall  was  experienced  in 
this  last  division,  then  the  announcement  concerning  Babylon 
as  a  whole  could  be  made,  as  it  could  not  have  been  made 
before, —  "  Babylon  is  fallen." 

It  may  be  proper  to  inquire  further  how  the  reason  assigned 
for  the  fall  of  Babylon,  namely,  because  she  made  all  nations 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication^  would  a])ply 
to  the  Protestant  churches  at  the  time  in  question.  And  the 
answer  is.  It  would  a]ii)ly  most  ]iertinently.       Tlie  fault  with 


7;JS  THE  llEVELATWX 

JJabvluii  lirs  in  licr  cuiifiusiou  and  false  (loctriiios.  Jjoeauso 
she  industriously  pro2)agates  these,  clinging  to  them  when 
light  and  truth  which  would  correct  them  is  offered,  she  falls, 
AVith  the  Protestant  churches,  the  time  had  come  for  an  advance 
to  higher  religious  griuuid.  They  could  accept  the  proffere<l 
light  and  truth,  and  reach  the  higher  attainment,  or  they  could 
reject  it,  and  lose  their  spirituality  and  favor  with  God,  or, 
in  other  words,  experience  a  moral  fall.  The  truth  which  God 
saw  fit  to  use  as  an  instrument  in  this  work  was  the  first  mes- 
sage. The  hour  of  God's  judgment  come,  and  the  aj^proximate 
second  advent  of  Christ  Avas  the  doctrine  preached.  After 
listening  long  enough  to  see  the  hlessing  that  attended  the  doc- 
trine, and  the  good  results  that  flowed  from  it,  the  churches,  as 
a  whole,  rejected  it  with  scorn  and  scoffing.  They  Avere  therehy 
tested ;  for  they  then  plainly  betrayed  the  fact  that  their  hearts 
were  with  the  world,  not  with  the  Lord,  and  that  they  preferred 
to  have  it  so.  But  the  message  would  have  healed  the  evils  then 
existing  in  the  religious  world.  The  prophet  exclaims,  perhaps 
with  reference  to  this  very  time,  "  We  would  have  healed  Baby- 
lon, but  she  is  not  healed."  Jer.  51:9.  Do  you  ask  how  we 
know  this  would  have  been  the  effect  of  receiving  the  message  I 
We  answer.  Because  this  was  the  effect  with  all  who  did  re- 
ceive it.  They  came  from  different  denominations,  and  their 
denominational  barriers  were  leveled  to  the  ground;  conflicting 
creeds  were  shivered  to  atoms ;  the  unscriptural  hope  of  a  tem- 
l)oral  millennium  was  abandoned ;  false  Adews  of  the  second 
adA^ent  Avere  corrected ;  pride  and  conformity  to  the  Avorld  Avere 
SAvept  aAvay ;  Avrongs  Avere  made  right ;  hearts  Avere  united  in 
the  SAveetest  felloAvshi]) ;  and  love  and  joy  reigned  supreme.  If 
the  doctrine  did  this  for  the  fcAV  Avho  did  receive  it,  it  ivouhl 
have  dune  the  same  for  all ,  if  all  Jiad  veee'ired  it. 

But  the  message  Avas  rejected;  and  Avhat  Avas  the  result^ 
Tlie  result  upon  those  Avho  rejected  it  Avill  be  s])oken  of  by  and 
by;  and  the  r(\sult  n])i)ii  rliosc  who  received  it,  demands  mention 
here.  EA'eryAvhere  throughout  the  land  the  cry  Avas  raise(b 
"  l>abylon  is  fallen,"  and,  in  anticipation  of  the  movemenr 
l»i'oiight  lo  A-iew  in  Be\'.  IS:  1  -  j,  ilicy  added,  "  (\>me  out  of 
hei-,  my  people;"   iiiid   about  fifty  tliousaiid  seA'crcd  their  con- 


CHAPTER  Ik,  VERSES  6-12  7:VJ 

iieetion  with  the  (k'lutiniiiations  wlu-re  tliey  were  not  allowed  to 
liold  and  proclaim  their  \'ie\vs  in  peace. 

A  nuirked  ehani>,e  then  came  over  the  churches  in  respect  to 
their  spiritual  condition.  On  the  hypothesis  that  the  proc- 
lamation of  the  second  coming  of  Christ  was  in  the  order  of 
prophetic  fulfilment,  and  that  the  message  was  the  "  present 
truth  "  for  that  time,  the  result  could  not  have  been  different. 
When  a  ])erson  refuses  the  light,  he  necessarily  puts  himself 
in  darkness ;  when  he  rejects  truth,  he  inevitably  forges  the 
shackles  of  error  about  his  own  liml)s.  Loss  of  spirituality  — 
a  moral  fall  —  must  follo\y.  This  the  churches  experienced. 
They  chose  to  adhere  to  old  errors,  and  still  promulgate  their 
false  doctrines  among  the  people.  The  light  of  truth  must 
therefore  leave  them.  Some  of  them  felt  and  deplored  the 
change.  A  few  testimonies  from  their  own  writers  will  de- 
scribe their  condition  at  that  time. 

The  Chvidian  PnUad'ium  of  May  15,  lS4-i,  spoke  in  the 
following  mournful  strain :  "  In  every  direction  we  hear  the 
dolorous  sound,  wafted  u])on  every  breeze  of  heaven,  chilling 
as  the  blast  from  the  icebergs  of  the  north,  settling  like  an  in- 
cubus on  the  breasts  of  the  timid,  and  drinking  up  the  energies 
of  the  weak,  that  lukewarmness,  division,  anarchy,  and  desola- 
tion are  distressing  the  borders  of  Zion." 

In  1844  the  Religious  Telescope  used  the  following  lan- 
guage :  "  We  have  never  witnessed  siu'h  a  general  declension  of 
religion  as  at  the  present.  Truly,  the  church  should  awake, 
and  search  into  the  cause  of  tliis  affliction;  for  as  an  affliction 
every  one  that  loves  Zion  nuist  view  it.  When  we  call  to  mind 
how  '  few  and  far  1)etween  '  cases  of  true  conversion  are,  and 
the  almost  unparalleled  impenitence  and  hardness  of  sinners, 
we  almost  involuntarily  exclaim,  '  Has  God  forgotten  to  l)e  gra- 
cious ?  or  is  the  door  of  mercy  closed  ? '  " 

About  that  time,  ])roclaniations  of  fasts  and  seasons  of 
prayer  for  the  return  of  the  Tloly  Spirit  were  sent  out  in  the 
religious  ]iapers.  Kven  the  Philadel])hia  ^un  of  Xov.  11,  1S44, 
had  the  following:  "The  undersigned  nr!nisters  and  mend)ers 
of  various  denominations  in  Philadelphia  and  vicinity,  solemnly 
believing  that   tlu^   present   signs   of  the  times  —  the  s]iii'itiial 


7-10  THE  REVELATION'- 

dearth  of  our  cliurclies  generally  and  the  extreme  evils  in  the 
worhl  around  ns  —  seem  to  call  loudly  on  all  Christians  for 
a  special  season  of  prayer,  do  therefore  hereby  agree,  by  divine 
permission,  to  unite  in  a  week  of  special  prayer  to  Ahniglity 
God,  for  the  outpouring  of  his  Holy  Spirit  on  our  city,  our 
country,  and  the  world." 

Professor  Finney,  editor  of  the  Oberlin  Evangelist,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1844,  said:  "We  have  had  the  facts  before  our  minds, 
that,  in  general,  the  Protestant  churches  of  our  country,  as 
such,  were  either  npathetic  or  hostile  to  nearly  all  the  moral 
reforms  of  the  age.  There  are  partial  excej^tions,  yet  not 
enough  to  render  the  fact  otherwise  than  general.  We  have 
also  another  corroborative  fact, —  the  almost  universal  absence 
of  revival  influence-  in  the  churches.  The  spiritual  a])athy  is 
almost  all-pervading,  and  is  fearfully  deep;  so  the  religious 
press  of  the  whole  land  testifies.  Very  extensively,  church- 
members  are  becoming  devotees  of  fashion,  joining  hands  with 
the  ungodly  in  parties  of  pleasure,  in  dancing,  in  festivities, 
etc.  But  we  need  not  expand  this  painful  subject.  Suffice  it 
that  the  evidence  thickens  and  rolls  heavily  upon  us,  to  show 
that  the  churches  generally  are  becoming  sadly  degenerate. 
They  have  gone  very  far  from  the  Lord,  and  he  has  with- 
drawn himself  from  them." 

Should  it  be  said  that  our  views  of  the  moral  fall  and  spirit- 
ual dearth  of  the  churches  are  shown  to  be  incorrect  by  the 
great  revivals  of  1858,  the  testimony  of  the  leading  Congrega- 
tional and  Baptist  papers  of  Boston  relative  to  these  revivals 
would  correct  that  impression. 

The  Congregational ist,  Xovember,  1858,  said:  "The  revi- 
val piety  of  our  churches  is  not  such  that  due  can  contidently 
infer,  from  its  men*  existence,  its  legitimate,  practical  fruits. 
It  ought,  for  exan)})le,  to  be  as  certain,  after  such  a  shower  of 
grace,  that  the  treasuries  of  our  benevolent  societies  Avould  be 
tilled,  as  it  is  after  a  plentiful  rain  that  the  streams  will  swell 
in  their  channels.  But  the  managers  of  our  societies  are  be- 
wailing the  feebleness  of  the  sympathy  and  aid  of  the  churches. 

"  There  is  another  and  sadder  illustration  of  the  sanu*  g(Mi- 
eral  truth.      The  WalcJnuan  and  lic/lrclor  recently  stated  that 


CHA r TE II  II,.   \ -ERSES  0  -12  741 

there  luul  never  been  among  the  JJaptists  so  hunentablc  a  spread 
of  chnreh  dissension  as  prevails  at  present ;  and  the  sad  fact  is 
mentioned  that  this  sin  infects  the  very  churches  which  shared 
most  hirgely  in  the-hxte  revival.  And  the  still  more  melan- 
choly fact  is  added  that  these  alienations  date  back  their  origin, 
in  most  cases,  to  the  very  midst  of  that  scene  of  awakening. 
Even  a  glance  at  the  weekly  journals  of  our  own  denomination 
will  evince  that  the  evil  is  by  no  means  confined  to  the  Baj^tists. 
Our  own  columns  have,  perhaps,  never  borne  so  humiliating  a 
record  of  contentions  and  ecclesiastical  litigations  as  during  the 
last  few  months." 

K  Presbyterian  pastor  of  l>elfast,  Ireland  (1858),  used  the 
following  language  respecting  the  then  recent  revivals  in  this 
country,  according  to  the  Xew  York  Independent  of  December, 
1859 :  "  The  determination  to  crush  all  ministers  who  say  a 
word  against  their  national  sin  [slavery],  the  determination  to 
suffocate  and  suppress  the  plain  teachings  of  Scripture,  can  be 
persisted  in  and  carried  out  at  the  very  time  these  ISTew  York 
Christians  are  expecting  the  religious  .world  to  hail  their  revi- 
vals. Until  the  wretchedly  degraded  churches  of  America  do 
the  Avork  of  God  in  their  own  land,  they  have  no  spiritual 
vitality  to  communicate  to  others;  their  revivals  are  in  the 
religious  world  what  their  flaunted  cries  of  lilxn-ty,  intermin- 
gled with  the  groans  of  the  slave,  are  in  the  political." 

During  the  time  of  the  great  Irish  revival  of  1859,  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Ireland  held 
its  session  in  Belfast.  Of  a  strange  scene  that  occurred  in  that 
Assembly  the  Belfast  News  Letter  of  September  30,  said: 
''  Here  in  this  venerable  Itody  of  ministers  and  elders,  we  find 
two  ministers  openly  giving  each  other  tlie  lie,  and  the  whol(> 
General  Assembly  turned  into  a  scene  of  confusion  1x)rd('ring 
upon  a  riot." 

I'his  is  a  sad  and  deplorable  picture;  and  what  has  been 
the  course  of  events,  and  the  tendency  in  the  deportment  of 
professed  Christians,  since  that  time?  There  is  considerable 
spasmodic  action  in  some  localities,  and  much  eft'ort  \)\\\  forth 
by  sensational  revivalists  to  excite  the  emotions,  but  no  perma- 


74:^  THE  REVELATION 

iR'Ht  good  seems  to  be  aecomplislied,  and  tlie  standard  of  godli- 
ness sinks  lower  and  lower. 

Some  new  features  have  been  added  to  the  facilities  lor 
church  work,  and  have  now  come  to  be  considered  almost  in- 
dispensable appendages  to  the  house  of  worship;  and  one  of 
these  is  nothing  less  than  a  well-ai)pointed  kitchen,  where  the 
feast  can  be  made  ready,  and  daintj  delicacies  prepared  for 
the  most  perverted  appetite.  One  instance  may  serve  as  an  il- 
lustration of  all  in  this  line.  \Ylien  the  "  Centenary  Methodist 
Episcojjal  Church  "  was  erected  in  Chicago,  the  Tnbiuw,  of 
that  city,  in  its  description  of  the  building,  made  particular 
mention  of  the  following  features : — 

^'  Beneath  the  vestibule  and  parlors  is  a  basement,  consist- 
ing of  a  large  dining-liall,  furnished  with  table  accommoda- 
tions for  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons ;  a  Icitchen,  with  cookhuj 
apparatus,  sinks,  closets,  dressing-rooms,  etc.  The  basement, 
under  the  vestibule  and  parlors,  secures  some  desirable  advan- 
tages; the  social  gatherings  can  be  made  agreeable  and  pleas- 
ant without  introducing  the  refreshments  into  the  lecture  room 
or  parlors." 

Think  of  a  Jiiichen  as  being  considered  a  necessary  a[)art- 
ment  in  a  house  of  worship  I  What  would  the  venerable  and 
godly  church  fathers  and  mothers  of  a  generation  ago  have 
thought  of  this  i  The  Scriptures  declare  that  eating  and 
drinking  and  pleasure-seeking,  instead  of  God-serving,  even  on 
the  part  of  professed  Christians,  will  characterize  the  last 
days  as  signs  of  the  times.  Luke  IT:  2G  -  30;  2  Tim.  '6:  4,  5. 
Have  we  not  reached  the  time  when  this  is  fulfilled  i  What 
indulgence  is  there  in  the  whole  catalogue  of  worldly  pleasures 
which  is  not  openly  tolerated  in  the  church- — -nay,  which  is 
not  largely  fostered  by  the  church  i  Dancing,  card-playing, 
theater-going,  horse-racing,  gand)ling,  lotteries,  festivals,  fairs, 
and  all  forms  of  gluttony,  are  freely  i)atronized  in  religious 
circles,  ami  many  of  these  things  for  so-call('(l  religious 
purposes. 

\ol  many  ycai's  ago,  an  cnlertainniciit  was  devised  for  the 
henefil  of  a  church  in  Xew  Orleans,  of  such  a  nature  that  it 
i'('(|uir(Ml   a  hainlhiU  to  descrihe  it,  reading  ;is  toilows: — • 


CHAPTER  14,  VERSES  6  -12  74a 

"  Benetit  of  Christ's  Church  Parochial  School.  jSTear  the 
dancing  platform  are  a  splendid  booth  and  a  large  canvas  tent, 
with  seats  reserved  for  the  accommodation  of  ladies  and  chil- 
dren. The  patrons  of  this  church,  as  well  as  the  public,  will 
here  find  a  soda-water  stand  and  confectionery,  a  restaurant 
filled  with  everything  to  satisfy  the  ap2)etites  of  epicureans ; 
and  also  a  splendid  bah,  stocked  with  the  choicest  kinds  of 
liquors^  cigars^  etc." 

The  Xew  York  Observer  copied  this,  with  the  following 
remarks  :— 

"  This  is  a  copy  of  a  handbill  conspicuously  posted  in  Xew 
Orleans  at  the  present  time.  The  church  for  which  this  splen- 
did bar  is  to  be  opened  is  called  Christ's  church ;  but  our  pri- 
vate opinion  is,  if  Christ  attends  the  fair,  he  will  come  with  a 
scourge  of  large  cords,  and  drive  out  every  man  and  wonuin 
who  dishonors  his  house  and  name  with  such  things  as  these. 
Call  it  a  church  if  you  will;  but  for  Christ's  sake,  O  Xew 
Orleans  j^eoj^le,  don't  call  it  Clirist's'  church.  Anything  but 
that  I  " 

To  whatever  denomination  this  church  belonged,  it  shows 
just  the  same  what  is  done  in  these  days  in  the  name  of 
religion. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  effect  of  church  lotteries,  the 
^yatcllman  relates  the  following:- — 

"A  member  of  a  church  went  to  his  pastor,  and  entreated 
his  personal  intercession  with- his  favorite  son,  who  had  become 
ruinously  addicted  to  the  vice  of  gambling.  The  pastor  con- 
sented, and  seeking  the  young  man,  found  him  in  his  chamber. 
He  commenced  his  lecture ;  but  before  he  concluded,  the  young 
man  laid  his  hand  upon  his  arm,  and  drew  his  attention  to  a 
pile  of  splendid  volumes  that  stood  upon  the  table.  '  Well,' 
said  the  young  man,  '  these  volumes  were  won  In-  me  at  a 
fair  given  in  your  church;  they  were  my  first  venture.  But 
for  that  lottery,  under  the  jDatronage  of  a  Christian  church, 
I  should  never  have  become  a  gambler.'  " 

A  minister,  B.  F.  Booth,  speaks  as  follows  in  the  Golden 
Censer: — • 
47 


744  THE  REVELATION 

"  I  hide  my  face  in  shame,  when  I  hear  of  a  governor  of 
a  state  being  comjjelled  to  call  iif)on  the  law-making  depart- 
ment of  his  state  to  pass  laws  to  connteract  the  swindling 
carried  on  nnder  the  auspices  of  the  church,  under  the  name 
of  church  fairs,  festivals,  and  other  forms  of  '  pious  '  church 
gambling." 

Pages  might  be  filled  with  statements  from  leading  men 
and  papers  in  the  religious  world,  acknowledging  the  low 
condition  of  the  churches  generally,  and  the  many  evil  prac- 
tices of  which  they  are  unblushingly  guilty;  but  it  is  unnec- 
cessary  to  multiply  testimony  on  this  point.  The  sad  and 
deplorable  fact  is  too  evident  to  be  denied. 

The  leading  ]\Ietliodist  paper,  the  !New  York  Christian 
Advocate,  of  Aug.  30,  1883,  contains  an  article  headed 
"  The  Greatest  of  Questions,"  from  which  we  copy  these 
statements : — 

"^  1.  Disguise  it  as  you  like,  the  church,  in  a  general  sense, 
is  spiritually  in  a  rapid  decline.  While  it  grows  in  numbers 
and  money,  it  is  becoming  extremely  feeble  and  limited  in  its 
spirituality,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  the  pew.  It  is  assuming 
the  shape  and  character  of  the  church  at  Laodicea. 

"  2.  There  are  thousands  of  ministers,  local  and  conference, 
and  many  thousands  of  the  laity,  who  are  as  dead  and  worth- 
less as  barren  fig-trees.  They  contribute  nothing  of  a  temporal 
or  spiritual  nature  to  the  progress  and  triumphs  of  the  gospel 
throughout  the  earth.  If  all  these  dry  bones  in  our  church 
and  its  congregations  could  be  resurrected,  and  brought  into 
requisition  by  faithful,  active  service,  what  new  and  glorious 
manifestations   of  divine  power  would  break   forth !  " 

The  JSTew  York  Indepeiidoit  of  Dec.  3,  1800,  gave  an 
article  from  D.  L.  Moody,  from  which  the  following  is  an 
extract : — 

''  In  a  recent  issue  of  your  paper  I  saw  an  article  from  a 
coutrilmtor  which  stated  that  there  were  over  three  thousand 
churclK^s  in  the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  bodies  of  this 
cduiitrv  that  did  not  report  a  single  member  added  by  ])rofes- 
sion  of  faith  last  year.  Can  this  be  true?  The  tlu^ught  has 
taken  such  hold  of  me  that  I  can't  get  it  out  of  mv  mind.       it 


CH AFTER  U.  VERSES  6  - 12  745 

is  eiiougli  almost  to  send  ii  thrill  of  horror  through  the  soul 
of  every   Christ i an. 

"  II  this  is  the  case  with  these  two  large  denominations, 
M'hat  must  be  the  condition  of  the  others  also  ?  Are  we  all 
going  to  sit  still  and  let  this  thing  continue  ?  Shall  our  relig- 
iotis  newsi)apers  and  our  pulpits  keep  their  mouths  closed  like 
'  dumb  dogs  that  cannot  bark  '  to  warn  peo]ile  of  approaching 
danger?  Should  Ave  not  all  lift  up  our  voice  like  a  trvmipet 
about  this  matter  I  What  must  the  Son  of  God  think  of  such 
a  result  of  our  labor  as  this  ?  What  must  an  unbelieving 
M'orld  think  about  a  Christianity  that  can't  bring  forth  any 
more  fruit  ?  And  have  we  no  care  for  the  multitudes  of  souls 
going  down  to  perdition  every  year  while  we  all  sit  and  look 
on  ?  And  this  country  of  ours,  where  will  it  be  in  the  next 
ten  years,  if  we  don't  awake  out  of  sleep  V 

The  second  angel's  message  is  addressed  to  those  organiza- 
tions where  the  people  of  God  are  mainly  to  be  found ;  for 
they  are  specially  addressed  as  being  in  Babylon,  and  at  a  cer- 
tain time  are  called  out.  The  message  applies  to  the  present 
generation ;  and  now  God's  j^eople  are  to  be  looked  for,  cer- 
tainly, in  the  Protestant  organizations  of  Christendom,  But 
as  these  churches  depart  farther  and  farther  from  God,  they 
at  length  reach  such  a  condition  that  true  Christians  can  no 
longer  maintain  a  connection  with  them ;  and  then  they  will 
be  called  out.  This  we  look  for  in  the  future,  in  fulfilment 
of  Rev.  18:1-4.  We  believe  it  will  come,  when,  in  addition 
to  their  corruptions,  the  churches  begin  to  raise  against  the 
saints  the  hand  of  oppression.  (See  further  under  the  chap- 
ter last  named.) 

The  Tliivd  Message. —  Commencing  Avith  verse  9,  the  third 
message  reads  as  follows :  "And  the  third  angel  followed  them, 
saving  Avith  a  loud  voice.  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and 
his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his 
hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  poured  out  Avithout  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  in- 
dignation ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented  Avith  fire  and  brimstone 
in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  iiresence  of  the 
Lamb:   and  the  smoke  of  their  torment   asccndeth    up  foroA-er 


746  THE  REVELATION 

and  ever:  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night,  who  worshij) 
the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of 
his  name.  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints:  here  are  they 
that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus.'' 

This  is  a  message  of  most  fearful  import.  ISTo  severer 
threatening  of  divine  wrath  can  be  found  in  all  the  Bible. 
The  sin  against  which  it  warns  must  be  a  terrible  sin,  and  it 
must  be  one  so  plainly  defined  that  all  who  will  may  under- 
stand it,  and  thus  know  how  to  avoid  tlie  judgments  denounced 
against   it. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  these  messages  are  cumulative ;  that 
is,  one  does  not  cease  when  another  is  introduced.  Thus,  for 
a^  time  the  first  message  was  the  only  one  going  forth.  The 
second  message  was  introduced,  luit  that  did  not  put  an  end 
to  the  first.  From  that  time  there  were  two  messages.  The 
third  followed  them,  not  to  supersede  them,  but  only  to  join 
\\\\\\  them,  so  that  we  now  have  three  messages  going  forth 
simultaneously,  or,  rather,  a  threefold  message,  embracing  the 
truths  of  all  three,  the  last  one,  of  course,  being  the  leading 
l)roclamation.  Till  the  work  is  done,  it  will  never  cease  to 
be  true  that  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  has  come,  nor  that 
Babylon  has  fallen ;  and  these  facts  still  continue  to  be  pro- 
claimed in  connection  with  the  truths  introduced  by  the  third 
message. 

There  Avill  also  be  noticed  a  logical  connection  between  the 
messages  themselves.  Taking  our  stand  just  before  the  first 
message  was  introduced,  we  see  the  Protestant  religious  world 
sadly  in  need  of  reformation.  Divisions  and  confusion  reigned 
among  the  churches.  They  were  still  clinging  to  many  papal 
errors  aiul  superstitions.  The  power  of  the  gospel  was  im- 
paired in  their  hands.  To  correct  these  evils,  the  doctrine  of 
the  second  coming  of  Christ  was  introduced,  and  proclaimed 
with  power.  They  should  have  received  it,  and  been  quick- 
ened by  it  into  new  life,  as  they  would  have  been  had  they  yo- 
ceived  it.  Instead  of  this,  they  rejected  it,  and  suffered  the 
consequences  spiritually.  Then  followed  the  second  message, 
announcing  the  result  of  that  rejection,  and  declaring  what 
was  not  only  a  fact  in  itself,  but  a  judicial  judgment  of  God 


CHAPTER  1),.   VERSEH  G  - 12  747 

upon  them  for  their  recreancy  in  this  respect;  namely,  that 
God  had  departed  from  them,  and  they  had  met  with  a  moral 
fall. 

This  did  not  have  the  effect  to  aronse  them,  and  lead  them 
to  correct  their  errors,  as  it  was  sufficient  to  do,  had  they  been 
willing  to  be  admonished  and  corrected.  And  now  what  fol- 
lows i  —  The  way  is  open  for  a  still  further  retrograde  move- 
ment,—  for  deeper  apostasy  and  still  greater  evils.  The  powers 
of  darkness  will  press  forward  their  work,  and  if  the  churches 
still  persist  in  this  course  of  shunning  light  and  rejecting  truth, 
they  will  soon  find  themselves  worshiping  the  beast  and  receiv- 
ing his  mark.  This  will  be  the  logical  secpienee  of  that  course 
of  action  which  commenced  with  the  rejection  of  the  first  mes- 
sage. And  now  another  proclamation  is  sent  forth,  annoimcing 
in  solemn  tones  that  if  any  man  shall  do  this,  he  shall  drink  of 
the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  ^vhicll  is  poured  out  without 
mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation.  That  is  to  say,  you 
rejected  the  first  message,  and  met  with  a  moral  fall ;  continue 
to  reject  truth  and  disregard  the  warnings  sent  out,  and  you 
will  exhanst  God's  last  means  of  grace,  and  by  and  by  meet 
with  a  literal  destruction  for  which  there  will  be  no  remedy. 
This  is  as  severe  a  threatening  as  God  can  make  to  be  inflicted 
in  this  life,  and  it  is  the  last.  A  few  will  heed  it,  and  be 
saved;  the  multitude  will  pass  on,  and  perish. 

The  proclamation  of  the  third  message  is  the  last  special 
religious  movement  to  be  made  before  the  Lord  appears ;  for 
immediately  following  this,  John  beholds  one  like  the  Son  of 
man  coming  upon  a  great  white  cloud  to  reap  the  harvest  of 
the  earth.  This  can  represent  nothing  else  than  the  second 
coming  of  Christ.  If,  therefore,  the  coming  of  Christ  is  at  the 
door,  the  time  has  come  for  the  proclamation  of  this  message. 
There  are  many  wlio  claim  the  name  "Adventist,"  and  who 
with  voice  and  pen  are  earnestly  teaching  that  we  are  in  the 
last  days  of  time,  and  tliat  the  coming  of  Christ  is  at  the  door; 
but  when  we  remind  them  of  this  ])r<)])becy,  they  are  suddenly 
at  sea,  without  anchor,  chart,  or  compass.  They  know  not 
what  to  do  witli  it.  They  can  see  as  well  as  we  that  if  what 
they  are  teaching  respecting  the  coming  of  Christ  is  tnie,  and 


748  THE  REVELATION 

the  Lord  is  at  hand,  somewhere  —  yes,  all  over  the  laiul  — ■ 
should  be  heard  the  warning  notes  of  this  third  message.  It 
is  now  due;  and  if  it  is  not  now  going  forth,  it  follows  that 
we  are  not  in  the  last  days,  or  that  this  prophecy  is  a  failure ; 
but  this  they  cannot  consistently  admit.  At  the  same  time, 
they  know  tliat  tliey  are  not  giving  it,  and  they  do  not  claim 
to  be  giving  it;  and  they  can  point  to  none  who  are  giving  it, 
except  it  be  a  certain  class  who  profess  that  that  is  the  very 
A\-ork  they  are  doing.  But  to  admit  the  claims  of  this  class 
would  be  to  condenni  themselves.  Their  perplexity  would  be 
deserving  of  commiseration,  were  it  not  that  those  who  will 
accept  an  embarrassing  dilemma  rather  than  acknowledge  the 
truth,  are  not  justly  entitled  to  much  sympathy. 

The  arguments  on  the  two  preceding  messages  fix  the  chro- 
nology of  the  third,  and  show  that  it  belongs  to  the  present 
time;  but,  as  in  the  case  of  the  former,  the  best  evidence  in 
behalf  of  the  proposition  that  the  message  is  now  going  to  the 
wcn-ld,  is  to  be  able  to  point  to  events  whicli  demonstrate  the 
fulfilment.  Having  identified  the  first  message  as  a  leading 
proclamation  Avith  the  great  Advent  movement  of  1840  -  44:, 
and  having  seen  the  fulfilment  of  the  second  message  in  con- 
nection with  that  movement  in  the  latter  year,  let  us  look  at 
what  has  transpired  since  that  time. 

When  the  time  passed  in  1844,  the  whole  Adventist  body 
was  thrown  into  more  or  less  confusion.  Many  gave  up  the 
movement  entirely;  more  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
argument  on  the  time  was  wrong,  and  immediately  went'  to 
work  to  readjust  the  prophetic  periods,  and  set  a  new  time  for 
the  Tord  to  come  —  a  work  in  which  they  have  continued  more 
or  less  to  the  present  time,  fixing  a  new  date  as  each  one  passed 
by,  to  the  scandal  of  the  Advent  movement,  and  the  discredit, 
so  far  as  their  limited  influence  extended,  of  all  prophetical 
study ;  a  few,  searching  closely  and  candidly  for  the  cause  of 
the  mistake,  were  confirmed  in  their  views  of  the  providential 
cliariicter  of  the  Advent  movement,  and  the  correctness  of  the 
argument  on  the  time,  but  saw  that  a  mistake  had  been  made 
on  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary,  liy  which  the  disappointment 
coidd  be  ex])laiii('<l.       Thcv  learnccl  that  (he  sanotuarv  was  uot 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  0-12  749 

this  earth,  as  had  been  supposed;  that  the  cleansing  was  not  to 
be  bj  fire;  and  that  the  prophecy  on  this  point  did  not  involve 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  at  all.  They  found  in  the  Scriptures 
very  clear  evidence  that  the  sanctuary  referred  to  was  the 
temple  in  heaven,  which  Paul  calls  "  the  sanctuary,"  the  ''  true 
tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched  and  not  man ;  "  and  that 
its  cleansing,  according  to  the  type,  would  consist  of  the  final 
ministration  of  the  priest  in  the  second  apartment,  or  most  holy 
place.  They  then  saw  that  the  time  had  come  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  Rev,  11:10:  "And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened 
in  heaven,  and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his 
testament." 

1  Living  their  attention  thus  called  to  the  ark,  they  were 
naturally  led  to  an  examination  of  the  law  contained  in  the 
ark.  That  the  ark  contained  the  law  was  evident  from  the 
very  name  applied  to  it.  It  Avas  called  "  the  ark  of  his  testa- 
ment ;  "  but  it  would  not  have  been  the  ark  of  his  "  testament," 
and  it  could  not  have  been-  so  called,  had  it  not  contained  the 
law.  Here,  then,  was  the  ark  in  heaven,  the  great  antitype  of 
the  ark,  which,  during  the  typical  dispensation,  existed  here  on 
earth ;  and  the  law  which  this  heavenly  ark  contained  must 
consequently  be  the  great  original  of  which  the  law  on  the 
tables  in  the  earthly  ark  was  but  a  transcript,  or  copy;  and 
both  must  read  precisely  alike,  word  for  word,  jot  for  jot, 
tittle  for  tittle.  To  suppose  otherwise  would  involve  not  only 
falsehood,  but  the  greatest  absurdity.  That  law,  then,  is  still 
the  law  of  God's  government,  and  its  fourth  precept,  now  as 
in  the  beginning,  demands  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day 
of  the  week  as  the  Sabbath.  ^o  one  who  admits  the  argu- 
ment on  the  sanctuary  pretends  to  dispute  this  point.  Thus 
the  Sabbath  reform  was  brought  to  view;  and  it  was  seen  that 
whatever  had  been  done  in  ojiposition  to  this  la\v,  especially 
in  the  introduction  of  a  day  of  rest  and  worship  which  de- 
stroyed the  Sabliath  of  Jehovah,  must  be  the  work  of  the  pa])al 
beast,  that  poA\'er  which  was  to  oppose  God,  and  try  to  exalt 
himself  above  him.  But  this  is  the  very  work  in  reference 
to  which  the  third  angel  utters  his  warning;  hence  it  began 
to  be  seen  that  the  period  of  the  third  messap;e  synchronizes 


750  THE  BEY  ELATION 

with  the  period  of  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary,  which  began 
with  tlie  ending  of  the  2300  days  in  lS-i-1,  and  that  the  proc- 
lamation is  based  on  the  great  truths  develoi^ed  by  this  subject. 

Thus  the  dawning  light  of  the  third  message  rose  upon  the 
church.  But  they  saw  at  once  that  the  world  would  have  a 
right  to  demand  of  those  who  professed  to  be  giving  that  mes- 
sage, an  explanation  of  all  the  symbols  which  it  contains, — 
the  beast,  the  image,  the  worship,  and  the  mark;  hence  these 
points  were  made  subjects  of  sj)ecial  study.  The  testimony 
of  the  Scriptures  was  found  to  be  clear  and  abundant;  and 
it  did  not  take  a  great  w^hile  to  formulate  from  the  truths 
revealed,  definite  statements  and  propositions  in  explanation 
of  all  these  points. 

The  argument  showing  what  constitutes  the  beast,  the  im- 
age, and  the  mark,  has  already  been  given  in  chapter  13  ;  and 
it  has  been  shown  that  the  two-horned  beast,  which  erects  the 
image  and  enforces  the  mark,  is  our  own  country,  now  in  mid- 
career,  and  hastening  forward  to  perform  the  very  work  as- 
signed it  in  the  prophecy.  It  is  this  work,  and  these  agents, 
against  which  the  third  message  utters  its  warning,  which  is 
still  further  proof  that  this  message  is  now  in  order,  and 
shows  the  most  conclusi\'e  harmony  in  all  these  prophecies. 
The  arguments  Ave  need  not  here  repeat;  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  recapitulate  the  points  established. 

1.  The  ^"  beast  "  is  the  Roman  Catholic  power. 

2.  The  "  mark  of  the  beast  "  is  that  institution  which  this 
power  has  set  up  as  proof  of  its  authority  to  legislate  for  the 
cliurch,  and  command  the  consciences  of  men  under  sin.  It 
consists  in  a  change  of  the  law  of  God,  l)y  which  the  signature 
of  royalty  is  taken  from  the  law, —  the  seventh-day  Sabbath, 
the  great  memorial  of  Jehovah's  creative  work,  is  torn  from 
its  place  in  the  docalogue,  and  a  false  and  counterfeit  Sabbath, 
the  first  day  of  tlie  week,  is  set  up  in  its  st(>ad. 

3.  Tlie  ''  innige  of  the  beast  "  is  some  ecclesiastical  conibi- 
iiiition,  which  will  resemble  the  beast  in  being  clothed  with 
])(>\v('r  to  enforce  its  decrees  with  the  ])ains  and  ])enalties  of 
the  ('i\'il   liiw. 

4.  '^I'lie  t\vo-horii('(l   beast,  bv  wliicli   the   iiiiaiic,  after  beiiii>' 


cifArrEii  ///.  vEnsEs  fj-i£  751 

made  by  llie  people,  is  given  power  to  speak  and  act,  is  the 
United  States;  and  all  but  the  final  steps  toward  the  formation 
of  the  image  are  already  seen. 

5.  The  two-horned  beast  enforces  the  mark  of  the  beast ; 
that  is,  lie  establishes  by  law  the  observance  of  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  or  Smiday-sabbath.  What  is  being  done  in  this 
direction  has  already  been  noticed.  The  movement  is  urged 
on  by  individuals,  by  organized  Sabbath  connnittoes,  by  poli- 
ticians, indirectly  by  the  infidel  element,  by  the  National  Re- 
form Association,  by  the  American  Sabbath  (Sunday)  Union, 
by  the  W.  C.  T.  U.,  and  by  the  Christian  Endeavorers,  with 
their  Good  Citizenship  Leagues,  etc. 

But  the  people  are  not  to  be  left  in  the  dark  in  this 
nnitter.  The  third  message  utters  a  solmen  protest  against  all 
this  evil.  It  exposes  the  work  of  the  beast,  shows  the  nature 
of  its  opposition  to  the  law  of  God,  warns  the  people  against 
compliance  with  its  demands,  and  points  out  to  all  the  way  of 
truth.  This  natTU-ally  excites  opposition;  and  the  church  is 
led  so  much  the  more  to  seek  the  aid  of  human  authority  in 
behalf  of  its  dogmas  as  they  are  shown  to  lack  the  divine. 

In  the  interests  of  these  messages,  the  publication  of  a 
paper  called  the  Advent  Uevievj  and  Sahhath  Herald,  was  com- 
menced in  1850,  which  has  continued  to  the  present  time,  cir- 
culating in  every  State  and  Territory  of  the  Union,  and  in 
n.iany  foreign  countries.  The  Signs  of  the  Times,  ])ublished 
weekly  in  Mountain  View,  Cal.,  has  attained  a  still  larger  cir- 
culation. Other  English  periodicals  devoted  to  the  exposition 
of  the  truths  of  this  message  are:  The  Watclunan,  published 
weekly  at  Xashville,  Tenn. ;  The  Present  Truth,  weekly,  pub- 
lished in  London,  Eng. ;  The  Australasian  Signs  of  the  Tunes, 
weekly,  published  at  '\Varl)urton,  Victoria,  Australia;  TJie  Ori- 
ental WateJiman,  monthly,  puldished  in  Calcutta,  India;  The 
Carihhean  Watchman,  monthly,  published  at  Port  of  Spain, 
West  Indies;  TJie  South  African  Sentinel,  montldy.  ])nblisli('(l 
at  Kenilworth,  South  Africa ;  Liberty,  published  (puirtcn-ly  at 
tlie  denominational  headquarters  in  "Washington,  I).  (\  ;  Life 
and  JTealth,  a  health  and  temperance  magazine,  published 
monthly  nt  the  siinio  ])lace;  also  henltli  and  t(Mn])erance  niaga- 


752  THE  REVELATION 

zincs  published  in  England  and  in  Australia.  Besides  these 
English  periodicals,  there  are  periodicals  issued  in  the  German, 
French,  Spanish,  Russian,  Danish-Xorwegian,  Holland,  Hun- 
garian, Japanese,  Chinese,  Portuguese,  Bohemian,  Swedish, 
Einnish,  and  other  languages ;  and  publishing  houses  located  at 
AVashington,  D.  C,  Mountain  View,  Cal. ;  Xashville,  Tenn. ; 
Buenos  Ajres,  Argentina;  Christiana,  Xorway;  Honan,  China; 
Copenhagen,  Denmark;  Warburton,  Australia;  Karmatar,  In- 
dia ;  Hamburg,  Germany ;  Helsingfors,  Finland ;  Geneva,  Swit- 
zerland; London,  England;  Tacubaya,  Mexico;  Cape  Town, 
South  Africa ;  Stockholm,  Sweden ;  College  View,  Nebraska ; 
Taquary,  Brazil ;  Port  of  Spain,  West  Indies ;  South  Lancaster, 
Mass. ;  and  Toronto  Junction,  Canada,  Tracts,  periodicals, 
and  bound  books  are  published  in  more  than  thirty  different 
languages,  and  nearl}^  3,000  ministers  and  other  workers  are 
giving  their  whole  time  to  the  proclamation  of  this  third  an- 
gel's message  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  to  advance  which 
more  than  a  million  dollars  is  annually  contributed.  Scarcely 
a  country  in  the  world  can  be  named  to  which  the  literature 
and  the  representatives  of  this  message  have  not  now  gone ; 
and  the  tide  of  its  power  is  continually  and  rapidly  rising. 

This  movement  is  at  least  a  j)henomenon  to  be  explained. 
We  have  found  movements  which  fulfil  most  strikingly  and 
accurately  the  first  and  second  messages.  Here  is  another 
which  now  challenges  the  attention  of  the  world  as  a  fulfil- 
ment of  the  third.  It  claims  to  be  a  fulfilment,  and  asks  the 
world  to  examine  the  credentials  on  which  it  bases  its  right  to 
such  a  claim.      Let  us  look  at  them. 

1.  ^'  The  third  angel  followed  them."  So  this  movement 
follows  the  two  previously  mentioned.  It  takes  up  and  con- 
tinues the  promulgation  of  the  truths  they  uttered,  and  adds 
to  them  what  the  third  message  involves  besides. 

2.  The  tliird  message  is  characterized  as  a  warning  against 
the  beast.  So  this  mo^^ement  holds  prominent  among  its  themes 
an  explanation  of  this  symbol,  telling  the  people  Avhat  it  is, 
and  exposing  its  blasphemous  claims  and  works. 

8.  The  third  message  warns  all  against  worshiping  the 
beast.       So  this  movement  explains  how  this  beast-power  has 


CHAPTER  IJi.   VEPSES  6-12 


<  O.J 


bruuglit  into  Cliristeiidoni  certain  institutions  which  antag- 
onize the  requirements  of  the  Most  High,  and  shows  that  if 
we  yield  to  these,  we  worship  this  power.  '*  Know  ye  not," 
says  Paul,  "  that  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to 
obey,  his  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey  ?  "      Rom.   G :  10. 

4.  The  third  message  warns  all  against  receiving  the  mark 
of  the  beast.  So  this  movement  makes  it  the  burden  of  its 
work  to  show  what  the  mark  of  the  beast  is,  and  to  warn 
against  its  reception.  It  is  the  more  solicitous  to  do  this,  be- 
cause this  antichristian  power  has  worked  so  cunningly  that 
the  majority  are  deceived  into  making  unconscious  coucossions 
to  its  authority.  It  is  sho^^^l  that  the  mark  of  the  beast  is  an 
institution  which  has  been  arrayed  in  Christian  garb,  and  in- 
sidiously introduced  into  the  Christian  church  in  such  a  way 
as  to  nullify  the  authority  of  Jehovah  and  enthrone  that  of 
the  beast.  Stripped  of  all  disguises,  it  is  simply  setting  up  a 
counterfeit  sabbath  of  its  own  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
in  place  of  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  on  the  seventh  day, —  a 
usurpation  which  the  great  God  cannot  tolerate,  and  from 
which  the  remnant  church  must  fully  clear  itself  before  it 
will  be  prepared  for  the  coming  of  Christ.  Hence  the  urgent 
warning,  Let  no  man  worship  the  beast  or  receive  his  mark. 

5.  The  third  message  has  something  to  say  against  the  wor- 
ship of  the  image  of  the  beast.  So  this  movement  speaks  of 
this  subject  also,  telling  what  the  image  will  be,  or  at  least 
explaining  the  prophecy  of  the  two-horned  beast,  which  makes 
the  image,  showing  that  it  is  our  own  government ;  that  here 
the  image  is  to  be  formed;  that  the  prophecy  concerns  this 
generation ;  and  that  it  is  evidently  on  the  very  verge  of  ful- 
filment. 

There  is  no  religious  enterprise  going  forward  in  the  land 
exce])t  this  by  the  Seventh-day  Adventists,  which  claims  to  be 
a  fulfilment  of  the  third  angel's  message, —  no  other  which 
hdlds  forth,  as  its  prominent  themes,  the  very  subjects  of  which 
this  message  is  composed.  '\"\liat  shall  we  do  with  these  things  ? 
Is  this  the  fulfilment  I  —  It  must  so  stand,  unless  its  claims  can 
be  disproved ;  unless  it  can  be  showni  that  the  first  and  second 
messages  have  not  been  heard ;  that  the  positions  taken  in  ref- 


T5J:  THE  IIEVELATION 

erence  to  the  Least,  image,  mark,  and  worsliip  are  not  correct; 
and  that  all  the  j^rophecies,  and  signs,  and  evidences  which 
show  that  the  coming  of  Christ  is  near,  and  consequently .  that 
this  message  is  due,  can  be  wholly  set  aside.  But  this  the 
intelligent  Bible  student  will  hardly  undertake. 

The  result  of  the  proclamation,  as  declared  in  verse  12,  still 
further  proves  the  correctness  of  the  positions  here  taken.  It 
])rings  out  a  company  of  whom  it  can  be  said,  "  Here  are  they 
that  keej^  the  commandments  of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 
In  the  very  heart  of  Christendom  this  work  is  done ;  and  those 
who  receive  the  message  are  rendered  peculiar  by  their  practice 
in  reference  to  the  connnandments  of  God.  What  difference 
is  there  in  practice,  and  what  only  dilf erence,  among  Christians, 
in  this  respect?  —  Just  this;  some  think  that  the  fourth  com- 
mandment is  kejit  by  devoting  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  rest 
and  worship;  others  claim  that  the  seventh  day  is  the  one  set 
apart  to  such  duties,  and  accordingly  spend  its  hours  in  this 
manner,  resuming  on  the  first  day  their  ordinary  labor.  Xo 
plainer  line  of  demarkation  could  be  drawn  between  two  classes. 
The  time  which  one  class  regard  as  sacred,  and  devote  to  relig- 
ious uses,  the  other  look  upon  as  only  secular,  and  devote  to 
ordinary  labor.  One  class  are  devoutly  resting,  the  other  zeal- 
ously laboring.  One  class,  pursuing  their  Avorldly  vocations, 
find  the  other  class  withdrawn  from  all  such  pursuits,  and  the 
avenue  of  commercial  intercourse  abruptly  closed.  Thus  for 
two  days  in  the  week  these  two  classes  are  kept  apart  by  differ- 
ence of  theory  and  practice  in  regard  to  the  fourth  command- 
ment. On  no  other  commandment  could  there  be  so  marked 
a    difference. 

The  message  brings  its  adherents  to  the  seventh  day ;  for  in 
this  way  only  are  they  made  peculiar,  inasmuch  as  an  observ- 
ance of  the  first  day  would  not  distinguish  a  ])erson  from  the 
masses  who  were  already  observing  that  day  when  the  message 
Avas  introduced.  And  in  this  we  find  still  further  evidence 
that  Sunday-keeping  is  the  mark  of  the  beast ;  for  the  message, 
presenting  as  its  chief  burden  a  warning  against  receiving  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  will  of  course  bring  its  adherents  to  discard 
that  j)ractice  which  constitutes  the  mark,  and  to  atlo])t  flie  o]ij)o- 


CHAPTER  U,  VERSES  6-12  Y55 

site.  It  does  lead  tlieiii  to  discard  the  observance  of  the  tirst 
day  of  the  week,  and  adopt  that  of  the  seventh  day.  In  view 
of  this,  it  is  at  once  seen  that  there  is  here  more  than  an  infer- 
ence that  Sunday-keeping  is  the  mark  of  the  beast  against  which 
it  M'arns  us,  and  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day,  to  which 
it  leads  us,  is  its  opposite. 

This  is  in  harmony  with  the  argument  on  the  seal  of  God, 
as  given  in  chapter  7.  It  Avas  there  shown  that  sign,  seal, 
mark,  and  token  are  synonymous  terms,  and  that  God  takes 
his  Sabbath  to  be  his  sign,  mark,  or  seal,  in  reference  to  his 
people.  Thus  God  has  a  seal,  or  mark,  which  is  his  Sabbath. 
The  beast  also  has  a  seal,  or  mark,  which  is  his  Sabbath.  One 
is  the  seventh  day ;  the  other  is  just  as  far  removed  from  it  as 
possible,  even  to  the  other  extremity  of  the  week,  namely,  the 
first  day.  Christendom  will  at  last  be  divided  into  just  two 
classes ;  to  wit,  those  Avho  are  sealed  with  the  seal  of  the  living 
God  —  that  is,  have  his  mark,  or  keep  his  Sabbath  —  and  those 
who  are  sealed  with  the  seal  of  the  beast  —  that  is,  have  his 
mark,  or  keep  his  Sabbath.  In  reference  to  this  issue,  the 
third  angel's  message  both  enlightens  and  warns  us. 

As  so  much  importance,  according  to  this  argument,  at- 
taches to  the  seventh  day,  the  reader  may  ask  for  some  evi- 
dence that  a  person  cannot  be  said  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  God  unless  he  does  keep  the  seventh  day.  This  would 
involve  a  discussion  of  the  whole  Sabbath  question,  which  it 
is  not  the  province  of  this  work  to  give.  Though  it  may  be 
proper  to  present  here,  as  this  much  perhaps  is  called  for  in 
this  connection,  the  leading  facts  connected  Avitli  the  Sabbath 
institution, —  facts  which  are  fully  sustained  in  the  works  re- 
ferred to  in  the  note  below.  ^ 

1.  The  Sabbath  was  instituted  in  the  beginning,  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  first  week  of  time.      Gen.  2:1-3. 

2.  It  was  the  seventh  day  of  tliat  week,  and  was  based  on 
facts  which  are  inseparably  connected  with  its  very  name  and 

*  As  a  standard  work  on  the  question,  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  "  History  of  the 
Sabbath  and  First  Day  of  the  Week,"  by  Elder  J.  N.  Andrews,  for  sale  by  the 
publishers  of  this  book,  in  which  the  question  as  related  to  the  two  days  is  thoroughly 
discussed  from  both  a  Biblical  and  a  historical  standpoint.  But  many  less  exhaustive 
works  are   issued  at  the   Office  above  named,   according   to   its  catalogue. 


75G  THE  REVELATION 

existence, —  facts  which  never  can  become  untrue,  and  never 
can  be  changed.  God's  resting  on  the  seventh  day  made  it  his 
rest-daj,  or  the  Sabbath  (rest)  of  the  Lord;  and  it  can  never 
cease  to  be  his  rest-dav,  as  that  fact  never  can  be  changed. 
He  sanctified,  or  set  apart,  the  day  then  and  there,  the  record 
states;  and  that  sanctification  can  never  cease,  unless  it  is  re- 
moved by  an  act  on  the  part  of  Jehovah  as  direct  and  explicit 
as  that  by  which  he  placed  it  upon  the  day  in  the  beginning. 
Xo  one  claims  that  this  has  ever  been  done,  and  he  could  not 
l)rove  it  if  he  did  so  claim. 

3.  The  Sabl)atli  has  nothing  in  it  of  a  typical,  shadowy,  or 
ceremonial  nature;  for  it  was  instituted  before  man  sinned, 
and  hence  belongs  to  a  time  when,  in  the  very  nature  of  things, 
a  type,  or  shadoAV,  could  not  exist. 

•i.  The  laws  and  institutions  which  existed  before  man's 
fall  were  primary  in  their  nature;  they  grew  out  of  the  re- 
lation between  God  and  man,  and  man  and  man,  and  were 
such  as  would  always  have  remained  if  nian  never  had  sinned, 
and  were  not  affected  by  his  sin.  In  other  words,  they  were, 
in  the  very  nature  of  things,  immutable  and  eternal.  Cere- 
monial and  typical  laws  owed  their  origin  to  the  fact  that 
man  had  sinned,  as  they  never  "would  have  existed  had  this 
never  been  a  fact.  These  were  from  dispensation  to  dispensa- 
tion subject  to  change ;  and  these,  and  these  only,  were  abol- 
ished at  the  cross.  The  Sabbath  law  was  a  primary  law, 
and  therefore  immutable  and  eternal. 

5.  The  sanctification  of  the  Sabbath  in  Eden  renders  its 
existence  certain  from  creation  to  Sinai.  Here  it  was  placed 
in  the  very  bosom  of  the  decalogue  as  God  spoke  it  with  an 
audible  voice,  and  "wrote  it  with  his  finger  on  tables  of  stone, 
—  circumstances  which  forever  separate  it  from  ceremonial 
laws,  and  place  it  among  the  moral  and  eternal. 

fi.  The  Sabbath  is  not  indefinite,  any  seventh  day  after  six 
of  labor.  The  law  from  Sinai  (Ex.  20:8-11)  makes  it  as 
definite  as  language  can  make  it;  the  events  that  gave  it  birth 
(Gen.  2:1-  ?>)  confine  it  to  the  definite  seventh  day;  and  the 
6,240  Sabbatli  miracles  in  the  wilderness,  three  each  week  for 
fovfy  years;   namely,    (1)    a   double  jiortion  of  manna   on   the 


CHAPTER  lit,  VERSES  6-12  T57 

sixth  day,  (2)  the  joreservatiou  of  the  sixth-day  manna  on  tho 
seventh  (\'AX,  and  (3)  none  on  the  seventh  (hiy  (See  Exo(his 
10),  show  that  it  is  one  particuhu*  day,  and  not  simply  a  pro- 
portion of  time.  To  claim  otherwise  wonld  he  like  claiming 
that  Washington's  birthday  or  Independence  day  was  only  a 
'j()5th  part  of  a  year,  and  might  he  celebrated  on  any  other 
day  as  well  as  the  day  n])on  M-hich  it  occnrred. 

7.  The  Sabbath  is  a  ])ar[  of  that  law  which  onr  J^ord  openly 
declared  that  he  came  not  to  destroy.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
most  solemnly  affirmed  that  it  slionld  endnre  in  every  jot  and 
tittle  while  the  earth  shonld  continue.      Matt.  5:  17-20. 

8.  It  is  a  part  of  that  law  which  Paul  declares  is  not 
made  void,  but  established,  by  faith  in  Christ.  Rom.  .3:81. 
The  ceremonial  or  typical  law,  which  pointed  to  Christ  and 
ceased  at  the  cross,  is  made  void,  or  superseded,  by  faith  in 
liim.      Eph.  2  :  15. 

0.  It  is  a  part  of  that  royal  law,  a  law  pertaining  to  the 
King  Jehovah,  which  James  declares  is  a  law  of  liberty,  and 
which  shall  judge  us  at  the  last  day.  God  does  not  have 
different  standards  of  judgment  for  different  ages  of  the  world. 
James  2  :  11,  12.  * 

10.  It  is  the  "Lord's  day"  of  Hev.  1:10.  (See  argu- 
ment on  that  verse.) 

11.  It  appears  as  the  institution  in  reference  to  which  a 
great  reform  is  predicted  in  the  last  days.  Isa.  56:1,  2 
com]iared  Avith  1  Peter  1  :  5.  Uiidev  this  head  would  also 
come  the  message  under  consideration. 

12.  And  in  the  new  creation,  the  Sab])ath,  trne  to  its  ori- 
gin and  nature,  again  appears,  and  will  thenceforward  shed 
its  blessings  ujion  God's  people  through  all  eternity.  Isa. 
60:  22,  23. 

Such  is  a  lu'ief  syno]isis  of  s(»me  of  the  argnments  to  show 
that  the  Sabbath  law  has  been  in  no  Avise  relaxed,  and  the 
institution  in  no  way  changed;  and  that  a  person  cannot  be 
said  to  kee]-)  the  commandments  of  God  unless  he  kee]is  it. 
To  have  to  do  with  such  an  institution  is  a  high  honor.  To 
pay  heed  to  its  claims  will  prove   an  infinite  blessing. 


758  THE  REVELATION 

The  Punishment  of  Beast-worshipers. —  These  shall  be  tor- 
mented with  tire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of  the  holy 
angels  and  of  tlie  Lamb.  When  is  this  torment  inflicted^ 
Chapter  19  :  20  shows  that  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ  there 
is  a  manifestation  of  fiery  judgnnents  which  may  be  called  a 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  into  which  the  beast  and  false 
prophet  are  cast  aUrc.  This  can  refer  only  to  the  destrnction 
visited  npon  them  at  the  commencement,  not  at  the  end,  of  the 
thonsand  years.  Again,  there  is  a  remarkable  passage  in  Isaiah 
to  wliich  we  are  obliged  to  refer  in  explanation  of  the  phrase- 
ology of  the  threatening  of  the  third  angel,  and  which  nnqnes- 
tionably  describes  scenes  to  take  place  here  at  the  second  advent, 
and  in  the  desolate  state  of  the  earth  dnring  the  thousand  years 
following.  That  the  language  in  the  Kevelation  was  borrowed 
from  this  prophecy  can  hardly  fail  to  be  seen.  After  describ- 
ing the  Lord's  anger  npon  the  nations,  the  great  slaughter  of 
their  armies,  the  departing  of  the  heavens  as  a  scroll,  etc.,  the 
prophet  says :  "  For  it  is  the  day  of  the  Lord's  vengeance,  and 
the  year  of  recompenses  for  the  controversy  of  Zion.  And  the 
streams  thereof  shall  be  turned  into  pitch,  and  the  dust  thereof 
into  brimstone,  and  the  land  thereof  shall  become  burning 
pitch.  It  shall  not  be  quenched  night  nor  day;  the  smoke 
thereof  shall  go  up  forever;  from  generation  to  generation  it 
shall  lie  waste;  none  shall  pass  through  it  forever  and  ever." 
Isa.  34:  8  - 10.  And  since  it  is  expressly  revealed  that  there  is 
to  be  a  lake  of  fire  in  which  all  sinners  perish  at  the  end  of  the 
thousand  years,  we  can  only  conclude  that  the  destruction  of 
the  living  wicked  at  the  commencement  of  this  period,  and  the 
"f:.nal  dboni  of  all  the  ungodly  at  its  close,  are  very  similar. 

Duration  of  tlie  Punishment. —  The  expression  '"forever 
nnd  ever"  cannot  here  denote  eternity.  This  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  this  punishment  is  inflicted  on  this  earth,  where 
time  is  measured  by  day  and  night.  This  is  further  shown 
from  the  passage  in  Isaiah  already  referred  to,  if  that  is,  as 
above  suggested,  the  language  from  which  this  is  borrowed, 
and  applies  to  the  same  time.  That  language  is  spoken  of  the 
land  of  Idnmea;  but  whetlier  it  be  taken  to  mean  literally  tlu^ 
land  of  Edom,  south  and  east  of  Judea,  or  to  represent,  as  it 


CHAPTER  U,  YERSEIS  0  - 10  759 

doubtless  does,  this  whole  earth  at  the  time  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  shall  he  revealed  from  heaven  in  flaming  fire,  and  the 
year  of  recompenses  for  the  controversy  of  Zion  comes,  in 
either  case  the  scene  nnist  eventually  terminate ;  for  this  earth 
is  finally  to  he  made  new,  cleansed  of  every  stain  of  sin,  every 
■\'estige  of  suffering  and  decay,  and  to  become  the  habitation  of 
righteousness  and  joy  throughout  eternal  ages.  The  word  atciv 
here  translated  forever,  Schrevelius,  in  his  Greek  Lexicon,  de- 
fines thus:  '"An  age;  a  long  period  of  time;  indefinite  dura- 
tion; time,  W'hether  longer  or  shorter."  (For  a  discussion  of 
the  meaning  of  this  term,  see  the  work  entitled.  Here  and  Here- 
after.      Southern  Publishing  Association,  Xashville,  Tenn. ) 

The  period  of  the  third  message  is  a  time  of  patience  with 
the  people  of  God.  Paul  and  James  both  give  us  instruction 
on  this  point.  Heb.  10:  36;  James  5:  7,  8.  Meanwhile  this 
waiting  company  are  keeping  the  commandments  of  God  — • 
the  ten  commandments,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus  —  all  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ  and  his  apostles  as  contained  in  the  Xew  Testa- 
ment. The  true  Sabbath,  as  given  in  the  decalogue,  is  thus 
brought  out  in  vivid  contrast  with  the  counterfeit  sabbath,  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  which  finally  distinguishes  those  who  reject 
the  third  message,  as  already  set  forth. 

Verse  13.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me. 
Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth : 
Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors;  and  their 
works  do  follow  them.  14.  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  white  cloud, 
and  upon  the  cloud  one  sat  like  unto  the  Son  of  man,  having  on  his 
head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  sliarp  sickle.  15.  And  another 
angel  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  with  a  loud  voice  to  him  that  sat 
on  the  cloud.  Thrust  in  thy  sickle,  and  reap:  for  the  time  is  come 
for  thee  to  reap;  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth  is  ripe.  16.  And  he  that 
sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the  earth;  and  the  earth  was 
reaped. 

A  Solemn  Cnsi.s. —  Events  grow  solenm  as  we  near  the 
end.  It  is  this  fact  which  gives  to  the  third  angel's  message, 
now  going  forth,  its  unusual  degree  of  solemnity  and  impor- 
tance. Tt  is  the  last  warning  to  go  forth  prior  to  the  coming 
of  the  Son  of  uian,  here  represented  as  seated  upon  a  white 
cloud,  a  crown  ujjou  his  head,  and  a  sickle  in  his  hand,  to 
IS 


760  THE  REVELATION 

reap  the  harvest  of  the  earth.  AVc  are  fast  passing  over  a  line 
of  prophecy  which  cuhninates  in  the  rcvehition  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  from  heaven  in  flaming  fire,  to  take  vengeance  on  his 
foes,  and  to  reward  his  saints.  Not  only  so,  but  we  have  come 
so  near  its  accomplishment  that  the  very  next  link  in  the  chain 
is  this  crowning  and  momentous  event.  And  time  never  rolls 
hack.  As  the  river  does  not  flinch  and  fly  as  it  ai)proaches  the 
precipice,  hut  bears  all  floating  bodies  over  with  resistless 
power ;  and  as  the  seasons  never  reverse  their  course,  but  sum- 
mer follows  in  the  path  of  the  budding  fig-tree,  and  winter 
treads  close  upon  the  falling  leaf ;  so  we  are  borne  onward  and 
onward,  whether  we  will  or  not,  whether  prepared  or  not,  to 
the  imavoidable  and  irreversible  crisis.  Ah!  how  little  dream 
the  proud  professor  and  the  careless  sinner  of  the  doom  that 
is  impending!  And  how  hard  for  even  those  who  know  and 
profess  the  truth  to  realize  it  as  it  is! 

A  Blessing  Promised. —  John  is  commanded  by  a  voice 
from  heaven  to  write,  "  Blessed  are^  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth ;  "  and  the  response  of  the  Spirit  is, 
"  Yea,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors ;  and  their  works 
do  follow  them."  "  From  henceforth  "  must  signify  from  some 
particular  point  of  time.  What  point  ?  —  Evidently  from  the 
commencement  of  the  message  in  connection  Avith  which  this 
is  spoken.  But  why  are  those  who  die  after  this  point  of  time 
blessed  ?  '  There  must  be  some  special  reason  for  pronouncing 
this  benediction  upon  them.  Is  it  not  because  thoy  escape  the 
time  of  fearful  peril  which  the  saints  are  to  encounter  as  they 
close  their  pilgrimage  ?  And  while  they  are  thus  blessed  in 
common  with  all  the  righteous  dead,  they  have  an  advantage 
over  them  in  being,  doubtless,  that  company  spoken  of  in  Dan. 
12:2,  who  are  raised  to  everlasting  life  at  the  standing  up  of 
Michael.  Thus,  escaping  the  perils  through  which  the  rest 
of  the  144,000  pass,  they  rise,  and  share  with  them  in  their 
final  triumph  here,  and  occupy  with  them  their  pre-eminent 
place   in  the  kingdom.^       Tn   this   way,   m'o   understand,    their 

■■  Those  wlio  (lie  after  liaviiiK  heeonic  identified  witii  tlie  third  anprel's  inessaRC, 
arc  cvidintly  iiuiiibcred  as  a  part  of  the  1  14,(MHI;  for  this  message  is  the  same  as  the 
sealing  messaKe  of  Revelation  7,  and  by  that  message  only  144, ()(M)  were  sealed. 
But  there  are  many  who  have  had  their  entire  religious  experience  under  this  message, 
but    have   fallen   in    death.       They   die   in   the   I.ord,    and    hence   are   counted    as   sealed; 


Cl[ AFTER  IJ,.   VERSES  13  -  Id  Tiil 

Avorks  loUow  tlicin:  these  works  arc  held  iu  n'liicmbrauec,  to 
he  rewarded  at  the  judi>iueiit;  and  the  persons  receive  the  same 
recompense  lliat  they  wonhl  have  had,  had  they  liv(>d  and  failh- 
fnlly  en(hire(l  all  the  ])ei-ils  of  the  time  of  trouble. 

It  will  l)e  jioticed  that  in  this  line  of  prophecy,  three  angels 
])reeede  the  Son  of  man  on  the  white  cloud,  and  thre(;  are  in- 
troduced after  that  synihol.  The  opinion  has  already  been 
exjiressed  that  literal  angels  are  engaged  in  the  scenes  here 
deseribcil.  The  first  three  have  charge  of  the  three  si)ecial 
messages,  and  nuiy  also  symbolize  a  body  of  religious  teachers. 
The  message  of  the  fourth  angel  is  evidently  to  be  uttered  after 
the  Son  of  nnm,  having  finished  his  priestly  work,  takes  his 
seat  upon  the  white  cloud,  but  before  he  appears  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven.  As  the  language  is  addressed  to  Him  Avho  is  seated 
U])on  the  white  cloud,  having  in  his  hand  a  sharp  sickle  ready 
to  reap,  it  must  denote  a  message  of  prayer  on  the  part  of  the 
church,  after  their  work  for  the  world  is  done  and  probation 
has  ceased,  and  nothing  remains  hut  for  the  Lord  to  a})pear 
and  take  his  people  to  himself.  It  is  doubtless  the  day-and- 
night  cry  spoken  of  liy  our  Tord  in  Luke  18:7,  8  in  connec- 
tion with  the  coming  of  tlie  Son  of  man.  And  this  prayer 
will  he  answered;  the  elect  will  l)e  avenged;  for  does  not  the 
parable  read,  "'.Vnd  shall  not  God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which 
cry  day  and  night  unto  him  i  ''  He  that  is  seated  ui)on  the 
cloud  will  thrust  in  his  sickle,  and  the  saints,  under  the  figure 
of  the  wheat  of  tlu^  earth,  will  be  gathered  into  th(»  lunivenly 
garner. 

77u'  ]\li('((/  (ianicrcd. —  "And  he  that  sat  on  tlu^  cloud," 
says  the  prophecy,  "  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the  earth;  and  the 
earth  was  rea])e(l."  ]!y  this  language  we  are  carried  down 
past   the   second   advent,    with    its   accompanying  scenes  of  de- 

for  they  will  be  saved.  P>ut  the  message  results  in  the  scaling  of  only  144, (MWI; 
therefore  these  must  be  included  in  that  number.  P.eing  raised  in  the  special  resur- 
rection (Dan.  12:12;  kcv.  1:7)  which  occurs  when  the  voice  of  God  is  uttered 
from  the  temple,  at  the  beginning  of  the  .seventh  and  last  plague  ( Kev.  10:17;  Joel 
;!:  10;  Ilcb.  VI:  l-'O),  they  pass  through  the  iitriod  of  that  iilague,  and  hence  may  he 
.said  to  come  "out  of  great  tribulation  "  (Kev.  7:14),  and  being  raised  from  the 
grave  only  to  mortal  lite,  tluy  lake  their  stand  with  believers  who  have  not  died, 
.T!id  with  them  receive  immortality  at  the  last  trump  (1  Cor.  ir»:  ~vl),  being  then, 
with  llie  others,  changed  in  :i  moment,  in  tlie  twinkling  of  an  eye.  Thus,  thongti 
they  have  jiassed  thrt)Ugh  tlie  grave,  it  can  he  said  of  them  at  last,  that  they  are 
"redeemed  from  among  men''  (Kev.  14:4),  that  is,  from  among  the  living;  for  the 
coming  of  Christ  finds  them  among  the  living,  waiting  for  the  change  to  innnortality. 
like    those    who    have    not    <lied,    and    as    if    they    themselves    had    never    ilird. 


702  THE  REVELATION 

struction  to  the  wicked  and  salvation  to  the  righteous.  Be- 
yond these  scenes  we  must  therefore  look  for  the  application 
of  the  following  verses: — 

Verse  17.  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  which  is  in 
heaven,  he  also  having-  a  sharp  sickle.  18.  And  another  angel  came 
out  from  the  altar,  which  had  power  over  fire;  and  cried  with  a  loud 
cry  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying,  Thrust  in  thy  sharp 
sickle,  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth ;  for  her  grapes 
are  f  idly  ripe.  19.  And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the  earth, 
and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into  the  great  wine- 
press of  the  wrath  of  God.  20.  And  the  winepress  was  trodden  with- 
out the  city,  and  blood  came  out  of  the  winepress,  even  unto  the 
horse  bridles,  by  the  space  of  a  thousand  and  six  hundred  furlongs. 

The  Winepress  of  God's  Wrath. —  The  last  two  angels  have 
to  do  with,  the  wicked, —  the  wicked,  most  titly  represented  by 
the  bloated  and  purple  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth.  May 
it  not  be  that  the  closing  doom  of  that  class  at  the  end  of  the 
thousand  years  is  here  presented,  the  prophecy  thus  making 
a  final  disposition  of  both  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ;  the 
righteous  clothed  with  immortality,  and  safely  established  in 
the  kingdom,  the  wicked  perishing  around  the  city  at  the  time 
of  its  ultimate  location  u})on  the  earth  ? 

,  This  can  hardly  be  applied  at  the  time  of  the  second  ad- 
vent; for  events  are  here  given  in  chronological  order;  and  the 
destruction  of  the  wicked  would  be  contemporaneous  with  the 
gathering  of  the  righteous.  Again,  the  living  wicked  at 
Christ's  coming  drink  of  the  "  cup  "  of  his  indignation ;  but 
this  passage  brings  to  view  the  time  when  tliey  perish  in  the 
"  winepress  "  of  his  wrath,  which  is  said  to  be  trodden  ''  with- 
out the  city,"  answering  completely  to  the  description  of  Rev. 
20:  9;  and  this  latter  expression  would  more  naturally  denote 
llieir  complete   and  final   dc^struction. 

The  angel  comes  out  of  the  teni])le,  wlun-e  the  records  are 
kept  and  tlie  ]mnishment  is  determined.  The  other  angel  has 
])(i\V('r  over  fire.  This  may  have  some  connection  with  the  fact 
tliat  fire  is  tlu^  element  by  which  the  wicked  are  at  last  to  be 
<lestroy(Ml,  although,  to  carry  out  the  figure^  the  wicked,  having 
Ix'cii  likened  to  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  enrtli,  are  said 
to  be  cast  into  the  great  \viue})ress,  which  is  trodden  vilhoiit 


CIIAl'TEJi  11,.  VERSES  17  -  JO  763 

the  city.  And  l)loud  comes  out  of  the  winepress,  even  to  the 
liorses'  bridles.  \\\^,  know  that  the  \vicked  are  doomed  to  be 
swallowed  up  at  last  in  a  Hood  of  all-devouring  flame  descend- 
ing from  God  out  of  heaven;  but  what  preceding  slaughter 
may  take  place  among  the  doomed  host,  we  know  not.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  this  language  will  be  literally  fultillod. 
As  the  iirst  four  angels  of  this  series  denoted  a  marked  move- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  people  of  God,  the  last  two  may  denote 
the  same ;  for  the  saints  are  to  have  some  part  to  act  in  meting 
out  and  executing  the  final  punishment  of  the  wicked.  1  Cor. 
(5:2;  Ps.  149  :  9. 

Tlie  Saints  Triumpliaiii. —  Thus  closes  this  chain  of  proph- 
ecy —  closes  as  others  close,  with  the  complete  triumph  of  God 
and  Christ  over  all  tlioir  foes,  and  with  the  glorious  salvation 
that  awaits  the  faithful  follow^ers  of  the  Prince  of  life,  for- 
ever secured. 


THIS  elmptcr  introduces  tlie  seven  last  plagues,   a  mani- 
festation of  Heaven's  unniingled  wrath,  and  the  fuhiess 
of   its   measure,   for  the  last   generation  of   the  Avieked. 
The  Avork  of  mercy  is  then  forever  2)ast. 

Verse  1.  And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven,  great  and  marvelous, 
seven  angels  having  the  seven  last  plagues ;  for  in  them  is  tilled  up  the 
wrath  of  God.  2.  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled  with 
fire :  and  them  tliat  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over 
liis  image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name,  stand 
on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God.  3.  And  they  sing  the 
song  of  Moses  the  servant  of  God,  and  ihe  song  of  tlie  Lamb,  saying. 
Great  and  marveloiis  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty;  just  and 
true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints.  4.  Who  shall  not  fear  thee, 
O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ?  for  thou  only  art  holy :  for  all  nations 
shall  come  and  worshii)  before  thee;  for  thy  judgments  are  made 
manifest.  5.  And  after  that  I  looked,  and,  behold,  the  temple  of 
the  tabernacle  of  the  lestimony  in  heaven  was  opened:  6.  And  the 
seven  angels  came  out  of  the  temple,  having  the  seven  plagues,  clothed 
in  pure  and  white  linen,  and  having  their  breasts  girded  with  golden 
girdles.  7.  And  one  of  the  four  beasts  gave  uuto  the  seven  angels 
seven  golden  vials  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  forever  and 
ever.  8.  And  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke  froui  the  glory  of  God, 
and  from  his  i)ower:  and  no  man  was  able  to  enter  into  the  temple, 
till  the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  fulfilled. 

A  Preparatory  Scene. —  Thus  reads  the  fifteenth  chapter 
entire.  I)y  it  wo,  arc  carried  hack  to  a  new  series  of  events. 
The  wliole  cha])ter  is  hut  an  introduction  to  \\\o  most  teri'ilic 
judgments  of  the  Almighty  that  ever  have  heen,  or  are  to  he, 
N'isited  u])on  tliis  earth  in  its  ]n'esont  state;  namely,  llie  sevcMi 
last  plagues.       I'lic  most  that  we  here  heliohl   is  a  solemn  ]irep- 


CHAPTER  15,  VERSES  1-8  705 

aration  for  the  outpouring  of  these  unmixed  vials.  Verse  5 
shows  that  these  phigucs  fall  after  the  close  of  the  ministra- 
tion in  the  sanctuary ;  for  the  temple  is  opened  before  they  are 
i:)Oured  out.  They  are  given  in  charge  to  seven  angels,  and 
these  angels  are  clothed  in  linen  pure  and  white,  a  lit  emblem 
of  the  purity  of  God's  righteousness  and  justice  in  the  inflic- 
tion of  these  judgments.  They  receive  these  vials  from  one  of 
the  four  beasts,  or  living  creatures.  These  living  beings  were 
proved  (see  on  chajiter  4)  to  be  a  class  of  Christ's  assistants 
in  his  sanctuary  work.  How  appropriate,  then,  that  they 
should  be  the  ones  to  deliver  to  the  ministers  of  vengeance 
the  vials  of  the  wrath  to  be  poured  upon  those  who  have  slighted 
Christ's  luercy,  abused  his  long-suft'ering,  heaped  contumely 
upon  his  name,  and  crucified  him  afresh  in  the  treatment  of 
his  follow^ers !  AVhile  the  seven  angels  are  performing  their 
fearful  mission,  the  temple  is  filled  with  the  glory  of  God, 
and  no  man — ovBtU  (oiidels),  no  one,  no  being,  referring  to 
Christ  and  his  heavenly  assistants  —  can  enter  therein.  This 
shows  that  the  work  of  mercy  is  closed,  as  there  is  no  minis- 
tration in  the  sanctuary  during  the  infliction  of  the  plagues; 
hence  they  are  manifestations  of  the  wrath  of  God  without  any 
mixture  of  mercy. 

God's  People  Eememhered. —  In  this  scene  the  people  of 
God  are  not  forgotten.  The  prophet  is  permitted  to  anticipate 
a  little  in  verses  2-4,  and  behold  them  as  victors  upon  the  sea 
of  glass  as  it  were  mingled  with  fire,  or  sparkling  and  refulgent 
with  the  glory  of  God,  singing  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Land). 
The  sea  of  glass,  upon  which  these  victors  stand,  is  the  same  as 
that  brought  to  view  in  chapter  4:  6,  which  was  before  the 
throne  in  heaven.  And  as  we  have  no  evidence  that  it  has  yet 
changed  its  location,  and  the  saints  are  seen  upon  it,  we  have 
here  indubitable  proof,  in  connection  with  chapter  14:1-5, 
that  the  saints  are  taken  to  heaven  to  receive  a  portion  of  their 
reward.  Thus,  like  the  bright  sun  bursting  through  the  mid- 
night cloud,  some  scene  is  presented,  or  some  promise  given, 
to  the  humble  followers  of  the  Lamb,  in  every  hour  of  tempta- 
tion, as  if  to  assure  and  reassure  them  of  God's  love  and  care 
for  them,  an<l  of  the  certaintv  of  their  final  reward.      Verilv 


706  THE  REVELATION 

the  words  of  the  proi)het  are  aiiioiig  the  true  sayings  of  God : 
"  Say  je  to  the  righteous,  that  it  shall  be  well  with  him;  "  but 
"  Woe  unto  the  wicked !  it  shall  be  ill  with  him."  Isa.  3  : 
10,  11. 

The  song  the  victors  sing,  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb, 
given  here  in  epitome  in  these  words :  "  Great  and  marvelous 
are  thj  works.  Lord  God  Almighty;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways, 
thou  King  of  saints,"  is  a  song  of  infinite  grandeur.  How 
comprehensive  in  its  terms !  how  sublime  in  its  theme !  It 
appeals  to  the  works  of  God  which  are  a  manifestation  of  his 
glory.  Witli  immortal  vision  the  saints  will  be  able  to  com- 
prehend them  as  they  cannot  here ;  and  yet  astronomy  reveals 
enough  to  fill  all  hearts  with  admiration.  From  our  little 
Avorld  we  j)ass  out  to  our  sun  ninety-three  million  miles  away; 
on  to  its  nearest  neighboring  sun,  nineteen  thousand  million 
miles  away;  on  to  the  great  double  pole-star,  from  which  it 
takes  light,  in  its  electric  flight  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-two 
thousand  miles  a  second,  forty  years  to  reach  our  world ;  on 
past  systems,  groups,  constellations,  till  we  reach  the  great  star 
Alcyone,  in  the  Pleiades,  shining  with  the  power  of  tw^elve  thou- 
sand suns  like  ours !  What,  then,  must  be  the  grand  center 
around  which  these  myriads  of  shining  orbs  revolve!  Well 
may  the  song  be  raised,  "  Great  and  marvelous  are  thy  works." 
But  the  song  covers  another  field  also  - — •  the  field  of  God's 
providence  and  grace :  "  Just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou 
King  of  saints."  All  the  dealings  of  God  with  all  his  crea- 
tures in  the  eyes  of  the  redeemed,  and  the  sight  of  all  worlds, 
will  be  forever  vindicated.  After  all  our  blindness,  all  our 
perplexities,  all  our  trials,  we  shall  be  able  to  exclaim  at  last 
in  the  exuberance  of  satisfied  joy,  "  Just  and  true  are  thy 
ways,  thou  King  of  saints." 


^_,,  CHAPTER  XVill 

ilt«)llll|l||l.h)ll>l||,|!;llll|ill<IJtllll|||||l||l||l|||lll|||l||ll|ll||imi||ll.|ill|il{i:ill>n 

^The  Plagues 


■^<v 


THIS  chapter  gives  a  description  of  the  seven  vials  of  the 
nnniingled  wrath  of  God,  and  the  effects  that  follow  as 
they  are  ponred  npon  the  earth.  Concerning  the  char- 
acter and  chronology  of  these  plagnes,  there  is  a  difference  of 
opinion  among  Bihle  readers.  Onr  first  inquiry  therefore  is, 
AVhat  is  the  true  position  on  these  points  ?  Are  they  synihol- 
ical,  and  mostly  fulfilled  in  the  past,  as  some  contend  ?  or  are 
they  literal,  and  all  future,  as  others  no  less  confidently  affirm  i 
A  brief  examination  of  the  testimony  will,  we  think,  conclu- 
sively settle  these  questions. 

Verse  1.  And  I  heard  a  erreat  voice  out  of  the  temple  saying  to  the 
seven  angels,  Go  your  ways,  and  ])our  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of 
God  upon  the  earth.  2.  And  the  first  went,  and  poured  out  his  vial 
npon  the  earth ;  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  luion  the 
men  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  upon  them  which  wor- 
shifjed  his  image. 

Tlie  Chronology  of  the  Placjues. —  The  description  of  this 
plague  clearly  reveals  at  once  their  chronology ;  for  it  is  poured 
out  upon  those  who  have  tlu^  mark  of  the  beast,  and  who  wor- 
ship his  image,  —  tlie  identical  work  agaiust  which  the  thirtl 
angel  warns  us.  This  is  conclusive  proof  that  these  judgments 
are  not  poured  out  till  after  this  angel  closes  his  work,  and 
that  the  very  class  who  liear  his  warning,  and  reject  it,  are 
the  ones  to  receive  the  first  drops  from  the  overflowing  vials 
of  God's  indignation.  INTow,  if  these  ])lagues  are  in  the  past, 
the   iiiiaiic  of  the  beast  and  his  worship  are  in  the  ])ast.       Tf 

(TOT) 


7G8  THE  REV  JURATION 

these  are  jjast,  the  two-horned  Ijeast,  which  makes  this  image, 
and  his  work,  are  in  the  past.  If  these  are  past,  then  the 
tliird  angel's  message,  which  warns  ns  in  reference  to  this 
work,  is  in  the  past ;  and  if  this  is  past, —  that  is,  ages  in  the 
past,  where  this  view  locates  the  commencement  of  the  plagnes, 
—  then  the  first  and  second  messages,  which  precede  that, 
were  also  ages  in  the  past.  Then  the  prophetic  periods,  on 
wliich  the  messages  are  based,  especially  the  2300  days,  ended 
ages  ago.  And  if  this  is  so,  the  seventy  weeks  of  Daniel  D 
are  thrown  wholly  into  the  Jewish  dispensation,  and  the  great 
jn-oof  of  the  Messiahship  of  Christ  is  destroyed.  But  it  has 
been  shown  on  chapters  7,  13,  and  14,  that  the  first  and  second 
messages  have  been  given  in  our  o%vn  day;  that  the  third  is 
now  in  process  of  accomplishment ;  that  the  two-horned  beast 
has  come  upon  the  stage  of  action,  and  is  preparing  to  do  the 
work  assigned  him;  and  that  the  formation  of  the  image  and 
the  enforcement  of  the  worship  are  just  in  the  future.  And 
unless  all  these  positions  can  be  overthrown,  the  seven  last 
plagues  must  also  be  assigned  wholly  to  the  future. 

But  there  are  other  reasons  for  locating  them  in  the  future 
and  not  in  the  past. 

1.  Under  the  fifth  plague,  men  blaspheme  God  because  of 
th(nr  sores,  the  same  sores,  of  course,  caused  by  the  outpouring 
of  the  first  plague.  This  shows  that  these  plagues  all  fall  upon 
one  and  tlie  same  generation  of  men,  some  being,  no  doubt, 
swept  off  by  each  one,  yet  some  surviving  through  the  terrild(> 
scenes  of  them  all ;  a  fact  utterly  subversive  of  the  positic^n  that 
they  commenced  far  in  the  past,  and  occujjy  centuries  each  in 
their  fidfilment,  for  how,  then,  could  those  Avho  ex])ericn('»»' 
the  first  ]ilagiie  !)(>  ali\'e  under  tlie  fifth? 

2.  These  plagues  are  the  wiiK^  of  God's  M^ratli  without  mix- 
ture, threatened  l)y  the  third  angel.  CHiai)ter  14:10;  15:1. 
Such  languagi^  cannot  be  applied  to  any  judgments  visited 
upon  tlie  (>arth  wliile  (*ln-ist  pleads  between  his  Fathcu-  and  our 
fallen  race ;  hence  we  nnist  locate  them  in  the  future,  when 
]irobation  shall  have  closed. 

3.  Another  and  UKU-e  definite  testimony  as  to  the  counnence- 
mciit   and   duration  oi  these  plagues  is  found   in  chajiter   15: 


CIIM'TKIl   Ui.   Vl'Jh'SI'JS  1.  -  7(;<) 

8:  "Aiul  the  t('iii])l('  was  tilled  \\\\\i  sniukc!  froui  the  glorv  of 
(xod,  and  from  his  power;  and  no  man  was  able  to  enter  into 
the  temple,  till  the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  ful- 
tilled.''  The  temple  liere  introduced  is  evidently  that  which 
is  mentioned  in  chai)t('r  11  :  10,  Avhere  it  says,  "  The  temple  of 
God  was  o])oned  in  heaven,  and  there  was  seen  in  his  tem})le 
the  ark  of  his  testament."  In  other  words,  we  have  l)efore  ns 
the  heavenly  sanctuary.  The  testimony  is,  tlien,  that  when  the 
seven  angels  with  the  seven  golden  vials  receive  their  com- 
mission, the  temple  is  filled  with  smoke  from  the  glory  of  God, 
and  no  being  can  enter  into  the  temple,  or  sanctuary,  till  they 
have  fultilled  their  work;  there  will  therefore  be  no  ministra- 
tion in  the  sanctuary  during  this  time.  Consequently,  these 
vials  are  not  poured  out  till  the  close  of  the  ministration  in  the 
tabernacle  above,  but  immediately  follow  that  event;  for  Christ 
is  then  no  longer  a  mediator ;  mercy,  which  has  long  stayed 
the  hand  of  vengeance,  pleads  no  more ;  the  servants  of  God 
are  all  sealed.  "What  could  then  be  expected  but  that  the 
"'  storm  of  vengeance  should  fall,"  and  earth  bo  swept  with 
the  besom  of  destruction  ? 

Having  now  shown  the  chronology  of  these  judgments,  that 
they  are  before  us  in  the  very  near  future,  treasured  up  against 
the  day  of  wrath,  we  proceed  to  inquire  into  their  nature,  and 
what  Avill  result  when  the  solemn  and  fearful  mandate  shall  go 
forth  from  the  temple  to  the  seven  angels,  saying,  "  Go  yonr 
ways,  and  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  th(> 
earth."  Here  we  are  called  to  look  into  the  "  armory  "  of 
the  Lord,  and  behold  the  "  weapons  of  his  indignation."  -Ter. 
50:25.  Here  are  brought  forth  the  treasures  of  hail,  which 
have  been  reserved  against  the  time  of  trouble,  against  the 
day  of  battle  and  war.      Job  38:  22,  23. 

Tlie  First  PJcujuo. — '^\nd  the  first  went,  and  poured  out 
his  vial  upon  the  earth ;  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous 
sore  upon  the  men  wliich  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  upon 
them  which  worshiped  his  image." 

There  is  no  apparent  reason  why  this  should  not  be  rc^- 
garded  as  strictlv  literal.  These  plagues  are  almost  identical 
with  those  which  God  inflicted  upon  the  Egyptians  as  he  was 


770  THE  liEVELATIOX 

about  to  deliver  his  people  from  the  yoke  of  bondage,  the  liter- 
ality  of  which  is  seldom,  if  ever,  called  in  question.  God  is 
now  aUout  to  crown  his  peoi)le  with  their  linal  deliverance  and 
redemj^tion,  and  his  judgments  will  be  manifested  in  a  nnmner 
no  less  literal  and  terrible.  What  the  sore  here  threatened  is, 
we  are  not  informed.  Perhaps  it  may  be  similar  to  the  parallel 
plague  which  fell  upon  Egypt.       Ex.   D:S-11. 

Verse  3.  And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  iii)ou  the  sea; 
and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man;  and  every  living  soul  died 
in  the  sea. 

The  Second  Plague. —  A  more  infectious  and  deadly  sub- 
stance can  scarcely  be  conceived  of  than  the  blood  of  a  dead 
man ;  and  the  thought  that  the  great  bodies  of  water  on  the 
earth,  which  are  doubtless  meant  by  the  term  sea,  will  be 
changed  to  such  a  state  under  this  plague,  presents  a  fearfid 
picture.  We  have  here  the  remarkable  fact  that  the  term 
living  soul  is  applied  to  irrational  animals,  the  fish  and  living 
creatures  of  the  sea.  This  is,  we  believe,  the  only  instance 
of  such  an  application  in  the  English  Version ;  in  the  origi- 
nal, however,  it  occurs  frequently;  showing  that  tli3  term  as 
applied  to  man  in  the  beginning  (Gen.  2:7)  cannot  be  taken 
as  furnishing  any  evidence  that  he  is  endowed  with  an  imma- 
terial and  innnortal  essence,  called  the  soul. 

Verse  4.  And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers 
and  fountains  of  waters;  and  they  became  blood.  5.  And*"!  heard 
the  angel  of  the  waters  say.  Thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord,  which  art, 
and  wast,  and  shalt  be,  because  thou  hast  judged  thus.  6.  For  they 
have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  and  thou  hast  given  them 
blood  to  drink ;  for  they  are  worthy.  7.  And  1  heard  another  out 
of  the  altar  say,  Even  so.  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  arc 
thy  judgments. 

The  Third  Plague. —  Such  is  the  description  of  the  terrible 
retribution  for  tlie  "  blood  of  saints  "  shed  by  A'iolent  hands, 
which  will  be  given  to  those  who  have  done,  or  wish  to  do, 
such  deeds.  And  though  the  horrors  of  that  hour  when  the 
fountains  and  rivers  of  Avater  shall  be  like  blood,  cannot  now 
be  realized,  tlie  justice  of  God  will  stand  vindicat(Ml,  and  his 
judgments  ai)proved.      Even  the  angels  are  heard  exclaiming, 


THE      SEVEN     ANGELS      POURING     OUT     THE     SEVEN      LAST      PLAGUES 


CHAPTER  JO,  VERSES  J^- 11  773 

Tliou  art  righteous,  O  Lord,  because  tliou  hast  judge*!  thus; 
lor  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets.  Even 
so,  Lord  God  Ahnighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy  judgments. 

It  may  be  asked  how  the  last  generation  of  the  wicked  can 
be  said  to  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  since  the 
last  generation  of  saints  are  not  to  be  slain.  A  reference  to 
]\ratt.  23 :  3-i,  35 ;  1  John  3 :  15,  will  explain.  These  scrip- 
tures show  that  guilt  attaches  to  motive  no  less  than  to  action; 
and  no  generation  ever  formed  a  more  determined  purpose  to 
devote  the  saints  to  indiscriminate  slaughter  than  the  present 
generation  will,  not  far  in  the  future.  (See  chapter  12:  17; 
13:  15.)  In  motive  and  purpose,  they  do  shed  the  blood  of 
saints  and  prophets,  and  are  every  whit  as  guilty  as  if  they 
were  able  to  carry  out  their  wicked  intentions. 

It  would  seem  that  none  of  the  human  family  could  long 
survive  a  continuance  of  a  plague  so  terrible  as  this.  It  must 
therefore  be  limited  in  its  duration,  as  was  the  similar  one  on 
Egypt.      Ex.  7:17-  21,  25. 

Yerse  8.  And  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sun; 
and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  scorch  men  with  fire.  9.  And  men 
were  scorched  with  great  heat,  and  blasphemed  the  name  of  God, 
which  hath  power  over  these  plagues;  and  they  repented  not  to  give 
him  glory. 

The  Fourth  Plague. —  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  every 
succeeding  plague  tends  to  augment  the  calamity  of  the  j)re- 
vious  ones  and  to  heighten  the  anguish  of  the  guilty  sufferers. 
We  have  now  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  preying  upon  men, 
inflaming  their  blood,  and  pouring  its  feverish  influence  through 
their  veins.  In  addition  to  this,  they  have  only  blood  to  allay 
their  burning  thirst ;  and,  as  if  to  crown  all,  power  is  given 
unto  the  sun,  and  he  pours  upon  them  a  flood  of  liquid  fire, 
and  they  are  scorched  with  great  heat.  Here,  as  the  record 
runs,  their  woe  first  seeks  utterance  in  fearful  blasphemy. 

Vkrsk  10.  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  seat  of 
the  beast;  and  liis  kingdom  was  fidl  of  darkness;  and  they  gnawed 
their  tongues  for  pain.  11.  And  hlasi)hemed  the  God  of  heaven  be- 
cause of  their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not  of  their  deeds. 


774  THE  REVELATION 

The  Fifth  Plague. —  Au  important  fact  is  established  by 
this  testimony ;  namely,  that  the  plagues  do  not  at  once  destroy 
all  their  victims ;  for  some  who  were  at  first  smitten  with  sores, 
we  find  still  living  under  the  fifth  vial,  and  gnawing  their 
tongues  for  pain.  An  illustration  of  this  vial  will  be  found  in 
Ex.  10:21-23.  It  is  poured  upon  the  seat  of  the  beast,  the 
papacy.  The  seat  of  the  beast  is  wherever  the  papal  Sec  is 
located,  which  has  been  thus  far,  and  without  doubt  will  con- 
tinue to  be,  the  city  of  Rome.  "•  His  kingdom  "  probably 
embraces  all  those  who  are  subjects  of  the  pope  in  an  ecclesi- 
astical point  of  view,  where^'er  they  may  be. 

As  those  who  place  the  plagues  in  the  past  have  the  first 
five  already  wholly  accomplished,  we  here  pause  a  moment  to 
inquire  Avlicre,  in  past  ages,  the  judgments  here  threatened 
have  been  fulfilled.  Can  judgiuents  so  terrible  be  inflicted, 
and  nobody  know  it  ^  If  not,  where  is  the  history  of  the  ful- 
filment I  When  did  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  fall  upon  a 
specified  and  extensive  portion  of  mankind  ?  AVhen  did  the 
sea  become  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man,  and  every  living  soul 
die  in  it?  "When  did  the  fountains  and  rivers  become  bl®od, 
and  people  have  blood  to  drink  ?  When  did  the  sun  so  scorch 
men  with  fire  as  to  extort  :^-<)m  them  curses  and  blasphemy  ? 
And  when  did  the  subjects  of  the  beast  gnaw  their  tongues  for 
pain,  and  at  the  same  time  blaspheme  God  on  account  of  their 
sores  ?  Interpreters  who  thus  put  such  scenes  in  the  past, 
where  a  shadow  of  fulfilment  cannot  be  shown,  openly  invite 
the  scoffs  and  ridicule  of  tlie  skeptically  minded  against  God's 
holy  book,  and  furnish  them  with  potent  weapons  for  their  de- 
plorable work.  In  these  plagues,  says  Inspiration,  is  filled  up 
the  wrath  of  God  ;  but  if  they  can  be  fulfilled  and  nobody  know 
it,  M'ho  shall  henceforth  consider  his  wrath  so  terrible  a  thing, 
or  shrink  from  his  judgments  when  they  are  threatened  ? 

Ykrse  12.  And  the  sixth  anpel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  p'reat 
river  Eujihi-atos;  and  Iho  water  thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way 
of  the  kings  of  the  east  might  be  prepared.  13.  And  I  saw  three  un- 
clean spirits  like  frogs  come  ont  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  ont 
of  tlie  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  iirophet. 
14.  For  they  are  the  s])irits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  which  go  fortli 
unto  tlie  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  tlie  whole  world,  to  gather  them  to 


CHAPTER  16,  VERSES  12-16  775 

the  battle  of  that  great  clay  of  God  Almighty.  15.  Behold,  I  come  as 
a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest 
he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame.  16.  And  he  gathered  them  to- 
gether into  a  place  called  in  the  Plebrew  tongue  Armageddon. 

The  Sixth  Plague. —  What  is  the  great  River  Euphrates, 
upon  which  this  vial  is  poured  out  'I  —  One  view  is  that  it 
is  the  literal  River  Euphrates  in  Asia ;  another  is  that  it  is 
a  symbol  of  the  nation  occupying  the  territory  through  which 
that  river  flows.  The  latter  opinion  is  preferable  for  the  fol- 
lowing reasons  :— 

1.  It  would  be  Jifticult  to  see  what  end  would  be  gained  by 
the  drying  up  of  the  literal  river,  as  that  would  not  offer  an 
obstruction  at  all  serious  to  the  progress  of  an  advancing  army; 
and  it  should  be  noticed  that  the  drying  up  takes  place  to  pre- 
pare the  way  of  the  l-'ings  of  the  East ;  that  is,  regular  military 
organizations,  and  not  a  promiscuous  and  unequipped  crowd  of 
2nen,  women,  and  children,  like  the  children  of  Israel  at  the 
Red  Sea  or  at  the  Jordan.  The  Euphrates  is  only  about  1,400 
miles  in  length,  or  about  one  third  the  size  of  the  Mississippi. 
Cyrus,  without  difficulty,  turned  the  whole  river  from  its  chan- 
nel at  his  siege  of  Babylon ;  and  notwithstanding  the  numer- 
ous wars  that  have  been  carried  on  along  its  banks,  and  the 
mighty  hosts  that  have  ci'ossed  and  recrossed  its  streams,  it 
never  yet  had  to  be  dried  up  to  let  them  pass. 

2.  It  w^ould  be  as  necessary  to  dry  up  the  River  Tigris  as 
the  Euphrates;  for  that  is  nearly  as  large  as  the  latter.  Its 
source  is  only  fifteen  miles  from  that  of  the  Euphrates,  in  the 
mountains  of  Armenia,  and  it  runs  nearly  parallel  with  it,  and 
but  a  short  distance  from  it  throughout  its  whole  course;  yet 
the  prophecy  says  nothing  of  the  Tigris. 

8.  The  literal  drying  up  of  the  rivers  takes  place  under  the 
fourth  vial,  when  jiower  is  given  to  the  sun  to  scorch  men  with 
fire.  Under  this  plague  occur,  beyond  question,  the  scenes  of 
drought  and  famine  so  graphically  described  by  Joel,  chapter 
1 :  1-i  -  20 ;  and  as  one  result  of  these,  it  is  expressly  stated  that 
''  the  rivers  of  waters  are  dried  up."  The  Euphrates  can 
hardly  be  an  exception  to  this  visitation  of  drought;  hence 
'49 


776  THE  REVELATION 

not  much  would  remain  to  be  literally  dried  up  under  the  sixth 
vial. 

These  plagues,  from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  must  be 
manifestations  of  wrath  and  judgments  upon  men;  but  if  the 
drying  \\^  of  the  literal  Euphrates  is  all  that  is  brought  to 
view,  this  plague  is  not  of  such  a  nature,  and  turns  out  to 
be  no  serious  affair,   after  all. 

These  objections  existing  against  considering  it  a  literal 
river,  it  must  be  understood  figuratively  as  symbolizing  the 
power  holding  possession  of  the  territory  watered  by  that  river, 
which  is  the  Ottoman,  or  Turkish,  empire. 

1.  It  is  so  used  in  other  places  in  the  Scriptures.  (See 
Isa.  8 :  T ;  Rev.  9:  1-1.)  In  this  latter  text,  all  must  concede 
that  the  Euphrates  symbolizes  the  Turkish  power;  and  being 
the  first  and  only  other  occurrence  of  the  word  in  the  Revela- 
tion, it  may  well  be  considered  as  governing  its  use  in  this 
book. 

2.  The  drying  up  of  the  river  in  this  sense  would  be  the 
consumption  of  the  Turkish  emjiire,  accompanied  with  more  or 
less  destruction  of  its  subjects.  Thus  wo  should  have  literal 
judgments  upon  men  as  the  result  of  this  plague,  as  in  the 
case  of  all  the  others.         * 

But  it  may  be  objected  to  this,  that  while  contending  f()r 
the  literality  of  the  plagues,  we  nevertheless  make  one  of  them 
a  syiubol.  We  answer,  No.  A  power  is  introduced,  it  is  true, 
under  the  sixth  vial,  in  its  symbolic  form,  just  as  it  is  under 
the  fifth,  where  we  read  of  the  seat  of  the  beast,  wliich  is  a 
well-known  symbol ;  or  as  we  read  again  in  the  first  jdague  of 
the  mark  of  the  beast,  his  image,  and  its  worship,  wliich  nro 
also  symbols.  All  that  is  here  insisted  upon,  is  the  literality 
of  the  judgments  that  result  from  each  vial,  which  are  literal  in 
this  case  as  in  all  the  others,  though  the  organizations  which 
suffer  tliese  judgments  may  be  brought  to  view  in  their  sym- 
bolic form. 

Again :  It  may  be  asked  how  the  way  of  the  kings  of  the 
East  will  be  prepared  by  the  drying  up,  or  consumption,  of 
the  Ottoman  poAver  ?  Tlie  answer  is  obvious.  For  what  is  the 
way  of  these  kings  to  be  prepared  ?      Answer :  To  come  vl\)  to 


CHAPTER  16,  VERSES  12 -IG  777 

the  battle  of  the  great  (hiy  of  God  Ahuighty.  Where  id  the 
battle  to  be  fought^ — Near  Jerusalem.  (Joel  and  Zepha- 
niah. )  i^ut  Jerusalem  is  iu  the  bauds  of  the  Turks;  they 
hold  possession  of  the  laud  of  Palestiue  and  the  sacred  sepul- 
ehers.  This  is  the  bone  of  contention ;  on  these  the  nations 
have  fixed  their  covetous  and  jealous  eyes.  But  though  Turkey 
now  possesses  them,  and  others  Avant  them,  it  is  nevertheless 
thought  necessary  to  the  trancpiillity  of  Euro})e  that  Turkey 
should  be  maintained  in  her  position,  in  order  to  preserve  what 
is  called  the  ''  balance  of  power."  For  this  the  Christian  na- 
tions of  Europe  have  co-operated  to  sustain  the  integrity  of 
the  sultan's  throne,  because  they  cannot  agree  as  to  the  division 
of  the  spoils,  when  Turkey  falls.  ]5y  their  sufferance  alone 
that  government  now  exists,  and  when  they  shall  withdraw 
their  support,  and  leave  it  to  itself,  as  they  Avill  do  under 
the  sixth  plague,  that  symbolic  river  will  be  wholly  dried  up ; 
Turkey  "will  be  no  more,  and  the  way  will  be  all  open  for  the 
nations  to  make  their  last  grand  rally  to  the  Holy  Land.  The 
kings  of  the  East,  the  nationalities,  powers,  and  kingxhmis 
lying  east  of  Palestine,  will  act  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  mat- 
ter ;  for  »Toel  says  in  reference  to  this  scene,  "  Let  the  heathen 
be  wakened,  and  come  up  to  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat."  The 
millions  of  ]\Iohammedans  of  Persia,  Afghanistan,  Toorkistan, 
and  India  will  rush  to  the  field  of  conquest  in  behalf  of  their 
religion.      (See  more  about  Turkey  in  Dan.  11:40-45.) 

Those  who  place  five  of  the  plagues  in  the  past,  and  contend 
that  we  are  now  living  under  the  sixth,  urge,  as  one  of  their 
strongest  arguments,  the  fact  that  the  Turkish  empire  is  now- 
wasting  away,  and  this  takes  place  under  the  sixth  vial.  It  is 
hardly  necessaiy  to  reply,  The  event  that  takes  plac(^  under  the 
sixth  vial  is  tli(»  eiilirc  an<l  ullcr  consnmjition  of  that  jiower, 
not  its  prdhniuavjj  state  of  ilecay,  which  is  all  that  now  ajt- 
pears.  It  is  necessary  that  tlu»  eni])ire  should  for  a  time  grow 
weak  and  powerless,  in  order  to  its  utter  dissolution  when  the 
plague  shall  come.  This  preliminary  condition  is  now  setMi, 
and  the  full  end  cannot  be  far  in  the  future. 

Another  event  to  be  noticed  under  this  ]dague  is  the  issuing 
forth  of  the  three  unclean  spirits  to  gather  the  nations  to  the 


778  THE  REVELATIOX 

great  battle.  The  agency  now  already  abroad  in  the  world 
kno^vn  as  modern  Spiritualism,  is  in  e\'ery  way  a  fitting  means 
to  be  employed  in  this  work.  lint  it  may  be  asked  how  a  work 
which  is  already  going  on  can  be  designated  b}^  that  expression, 
when  the  spirits  are  not  introduced  into  the  prophecy  until  the 
pouring  out  of  the  sixth  plague,  which  is  still  future.  We 
answer  that  in  this,  as  in  many  other  movements,  the  agencies 
which  Heaven  designs  to  employ  in  the,  accomplishment  of  cer- 
tain ends,  go  through  a  process  of  j^reliminary  training  for  the 
part  which  they  are  to  act.  Thus,  before  tlie  spirits  can  have 
such  absolute  authority  over  the  race  as  to  gather  them  to 
battle  against  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  they  must 
first  win  their  way  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  cause 
their  teaching  to  be  received  as  of  divine  authority  and  their 
Avord  as  law.  This  Avork  they  are  now  doing;  and  Avhen  they 
shall  have  once  gained  full  influence  over  the  nations  in  ques- 
tion, Avhat  fitter  instrument  could  be  employed  to  gather  them 
to  so  rash  and  hopeless  an  enterprise  ? 

To  many  it  may  seem  incredible  that  the  nations  should  be 
willing  to  engage  in  such  an  unequal  warfare  as  to  go  up  to 
battle  against  the  Lord  of  l]<)sts ;  but  it  is  one  province  of  these 
spirits  of  devils  to  deceive,  for  they  go  forth  Avorking  miracles, 
and  thereby  deceiA'e  the  kings  of  the  earth,  that  they  should 
belieA'e  a  lie. 

The  sources  from  AA^hich  these  spirits  issue,  denote  that  they 
Avill  AA'ork  among  three  great  religious  divisions  of  mankind, 
represented  by  the  dragon,  the  beast,  and  the  false  prophet, 
or  Paganism,  Catliolicism,  and  Protestantism. 

But  Avliat  is  the  force  of  the  caution  throAvn  out  in  A'ersc 
15?  Prol)ation  must  liaA'e  closed,  and  Christ  liave  left  his 
mediatorial  jiosition,  before  the  plagues  begin  to  fall.  And  is 
there  danger  of  falling  after  that?  It  Avill  be  noticed  that  this 
Avarning  is  spoken  in  connection  Avith  the  Avorking  of  the  spirits. 
The  inference  therefore  is,  that  it  is  retroactive,  applying  from 
the  time  these  spirits  begin  to  Avork  to  the  close  of  ]>robation ; 
that  by  an  interchange  of  tenses  common  to  tlie  Greek  lan- 
guage, tlie  ])resent  tense  is  put  for  the  ]iast ;  as  if  it  liad  read, 
Blessed  is  he  that  hath  Avatched  and  kept  his  garments,  as  the 


CllAPTFJi   l(j,   VERSED  IJ-JU  779 

shiiiae  and  iiakodness  of  all  who  have  not  done  this  will  at 
this  time  especially  ap])ear. 

"And  he  gathered  tlicni.''  Who  are  the  ones  here  spok(>n 
of  as  "  gathered,"  and  what  agency  is  to  be  used  in  gathering 
them  'i  If  the  word  Uioii  refers  to  the  kings  of  verse  14  it  is 
certain  that  no  good  agency  wouhl  be  made  use  of  to  gather 
them;  and  if  the  sj)irits  are  referred  to  by  the  word  he,  why  is 
it  in  the  singular  number  (  The  peculiarity  of  this  construc- 
tion has  led  some  to  read  the  passage  thns:  "And  he  [Christ] 
gathered  them  [the  saints]  into  a  place  called  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue  Armageddon  [the  illustrious  city,  or  Xew  Jerusalem]." 
But  this  position  is  untenable.  The  following  criticism,  which 
appeared  not  long  since  in  a  religious  magazine,  seems  to  shed 
the  true  light  upon  this  passage.       The  writer  says : — 

''  It  seems  to  me  that  verse  10  is  a  continuation  of  verse 
1-I-,  and  that  the  antecedent  of  aurovs  [them]  is  '  the  kings  ' 
mentioned  in  verse  l-t.  For  this  latter  verse  says,  '  Which  go 
forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole  world,  to 
gather  them/  etc.,  and  in  verse  10  it  says,  'And  lie  gathered 
them.'  Xow  in  the  Greek,  '  a  neuter  plural  regularly  takes  a 
verb  in  the  singular.'  (See  Sophocles's  Greek  Grammar, 
sec.  IT)!,  1.)  ]\Iight  not,  therefore,  the  subject  of  the  verb 
(Tvvriyay(.v  [gathered]  (verse  10)  be  ra  Trvevixara  [the  sjiirits] 
of  verse  14,  and  thus  the  'gathering'  mentioned  in  the  two 
verses  be  one  and  the  same? 

''And  if  this  is  to  be  a  gathering  of  '  the  kings  of  the  earth 
and  of  the  whole  world,'  will  it  not  be  for  the  jmrpose  men- 
tioned in  the  text ;  namely,  '  to  gather  them  to  the  haftle  of 
that  great  day  of  God  Almighty'  i  " 

In  accordance  Avith  this  criticism,  several  translations  use 
the  plural  instead  of  the  singular  pronoun. 

Mr.  Wakefield,  in  his  translation  of  the  Xew  Testament, 
renders  this  verse  thus:  "And  flie  spirits  gathered  the  kings 
together  at  a  place  called  in  Hebrew  Armageddon." 

The  Syriac  Testament  reads:  "And  they  collected  them 
together  in  a  place  called  in  Hebrew  Arnnigeddon." 

Sawyer's  translation  renders  it:  "And  fliej/  assembled  them 
in  the  ])lace  called  in  Hebrew  Armageddon." 


780  THE  REVELATION 

Air.  "\^''esley's  version  of  the  is^ew  Testament  reads:  '"And 
they  gathered  them  together  to  the  place  which  is  called  in 
the  Hebrew  Armageddon." 

AVhiting's  transhition  gives  it:  "And  flioy  gathered  them 
into  a  place  called  in  Plebrew  Armageddon.'' 

Professor  Stuart,  of  Andover  College,  a  distinguished  critic,- 
though  not  a  translator  of  the  Scriptures,  renders  it:  "And 
TiiEY  gathered  them  together,"  etc.  De  Wette,  a  German 
translator  of  the  Bible,  gives  it  the  same  turn  as  Stuart  and 
the  others. 

Mr.  Albert  Barnes,  Avhose  notes  on  the  iSTew  Testament 
are  so  extensively  used,  refers  to  the  same  grammatical  law  as 
suggested  by  the  criticism  above  quoted,  and  says,  "  The  au- 
thority of  De  Wette  and  Professor  Stuart  is  sufficient  to  show 
that  the  construction  which  they  adopt  is  authorized  by  the 
Greek,  as  indeed  no  one  can  doubt,  and  perha])S  this  construc- 
tion accords  better  with  the  context  than  any  other  construction 
proposed."  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  there  are  weighty  reasons 
for  reading  the  text,  "  They  gathered  them  together,"  etc.,  in- 
stead of  "  he  gathered."  And  by  these  authorities  it  is  shown 
that  the  persons  gathered  ai^e  the  minions  of  Satan,  not  saints; 
that  it  is  the  work  of  the  spirits,  not  of  Christ;  and  that  the 
place  of  assemblage  is  not  in  the  Xew  Jerusalem  at  the  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Landi,  but  at  Armageddon  (or  Mount  Me- 
giddo),  "  at  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God  Almighty." 

The  hills  of  Megiddo,  overlooking  the  ])lain  of  Esdraelon, 
was  the  place  where  Barak  and  Deborah  destroyed  Sisera's 
army,  and  where  Josiah  was  routed  by  the  Egyptian  king 
Pharaoh-!N"echo. 

Versk  17.  And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the  air; 
and  there  eanie  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven,  from  the 
throne,  saying.  It  is  done.  18.  And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders, 
and  lightnings;  and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not 
since  men  were  upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so 
great.  19.  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts,  and  the 
cities  of  the  nations  fell:  and  great  Babylon  came  in  remembrance 
before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of 
liis  wratli.  20.  And  every  island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains  were 
not  found.     21.  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven. 


ClIATTEi:   IC.   V HUSKS  11-21  783 

every  stone  about  the  wcijulit  of  a  tali'iil  :  and  iiieu  bluspheuied  (Jod 
because  of  the  plajiue  of  tbc  liail;  for  llie  idafiue  tliereof  was  exceed- 
ing great. 

Tlie  Seventh  Plague. —  Thus  lias  Inspiration  described  the 
last  judgment  which  is  to  be  inflicted  in  the  present  condition 
of  things  npon  those  Avho  are  incorrigibly  rebellious  against 
God.  Some  of  the  plagues  are  local  in  their  apjdication ;  but 
this  one  is  poured  out  into  the  air.  The  air  envelops  the 
whole  earth;  it  follows  that  this  plague  will  envelo])  e(puilly 
the  habitable  globe.  It  will  be  universal.  The  very  air  will 
be  deadly. 

The  gathering  of  the  nations  having  taken  place  under  the 
sixth  vial,  the  battle  remains  to  be  fought  under  the  seventh ; 
and  here  are  brought  to  view  the  instrumentalities  with  which 
God  will  slay  the  wicked.  At  this  time  it  may  be  said,  "  The 
Lord  hath  opened  his  armory,  and  hath  brought  forth  the 
weapons  of  his  indignation." 

"  There  were  voices."  Above  all  will  be  heard  the  voice 
of  God.  "  The  Lord  also  shall  roar  out  of  Zion,  and  utter  his 
voice  from  Jerusalem,  and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall 
shake ;  but  the  Lord  will  be  the  hope  of  his  people,  and  the 
strength  of  the  children  of  Israel."  Joel  3:1(3.  (See  also 
Jer.  25:30;  Ileb.  12:26.)  This  will  cause  the  great  earth- 
quake, such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the  earth. 

''And  thunders  and  lightnings  " —  another  allusion  to  the 
jiulgments  of  Egypt.  (See  Ex.  9:23.)  The  great  city  is 
divided  into  three  parts;  that  is,  the  three  grand  divisions  of 
the  false  and  apostate  religions  of  the  world  (the  great  city), 
Paganism,  Catholicism,  and  relapsed  Protestantism,  seem  to  be 
set  apart  each  to  receive  its  approju'iate  doom.  The  cities  of 
the  nations  fall;  universal  desolation  spreads  over  the  earth; 
every  island  flees  aAvay,  and  the  mountains  are  not  found  :  and 
great  Babylon  comes  in  remembrance  before  God.  Read  her 
judgments,  as  more  fully  described  in  chapter  18. 

"And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven." 
This  is  the  last  instrumentality  used  in  the  infliction  of  punish- 
ment upon  the  wicked, —  the  bitter  dn^gs  of  ihe  seventh  vial. 
(Jod    has    solciimlv   addressed    the    wickcMJ,    saving',    "  Jndi;iiient 


784  TEE  REVELATION 

also  will  I  lay  to  the  line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet; 
and  the  hail  shall  sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies,  and  the  waters 
shall  overflow  the  hiding-place."  Isa.  28:  17.  (See  also  Isa. 
30:30.)  And  he  asks  Job  if  he  has  seen  the  treasures  of 
the  liail,  which  he  has  "  reserved  against  the  time  of  trouble, 
against  the  day  of  battle  and  war."      Job  38 :  22,  23. 

*'  Every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a  talent."  A  talent, 
according  to  various  authorities,  as  a  weight,  is  about  fifty- 
seven  pounds  avoirdupois.  AYhat  could  withstand  the  force  of 
stones  of  such  an  enormous  weight  falling  from  heaven  ?  But 
mankind,  at  this  time,  will  have  no  shelter.  The  cities  have 
fallen  in  a  mighty  earthquake,  the  islands  have  fled  away,  and 
the  mountains  are  not  found.  Again  the  wicked  give  vent  to 
their  woe  in  blasphemy ;  for  the  plague  of  the  hail  is  "  ex- 
ceeding great." 

Some  faint  idea  of  the  terrible  effect  of  such  a  scene  as  is 
here  predicted,  may  be  inferred  from  the  following  sketch  of  a 
hailstorm  on  the  Bosporus,  by  our  countryman,  the  late  Com- 
modore Porter,  in  his  Letters  from  Constantinople  and  its 
Environs,  Vol.  I,  p.  44.      H&  says: — 

"  We  had  got  perhaps  a  mile  and  a  half  on  our  way,  when 
a  cloud  rising  in  the  west  gave  indications  of  approaching  rain. 
In  a  few  minutes  we  discovered  something  falling  from  the 
heavens  with  a  heavy  splash,  and  with  a  whitish  appearance. 
I  could  not  conceive  what  it  was,  but  observing  some  gulls 
near,  I  supposed  it  to  be  them  darting  for  fish,  but  soon 
after  discovered  that  they  were  large  balls  of  ice  falling. 
Immediately  we  heard  a  sound  like  rumbling  thunder,  or  ten 
thousand  carriages  rolling  furiously  over  the  pavement.  The 
whole  Bosporus  was  in  a  foam,  as  though  heaven's  artillery 
had  been  charged  upon  us  and  our  frail  machine.  Our  fate 
seemed  inevitable ;  our  umbrellas  were  raised  to  protect  us,  but 
the  lumps  of  ice  stripped  them  into  ribbons.  We  fortunately 
had  a  bullock's  hide  in  the  boat,  under  which  we  crawled,  and 
saved  ourselves  from  further  injury.  One  man  of  the  three 
oarsman  had  his  hand  literally  smashed ;  another  was  much 
injured  in  the  shoulder;  Mr.  H.  received  a  blow  in  the  leg; 


CHAPTER  16,  VERSES  17-21  785 

my  right  hand  was  somewhat  disabled,  and  all  were  more  or 
less    injured. 

"  It  was  the  most  awfnl  and  terrific  scene  I  ever  witnessed, 
and  God  forbid  that  1  should  ever  be  exposed  to  another! 
J^alls  of  ice  as  large  as  my  two  fists  fell  into  the  boat,  and 
some  of  them  fell  with  such  vioh'nce  as  certainly  to  have 
bi'oken  an  arm  or  leg  had  they  struck  us  in  those  parts.  One 
of  them  struck  the  blade  of  an  oar,  and  split  it.  The  scene 
lasted  perhaps  five  minutes;  but  it  was  five  minutes  of  the 
most  awful  feelings  I  ever  experienced.  When  it  passed  over, 
we  found  the  surrounding  hills  covered  with  masses  of  ice,  I 
cannot  call  it  hail,  the  trees  stripped  of  their  leaves  and  limbs, 
and  everything  looking  desolate.  The  scene  was  awfnl  beyond 
all  description. 

"  I  have  witnessed  repeated  earthquakes ;  the  lightning  has 
played,  as  it  were,  about  my  head ;  the  wind  has  roared,  and 
the  waves  at  one  moment  have  thrown  me  to  the  sky,  and  the 
next  have  sunk  me  into  a  deep  abyss.  1  have  been  in  action, 
and  have  seen  death  and  destruction  around  me  in  every  shape 
of  horror ;  but  I  never  before  had  the  feeling  of  awe  which 
seized  me  on  this  occasion,  and  still  haunts,  and  I  fear  forever 
vN'ill  haunt  me.  My  porter,  the  boldest  of  my  family,  who 
had  ventured  an  instant  from  the  door,  had  been  knocked 
down  by  a  hailstone,  and  had  they  not  dragged  him  in  by  the 
heels,  would  have  been  battered  to  death.  Two  boatmen  were 
killed  in  the  upper  part  of  the  village,  and  I  have  heard  of 
broken  bones  in  abundance.  Imagine  to  yourself  the  heavens 
suddenly  frozen  over,  and  as  suddenly  broken  to  pieces  in 
irregular  masses  of  from  half  a  pound  to  a  pound  weight, 
and  precipitated  to  the  earth." 

Header,  if  such  were  the  desolating  effects  of  a  hail-storm 
of  ice,  "which  discharged  stones  the  size  of  a  man's  fist,  weigh- 
ing at  most  a  pound  or  so,  who  can  depict  the  consequences 
of  that  coming  storm  in  which  "  every  stone  "  shall  he  of 
the  weight  of  a  talent  ?  As  surely  as  God's  word  is  truth,  he 
is  thus  soon  to  punish  a  guilty  world.  May  it  he  ours,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise,  to  have  "  sure  dwellings  "  and  "  quiet  rest- 
ing-places "  in  that  terrific  hour.       Isa.   ;32  :  18,   19. 


786  THE  REVELATION 

"And  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  tlie  temple  of  heaven, 
from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is  done!"  Thus  all  is  finished. 
The  cup  of  human  guilt  has  been  tilled  up.  The  last  soul  has 
availed  itself  of  the  plan  of  salvation.  The  books  are  closed. 
The  number  of  the  saved  is  completed.  The  final  period  is 
placed  to  this  Avorld's  history.  Tlie  vials  of  God's  -wrath  are 
poured  out  ui)on  a  corrupt  generation.  The  wicked  have 
drunk  them  to  the  dregs,  and  sunk  into  the  realm  of  death 
for  a  thousand  years.  Reader,  where  do  you  wish  to  be 
found  after  that  great   decision  ? 

But  what  is  the  condition  of  the  saints  while  the  "  over- 
flowing scourge  "  is  passing  over  ?  They  are  the  special  sub- 
jects of  God's  protection,  without  whose  notice  not  a  sparrow 
falls  to  the  ground.  Many  are  the  promises  which  come  crowd- 
ing in  to  afford  them  comfort,  summarily  contained  in  the 
beautiful  and  expressive  language  of  the  91st  psalm,  which 
alone  w^e  have   space   to   quote: — 

"  I  will  say  of  the  Lord,  He  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortress ; 
my  God,  in  him  will  I  trust.  Surely  he  shall  deliver  thee 
from  the  snare  of  the  fowler,^nd  from  the  noisome  pestilence. 
He  shall  cover  thee  Avitli  his  feathers,  and  under  his  wings  shalt 
thou  trust ;  his  truth  shall  be  thy  shield  and  buckler.  Thou 
shalt  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night ;  nor  for  the  arrow 
that  flieth  by  day;  nor  for  the  pestilence  that  walketh  in  dark- 
ness ;  nor  for  the  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noonday.  A 
thousand  shall  fall  at  thy  side,  and  ten  thousand  at  thy  right 
hand ;  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh  thee.  Only  with  thine  eyes 
shalt  thou  behold  and  see  the  reward  of  the  wicked.  Because 
thou  hast  made  the  Lord,  which  is  my  refuge,  even  the  ]\Iost 
TTigh,  thy  habitation,  there  shall  no  evil  befall  thee,  neither 
shall  any  plague  come  nigh  thy  dwelling."      Ps.  91:  2-10, 


Verse  1.  And  there  came  one  of  the  seven  angels  which  had  the 
seven  vials,  and  talked  with  me,  saying  unto  me.  Come  thither ;  I  will 
show  unto  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore  that  sitteth  upon 
many  waters :  2.  With  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed 
fornication,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  have  been  made  drunk 
with  the  wine  of  her  fornication.  3.  So  he  carried  me  away  in  the 
spirit  into  the  wilderness:  and  I  saw  a  woman  sit  upon  a  scarlet 
colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns.  4.  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet  color, 
and  decked  with  gold  and  precious  stones  and  pearls,  having  a  golden 
cup  in  her  hand  full  of  abominations  and  filthiness  of  her  fornication : 
6.  And  upon  her  forehead  was  a  name  written,  MYSTERY,  BABY- 
LON THE  GREAT,  THE  MOTHER  OF  HARLOTS,  AND  ABOM- 
INATIONS OF  THE  EARTH. 

IN  verse  19  of  the  preceding  chapter,  we  were  informed  that 
"  gi'eat  Babylon  came  in  remembrance  before  God,  to  give 
nnto  her  the  cnp  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath." 
The  prophet  now  takes  np  more  particularly  the  subject  of  this 
great  Babylon ;  and  in  order  to  give  a  fitll  presentation  of  it, 
goes  back  and  gives  ns  some  of  the  facts  of  her  past  history. 
That  this  apostate  woman,  as  presented  in  this  chapter,  is  a 
symbol  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Chnrch,  is  generally  believed 
by  Protestants.  Between  this  chnrch  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth  there  has  been  illicit  connection,  and  with  the  wine  of 
her  fornication,  or  her  false  doctrines,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  have  been  made  drnnk. 

Cliiiirh  and  Sfafr. —  This  prophecy  is  more  definite  than 
others  applicable  to  the  Boman  power,  in  that  it  distiiignisli(>s 
between    clmrcli    and    state.       "We   liere  have   the   woman,    the 

(787) 


788  THE  REVELATIOX 

church,  seated  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast,  the  civil  power, 
by  which  she  is  uj)held,  and  which  she  controls  and  guides  to 
her  own  ends,  as  a  rider  controls  the  animal  upon  which  he 
is  seated. 

The  vesture  and  decorations  of  this  woman,  as  brought  to 
view  in  verse  4,  are  in  striking  harmony  with  the  application 
made  of  this  symbol ;  for  purple  and  scarlet  are  the  chief 
colors  in  the  robes  of  popes  and  cardinals ;  and  among  the 
myriads  of  precious  stones  which  adorn  her  service,  according 
to  an  eye-witness,  silver  is  scarcely  known,  and  gold  itself 
looks  but  poorly.  And  from  the  golden  cup  in  her  hand, — 
symbol  of  purity  of  eloctrine  and  profession,  which  should 
have  contained  only  that  which  is  unadulterated  and  pure,  or, 
explaining  the  figure,  only  that  which  is  in  full  accordance 
with  truth, —  there  came  forth  only  abominations,  and  wine 
of  her  fornication,  fit  symbol  of  her  abominable  doctrines  and 
still  more  abominable  practices. 

This  woman  is  explicitly  called  Babylon.  Is  Rome,  then, 
Babylon,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  religious  bodies  ?  —  No, 
from  the  fact  that  she  is  called  the  mother  of  harlots,  as  already 
noticed,  which  shows  that  there  are  other  independent  religious 
organizations  that  constitute  the  apostate  daughters,  and  belong 
to  the  same  great  family. 

Verse  6.  And  T  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus;  aud  when  I  saw 
her,  I  wondered  with  great  admiration.  7.  And  the  angel  said  unto 
me,  Wherefore  didst  thou  marvel?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the 
woman,  and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns. 

A  Cause  of  Wonder. —  AVhy  should  John  w<mdcr  Avith 
great  astonisliment  when  he  saw  the  Avoman  drunken  with  the 
blood  of  saints  'i  Was  persecution  of  the  pcojdc  of  God  any 
strange  thing  in  liis  day?  Had  he  not  seen  Bome  launch  its 
most  fiery  anathenuis  against  the  church,  himself  being  in  ban- 
ishment under  its  cruel  power  at  tlie  time  he  Avrote  ?  A^^ly, 
then,  should  he  be  astonished,  as  he  looked  forward,  and  saw 
Rome  still  persecuting  the  saints  ?  The  secret  of  his  wonder 
was  just  this :  all  the  persecution  he  had  witnessed  had  been 


CHAPTER  17.  VERSE,'^  G-11  789 

from  pagan  Eoiiie,  the  open  enemy  of  Christ.  It  was  not 
strange  that  pagans  shonkl  persecute  Christ's  followers;  but 
when  he  looked  forward,  and  saw  a  church  professedly  Chris- 
tian  persecuting  the  followers  of  the  Lamb,  and  drunken  with 
their  blood,  he  could  but  wonder  with  great  amazement. 

Verse  8.  The  beast  that  thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not;  and  shall 
ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  i)it,  and  go  into  perdition:  and  they  that 
dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  whose  names  were  not  written  in  the 
book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  when  they  behold  the 
beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is.  9.  And  here  is  the  mind  which 
hath  wisdom.  The  seven  heads  are  seven  moiuitains,  on  which  the 
woman  sitteth.  10.  And  there  are  seven  kings :  five  are  fallen,  and 
one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come;  and  when  he  cometb,  he  must 
continue  a  short  space.  11.  And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  even 
he  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition. 

Borne  in  Tliree  Phases. —  The  beast  of  which  the  angel 
here  speaks  is  evidently  the  scarlet  beast,  A  wild  beast,  like 
the  one  thus  introduced,  is  the  synd)ol  of  an  oppressive  and 
jjersecuting  power;  and  while  the  Ivoman  power  as  a  nation 
had  a  long,  uninterrupted  existence,  it  passed  tluvnigh  certain 
phases  during  which  this  synd)ol  would  bo  applicable  to  it, 
and  during  which  time,  consequently,  the  beast,  in  such  proph- 
ecies as  the  present,  might  be  said  not  to  be,  or  not  to  exist. 
Thus  Rome  in  its  pagan  form  was  a  persecuting  i)ower  in  its 
relation  to  the  people  of  God,  during  \\-hich  time  it  constituted 
the  beast  that  was;  but  the  empire  was  nominally  converted  to 
Christianity;  there  was  a  transition  from  paganism  to  another 
phase  of  religion  falsely  called  Christian  ;  and  during  a  brief 
period,  while  this  transition  was  going  on,  it  lost  its  ferocious 
and  persecuting  character,  and  then  it  could  be  said  of  tlie 
beast  that  it  was  not.  Time  ]iassed  on,  and  it  degeneratiMl 
into  poi)ery,  and  again  assumed  its  libxxltliirsty  ami  oppressive 
character,  and  then  it  constituted  the  beast  that  "  yet  is,"  or 
in   John's  day  was   to  be. 

The  Srren  Heads. —  The  seven  lu^ads  are  explained  to  be, 
•first,  seven  mountains,  and  then  seven  kings,  or  forms  of  gov- 
ernment; for  the  expression  in  verse  10,  "And  there  are  seven 
kinffs,"  should  read,  and  these  are  seven  kings.  "Five  are 
fallen,"  says  the  angel,  or  passed  away;  "one  is;"  the  sixth 


700  THE  BEY  ELATION 

Avas  then  reigning;  another  was  to  come,  and  continue  for  a 
short  space;  and  when  the  beast  reappeared  in  its  bloody  and 
persecuting  character,  it  was  to  be  under  the  eighth  form  of 
government,  which  was  to  continue  till  the  beast  went  into 
perdition.  The  seven  forms  of  government  that  have  existed 
in  the  Roman  empire  are  usually  enumerated  as  follows:  (1) 
kingly;  (2)  consular;  (3)  decemvirate ;  (4)  dictatorial;  (5); 
triumvirate;  (G)  imperial;  and  (7)  papal.  Kings,  consuls,  de- 
decem\'irs,  dictators,  and  triumvirs  had  passed  away  in  John's 
day.  He  was  living  under  the  imperial  form.  Two  more  were 
to  arise  after  his  time.  One  was  only  to  continue  a  short  space, 
and  hence  is  not  usually  reckoned  among  the  heads ;  while  the 
last,  which  is  usually  denominated  the  seventh,  is  in  reality  the 
eighth.  The  head  which  was  to  succeed  the  imperial,  and  con- 
tinue a  short  space,  could  not  be  the  papal ;  for  that  has  con- 
tinued longer  than  all  the  rest  put  together.  We  understand, 
therefore,  that  the  papal  head  is  the  eighth,  and  tliat  a  head 
of  short  continuance  intervened  between  the  imperial  and  papal. 
In  fulfilment  of  this,  we  read  that  after  the  imperial  form  had 
been  abolished,  there  was  a  j^uler  who  for  about  the  space  of 
sixty  years  governed  Rome  under  the  title  of  the  "  Exarch  of 
Ravenna."  Thus  we  have  the  connecting  link  between  the  im- 
perial and  papal  heads.  The  third  phase  of  the  beast  that  w^as, 
and  is  not,  and  yet  is,  is  the  Roman  power  under  the  rule  of 
the  papacy;  and  in  this  form  it  ascends  out  of  the  bottomless 
pit,  or  bases  its  power  on  pretensions  which  have  no  foundation 
but  a  mixture  of  Christian  errors  and  pagan  superstitions. 

Veuse  12.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings, 
which  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet;  but  receive  power  as  kings 
one  hour  with  the  beast.  13.  These  have  one  mind,  and  shall  give 
their  power  and  strength  unto  the  beast.  14.  These  shall  make  war 
with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them :  for  he  is  Lord 
of  lords,  and  King  of  kings;  and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called, 
and  chosen,  and  faithful. 

The  Ten  Horns. —  On  this  subject,  see  remarks  on  Dan. 
7:7,  where  they  are  shown  to  represent  the  ten  kingdoms 
that  arose  out  of  the  Roman  empire.  They  receive  ])ow('r 
one  hour  (Gr.  wpa,  hora,  an  indefinite  space  of  time)  with  the 


CHAPTER  11,  VERGES  12-18  71)1 

beast;  that  is,  tliey  reign  a  length  of  time  contemporaneous! ij 
with  the  beast,  during  which  time  they  give  to  it  their  power 
and  strength. 

Croly,  in  his  work  on  the  Apocalypse,  offers  this  comment 
on  verse  l:i:  "  The  prediction  defines  the  epoch  of  the  papacy 
by  the  formation  of  the  ten  kingdoms  of  the  Western  empire. 
'  They  shall  receive  power  one  hour  with  the  beast.'  The 
translation  shonld  be,  'in  the  same  era'  ( /itav  tSpav  ).  The 
ten  kingdoms  shall  be  contemporaneous,  in  contradistinction 
to   the   '  seven   heads,'   which   were   successive." 

This  language  must  refer  to  the  past,  when  the  "Ivingdoiiis 
of  Europe  were  unanimous  in  giving  their  support  to  the  pa- 
pacy, and  upholding  it  in  all  its  pretensions.  It  cannot  apply 
to  the  future ;  for  after  the  connnencement  of  the  time  of  the 
end,  they  were  to  take  away  its  dominion  to  consume  and  to 
destroy  it  unto  the  end  (Dan.  7:  26)  ;  and  the  treatment  which 
these  kingdoms  are  finally  to  bestow^  ujwn  the  papacy,  is  ex- 
])ressed  in  verse  16,  where  it  is  said  that  they  shall  hate  the 
liarlot,  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn 
her  with  fire.  A  part  of  this  work  the  nations  of  Europe  have 
l)een  doing  for  years.  The  completion  of  it,  burning  her  with 
fire,  will  be  accomplished  when  Rev.   18:8  is  fulfilled. 

These  make  war  with  the  Lamb.  Verse  14:.  TIere  we  are 
carried  into  the  future,  to  the  time  of  the  great  and  final  battle ; 
for  at  this  time  the  Lamb  has  assumed  the  title  of  King  of 
king  and  Lord  of  lords,  a  title  which  he  does  not  assume  till 
his  second  coming.       Chapter  19:11-16. 

Verse  15.  And  ho  saith  unto  me.  The  waters  which  thou  sawest, 
where  the  whore  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and  niidtitiules,  and  nations,  and 
tongues.  16.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thon  sawest  upon  the  beast, 
these  shall  hate  the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked, 
and  shall  eat  her  flesh  and  burn  her  with  fire.  17.  For  Cxod  hath  put 
in  their  hearts  to  fulfil  his  will,  and  to  asj-roe,  and  give  their  kingdom 
unto  the  beast,  until  the  words  of  Ood  shall  be  fidfilled.  IS.  And  the 
woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that  great  city,  which  reigiieth  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth. 

An   Important  Si/mhoJ   Defnerl. —  Li  verse  15   we  have   a 
plain  definition   of   the   Scri])ture   symbol    of  waters;   they   de- 
note peoples,  multitiules,  nations,  and  tongues.      The  aiigvl  told 
50 


792 


THE  REVELATION 


John,  while  calling  his  attention  to  this  subject,  that  he  would 
show  him  the  judgment  of  this  great  harlot.  In  verse  16  that 
judgment  is  specified.  This  chapter  has,  naturally,  more  es- 
pecial reference  to  the  old  mother,  or  Catholic  Babvlon.  The 
next  chapter,  if  we  mistake  not,  deals  with  the  character 
and  destiny  of  another  great  branch  of  Babylon,  the  harlot 
daughters. 


THE      MESSAGE     OF      REV.      1B:1. 


Verse  1.  And  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel  come  down 
from  heaven,  having  great  power;  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with 
his  glory.  2.  And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice,  saying, 
Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habitation  of 
devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  imclcan 
and  hateful  bird.  3.  For  all  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the 
v/rath  of  her  fornication,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed 
fornication  with  her,  and  the  merchants  of  the  earth  are  waxed  ri(*h 
throiigh  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies. 

SO]\IE  movement  of  mic;lity  power  is  symbolized  in  tliese 
verses.  (See  nnder  verse  4.)  The  consideration  of  ii 
few  facts  will  gnide  ns  nnmistakahly  to  the  application. 
Tn  chapter  14  we  liad  a  messaiie  annonncing  the  fall  of  T5al)y- 
lon.  Babylon  is  a  term  which  embraces  not  only  tlie  Ronum 
Catholic  Cluirch,  bnt  religions  bodies  which  have  sprnng  froni 
her,  bringing-  many  of  her  errors  and  traditions  along  with 
them. 

A  Moral  Fall. —  The  fall  of  Babylon  here  spoken  of  can 
not  be  literal  destrnction  ;  for  there  are  events  to  take  place  in 
Babylon  after  her  fall  which  utterly  forbid  this  idea:  as,  for 
instance,  the  peeople  of  God  are  there  after  her  fall,  and  are 
called  ont  in  order  that  they  may  not  receive  of  her  plagnes; 
and  in  these  plagnes  is  end)raced  her  literal  destrnction.  The 
fall  is  therefore  a  moral  one;  for  the  resnlt  of  it  is  that  Baby- 
lon becomes  the  halntntion  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every 
foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  nnclean  and  hatefnl  bird. 
These  are  terrible  descriptions  of  apostasy,  showing  that,  as  a 

'  (70.5) 


YOG  THE  BEV ELATION 

eoiisoqiionce  of  her  fall,  slio  piles  up  an  accnuiulatiou  of  sins 
even  to  the  heavens,  and  becomes  subject  to  the  judgments  of 
God,  which  can  no  longer  be  delayed. 

And  since  the  fall  here  introduced  is  a  moral  one,  it  must 
apjdy  to  some  branch  of  liabylon  besides,  or  outside  of,  the 
jiagan  or  papal  divisions ;  for  from  the  beginning  of  their  his- 
tory, paganism  has  been  a  false  religion,  and  the  papacy  an 
apostate  one.  And  further,  as  this  fall  is  said  to  occur  but  a 
short  period  before  Babylon's  final  destruction,  certainly  this 
side  of  the  rise  and  predicted  triumph  of  the  papal  church,  this 
testimony  cannot  ap|)ly  to  any  religious  organizations  but  such 
as  have  sprung  from  that  church.  These  started  out  on  reform. 
They  ran  well  for  a  season,  and  had  the  approbation  of  God ; 
but  fencing  themselves  about  with  creeds,  they  have  failed  to 
keep  pace  with  the  advancing  light  of  prophetic  truth,  and 
hence  have  been  left  in  a  position  where  they  will  finally  de- 
velop a  character  as  evil  and  odious  in  the  sight  of  God  as 
that  of  the  church  from  whi«h  they  first  withdrew  as  dissenters, 
or  reformers.  As  the  point  before  us  is  to  many  a  very  sensi- 
tive one,  we  will  let  members  of  these  various  denominations 
here  speak  for  themselves. 

The  Tennessee  Baptist  says:  "This  Avoman  [popery]  is 
called  the  mother  of  harlots  and  abominations.  Who  are  the 
daughters  ?  The  Lutheran,  the  Presbyterian,  and  the  Episco- 
palian churches  are  all  branches  of  the  [Roman]  Catholic. 
Are  not  these  denominated  '  harlots  and  abominations  '  in  the 
above  passage  ?  —  I  so  decide.  I  could  not,  with  the  stake 
before  me,  decide  otherwise.  Presbyterians  and  Episcojialians 
compose  a  part  of  Babylon.  They  hold  the  distinctive  prin- 
ciples of  papacy  in  conimon  with  papists." 

Alexander  Campbell  says :  "  The  worshiping  establish- 
ments now  in  operation  throughout  Christendom,  incased  and 
cemented  by  their  respective  voluminous  confessions  of  faith, 
and  their  ecclesiastical  constitutions,  are  not  churches  of  Jesus 
Christ,  but  the  legitimate  daughters  of  that  mother  of  harlots, 
the  Church  of  Rome." 

Again  he  says:  "A  reformation  of  ])operv  was  attem]it(Ml 
ill  lMiro]ie  full  three  centuries  ago.       It  ended  in  a  Protestant 


CHAPTER  IS.  VERSES  t-S  71)7 

hierarchy,  and  swarms  of  dissontors.  Protostantism  has  boon 
reformed  into  Presbyterianism,  that  into  Congregationalism, 
and  that  into  ]]aptistisni,  etc.,  etc.  j\Iethodism  has  attempted 
to  reform  all,  bnt  has  reformed  itself  into  many  forms  of 
Wesleyanism.  All  of  them  r(>tain  in  their  bosom  —  in  their 
ecclesiastical  organizations,  Avorsliij),  doctrines,  and  observances 
— •  various  relics  of  po])ery.  They  are  at  b(>st  a  reformation 
of  popery,  and  only  reformations  in  part.  The  doctrines  and 
traditions  of  men  yet  ini})air  the  power  and  jjrogress  of  the 
gospel  in  their  hands."  —  Oa  Baptism,  p.  lo. 

Mr.  O.  Scott  (Wesleyan  :\[ethodist)  says:  "The  chnrch  is 
as  deeply  infected  with  a  desire  for  worldly  gain  as  the  world. 

"  The  chnrches  are  making  a  god  of  this  world. 

"  Most  of  the  denominations  of  the  present  day  might  be 
called  churches  of  the  world  with  more  propriety  than  churches 
of  Christ. 

''  The  churches  are  so  far  gone  from  primitive  Christianity 
that  they  need  a  fresh  regeneration,  a  new  kind  of  religion." 

Says  the  Golden  Ride:  "The  Protestants  are  outdoing 
the  popes  in  splendid,  extravagant  folly  in  church-building. 
Thousands  on  thousands  are  expended  in  gay  and  costly  orna- 
ments to  gratify  pride  and  a  wicked  ambition,  that  might  and 
should  go  to  redeem  the  perishing  millions!  Does  the  evil, 
the  folly,  and  the  madness  of  these  proud,  formal,  fashionable 
worshipers  sto]i  here  ? 

"  These  splendid  monuments  of  popish  jiride,  upon  which 
millions  are  squandered  in  our  cities,  virtually  exclude  the  poor, 
for  whom  Christ  died,  and  for  whom  he  came  especially  to 
preach." 

The  report  of  tlie  ^richigan  Yearly  Conference,  pnblished 
in  the  True  Wesleyan  of  Xov.  1.5,  1851,  says:  "The  world, 
commercial,  political,  and  ecclesiastical,  are  alike,  and  are 
together  going  in  the  broad  way  that  leads  to  death.  Politics, 
commerce,  and  nominal  religion,  all  connive  at  sin,  reciprocally 
aid  each  other,  and  imite  to  crush  the  poor.  Falsehood  is 
unblnshingly  uttered  in  the  forum  and  in  the  pnlpit;  and  si)is 
flidl  iroidd.  shock  the  moral  sensihilities  of  the  heathen  (jo  uii- 
rel)ul-ed  in  all  the  great  deiiomimitions  of  our  land.        Tliese 


798  TH:E  revelation 

clnirehes  are  like  the  Jewish  church  when  the  Saviour  ex- 
claimed, '  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites.'  " 
Is  their  condition  any  better  now  than  it  was  then  ? 

Robert  xVtkins,  in  a  sermon  preached  in  London,  says: 
^'  The  truly  righteous  are  diminished  from  the  earth,  and  no 
man  layeth  it  to  heart.  The  professors  of  religion  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  in  every  church,  are  lovers  of  the  world,  conformers 
to  the  world,  lovers  of  creature-comfort,  and  aspirers  after 
respectability.  Thoy  are  called  to  suffer  with  Christ,  but  they 
shrink  even  from  reproach. 

"Apostasy,  apostasy,  apostasy,  is  engraven  on  the  very 
front  of  every  church ;  and  did  they  know  it,  and  did  they 
feel  it,  there  might  be  hope,  but  alas !  they  cry,  '  We  are  rich, 
and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing.'  " 

G.  F.  Pentecost,  the  noted  evangelist,  said  in  the  Inde- 
pendent, in  February,  1883,  that  the  conversion  of  sinners 
was  becoming  "  a  lost  ^rt." 

Abundance  of  similar  testimony  might  be  produced  from 
persons  in  high  standing  in  these  various  denominations.  Writ- 
ten, not  for  the  purpose  of  being  captious  and  finding  fault, 
])ut  from  a  vivid  sense  of  the  fearful  condition  to  which  these 
churches  have  fallen.  The  term  Babylon,  as  applied  to  them, 
is  not  a  term  of  reproach,  but  is  simply  expressive  of  the  con- 
fusion and  diversity  of  sentiment  that  exists  among  them. 
Babylon  need  not  have  fallen,  but  might  have  been  healed 
(Jer.  51:  9)  by  the  reception  of  the  truth;  but  she  rejected  it, 
and  confusion  and  dissensions  still  reign  within  her  borders, 
and  worldliness  and  pride  are  fast  choking  out  every  plant  of 
heavenly  growth. 

Chronology  of  This  Movement. — At  what  time  do  these 
verses  ha\'e  their  apjdication  ?  When  may  this  movement  be 
looked  for?  If  the  })osition  here  taken  is  correct,  that  these 
churches,  this  branch  of  Babylon,  experienced  a  moral  fall 
by  the  rejection  of  the  first  message  of  chapter  14,  the  an- 
nouncement in  the  chapter  under  consideration  could  not  have 
gone  forth  previous  to  that  time.  Tt  is,  then,  either  synchro- 
nous witn  tbe  message  of  the  fall  of  Babylon,  in  chapter  14, 
or  it  is  given  at  a  later  period  than  that.      But  it  cannot  be 


CHAPTER  18,  VERSES  1-3  Tjjy 

sjnonjTiious  with  that;  for  that  merely  announces  the  fall  of 
Babylon,  -while  this  adds  several  particulars  which  at  that  time 
were  neither  fullilled  nor  in  process  of  fultilment.  As  we  are 
therefore  to  look  this  side  of  IS-i-i,  where  the  jirevious  message 
went  forth,  for  the  announcement  brought  to  view  in  this  chap- 
ter, we  incjuire.  Has  any  such  message  been  given  from  that 
time  to  the  j^resent  t  The  answer  must  still  be  in  the  negative ; 
hence  this  message  is  yet  future.  But  we  are  now  having  the 
third  angel's  message,  which  is  the  last  to  be  given  before  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man.  We  are  therefore  held  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  first  two  verses  of  this  chapter  constitute  a 
feature  of  the  third  message  which  is  to  appear  when  this 
message  shall  be  proclaimed  with  power,  and  the  whole  earth 
be  lightened  with  its  glory. 

The  work  brought  to  view  in  verse  2  is  in  process  of 
accomplishment,  and  will  soon  be  completed,  by  the  work  of 
Spiritualism.  AVhat  are  called  in  Rov.  10 :  1-i  "  spirits  of 
devils,  working  miracles,"'  are  secretly  but  rapidly  working 
their  way  into  the  religious  denominations  above  referred  to; 
for  their  creeds  have  been  formulated  under  the  influence  of 
the  wine  (errors)  of  Babylon,  one  of  which  is  that  the  spirits 
of  our  dead  friends,  conscious,  intelligent,  and  active,  are  all 
about  us;  and  tliis  renders  such  denominations  unable  to  resist 
the  approach  of  evil  spirits  who  come  to  them  under  the  names 
and  impersonations  of  their  dead  friends. 

A  signiiicant  feature  in  the  work  of  Spiritualism,  just  now, 
is  the  religious  garb  it  is  assuming.  Keeping  in  the  back- 
ground its  grosser  principles,  which  it  has  heretofore  carried 
so  largely  in  the  front,  it  now  assumes  to  appear  as  respectably 
religious  in  some  quarters  as  any  other  denomination  in  the 
land.  It  talks  of  sin,  repentance,  the  atonement,  salvation 
through  Christ,  etc.,  almost  as  orthodoxly  as  the  most  approved 
standards.  Under  the  guise  of  this  profession,  what  is  to  hin- 
der it  from  intrenching  itself  in  almost  every  denomination  in 
Christendom  ?  The  basis  of  Spiritualism  is  a  fundamental 
dogma  in  the  creeds  of  almost  all  the  cliurches.  Its  secret 
principles  are,  alas!  too  conniionly  clierished,  and  its  dark 
]u*actices  too  commonly  followed,  to  juit  them  at  variance  on 


800  THE  BEYELATION 

that  ground,  so  long  as  they  seek  a  common  concealment. 
What,  then,  can  save  Christendom  from  its  seductive  influence  i 
Herein  is  seen  another  sad  result  of  rejecting  the  truths  offered 
to  the  world  by  the  messages  of  chapter  14.  Had  the  churches 
received  these  messages,  they  would  have  been  shielded  against 
this  delusion ;  for  among  the  great  truths  developed  by  the 
religious  movement  there  brought  to  view,  is  the  important 
doctrine  that  the  soul  of  man  is  not  naturally  immortal ;  that 
eternal  life  is  a  gift  suspended  on  conditions,  and  to  be  acquired 
through  Christ  alone ;  that  the  dead  are  unconscious ;  and  that 
the  rewards  and  punishments  of  the  future  world  lie  beyond 
the  resurrection  and  the  day  of  judgment.  This  strikes  a 
death-blow  to  the  first  and  vital  claim  of  Spiritualism.  .What 
foothold  can  that  doctrine  secure  in  any  mind  fortified  by  this 
truth  ?  The  spirit  comes,  and  claims  to  be  the  disembodied 
soul,  or  spirit,  of  a^dead  man.  It  is  met  with  the  fact  that 
that  is  not  the  kind  of  soul,  or  spirit,  which  man  possesses ; 
that  the  "  dead  know  not  anything ;  "  that  this,  its  first  pre- 
tension, is  a  lie,  and  that  the  credentials  it  offers,  show  it  to 
belong  to  the  synagogue  of  Satan.  Thus  it  is  at  once  rejected, 
and  the  evil  it  would  do  is  effectually  prevented.  But  the 
great  mass  of  religionists  stand  opposed  to  the  truth  which 
would  thus  shield  them,  and  thereby  expose  themselves  to  this 
last  manifestation  of  Satanic  cunning. 

And  while  Spiritualism  is  thus  working,  startling  changes 
are  manifesting  themselves  in  high  places  in  some  of  the  denom- 
inations. The  infidelity  of  the  present  age,  under  the  seductive 
names  of  "  science,"  "  the  higher  criticism,"  "  evolution,"  etc., 
is  making  not  a  few  notable  converts.  As  typical  cases,  we 
may  mention  such  men  as  the  late  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  and 
such  papers  as  The  OtitJooh,  formerly  the  Clrristian  Union. 
IMr.  Beecher  was  considered  a  leader  of  thought  in  the  religious 
world,  and  his  fame  and  influence  were  not  confined  to  one  hem- 
isphere. He  became  very  outspoken  in  his  denial  of  doctrines 
which  have  been  considered  by  all  believers  in  the  Bible  as 
among  the  fundamental  truths  of  revelation.  As  an  illustra- 
tion, we  (piote  the  following  from  the  National  Baptist  of 
Sept.  0,  1883.      It  is  from  a  reply  by  Mr.  Beecher  to  J.  S. 


CHAPTER  18.  VEHSKS  1-3  8()1 

Kennard,  D.  D,,  who  had  criticised  some  of  Mr.  Ji.'s  views 
and  utterances.      He  says: — 

"  I  am  a  cordial  Christian  evolutionist.  I  do  not  agree,  bv 
any  means,  with  all  of  Spencer, —  his  agnosticism, —  nor  all  of 
Hnxley,  Tyndall,  and  their  school.  They  are  agnostic;  I  am 
not,  emphatically.  Ihit  I  am  an  evolutionist;  and  that  strikes 
at  the  root  of  all  medieval  and  orthodox  modern  theology,^ — - 
the  fall  of  man  in  Adam,  and  the  inheritance  by  his  i)Osterity 
of  his  guilt,  and,  by  consequence,  any  such  view  of  atonement 
as  has  been  constructed  to  meet  this  fabulous  disaster.  Men 
have  not  fallen  as  a  race;  men  have  come  up.  Ko  great  disas- 
ter met  the  race  at  the  start.  The  creative  decree  of  God  was 
fulfilled,  and  any  theory  of  atonement  uuist  be  one  which  shall 
meet  the  fact  that  man  was  created  at  the  lowest  point,  and,  as 
I  believe,  is,  as  to  his  physical  being,  evolved  from  the  animal 
race  below  him;  but  as  to  his  moral  and  spiritual  nature,  is  a 
son  of  God,  a  new  element  having  come  in,  in  the  great  move- 
ment of  evolution,   at  the  point  of  man's   appearance." 

AVhen  the  great  facts  which  alone  account  for  the  existence 
of  sin  in  our  world,  and  for  all  the  anonuilies  of  the  present 
state,  are  denominated  "a  fabulous  disaster;"  when  it  is 
avowed  that  man  has  not  fallen,  that  the  race  did  not  meet 
the  disaster  of  the  introduction  of  sin  by  disobedience  in  the 
beginning,  and  that  no  atonement  to  meet  this  state  of  things 
is  necessary, —  what  becomes  of  all  those  portions  of  the  Scri])- 
tures  in  which  these  facts  are  recorded,  and  by  which  they  are 
recognized  ?  They  must  be  relegated  to  the  realm  of  fable. 
And  when  professed  ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  whom  the  people 
look  for  instruction,  and  on  whose  views  they  deix'ud  in  these 
matters,  lead  out  with  such  teaching,  what  reverence  for  the 
word  of  God  can  be  expected  from  the  nuisses  ?  "  Like  pri(>st, 
like  people."  Such  ministers  are  doing  more  for  the  cause  of 
infidelity  than  all  the  Voltaires  and  Paines  of  a  past  age  have 
done,  or  all  the  Ingersolls  of  the  present  age  are  doing.  "Worse 
than  wolves  without  the  fold,  they  are  wolves  within  it,  and  all 
the  more  dangerous  because  arrayed  in  shee])'s  clothing. 

Others  in  high  ])ositions,  the  influential  journals  in  the 
Christian  worhl,  s})('ak  in  a  similar  strain.       1(  lias  conic  to  bo 


802  THE  REVELATION 

a  very  easy  thing  to  accuse  the  record  of  inaccuracy,  and  charge 
the  sacred  writers  with  a  failure  to  comprehend  their  subjects. 
Much  of  the  body  of  modern  dogmatic  theology  may  be  classi- 
fied under  two  heads,- — •  funguses  and  fossils ;  and  whatever 
declarations  of  Scripture  do  not  agree  with  these  conceptions, 
are  set  down  as  incorrect.  Paul,  tliey  say,  held  erroneous 
ideas  on  a  number  of  questions,  more  especially  in  reference  to 
the  second  coming  of  Christ ;  and  one  learned  doctor  of  divinity, 
as  quoted  without  dissent  in  a  leading  religious  journal,  has 
asserted  that  even  Christ  himself  misapprehended  the  question 
he  was  discussing,  according  to  the  record  of  Matthew  24 1 
From  the  standpoint  of  such  a  lamentable  outlook,  and  under 
the  leadership  of  such  men,  how  long  before  Babylon  will  be- 
come full  of  spirits  that  are  foul,  and  birds  that  are  hateful 
and  unclean  ?  What  progress  has  already  been  made  in  this 
direction !  How  would  the  godly  fathers  and  mothers  of  the 
generation  that  lived  just  before  the  first  message  was  given, 
could  they  rise  from  their  graves,  and  comprehend  the  pres- 
ent condition  of  the  religious  world,  hearing  its  teaching  and 
l)eholding  its  practices,  stand  aghast  at  the  fearful  contrast 
between  their  time  and  ours,  and  deplore  the  sad  degeneracy ! 
And  Heaven  is  not  to  let  all  this  pass  in  silence;  for  a  mighty 
proclamation  is  to  be  made,  calling  the  attention  of  all  the 
world  to  tlie  fearful  counts  in  the  indictment  against  these 
unfaithful  religious  bodies,  that  the  justice  of  the  judgments 
that  follow  may  plainly  appear. 

Verse  3  shows  the  wide  extent  of  the  influence  of  Babylon, 
and  the  evil  that  has  resulted  and  will  result  from  her  course, 
and  hence  the  justness  of  her  punishment.  The  merchants  of 
the  earth  are  waxed  rich  through  the  abundance  of  her  deli- 
cacies. AVho  take  the  lead  in  all  the  extravagances  of  the  age  ? 
Who  load  their  tables  with  the  richest  and  choicest  viands  ? 
Wlio  are  foremost  in  extravagance  in  dress,  and  all  costly 
attire  ?  Who  are  the  very  personification  of  pride  and  arro- 
gance ?  —  Are  they  not  church-members  ?  Where  shall  we 
look  for  the  very  highest  oxhi])ition  of  the  luxury,  vain  show, 
and   pride  of  life,   resulting  from   the  vanity   and   sin   of  the 


CILAVTER  18.   VERSES  1-S  S03 

race  ?  —  Is  it  not  to  a  modern  church  assembly  oii  a  i)h'asaut 
Sunday? 

l]ut  there  is  a  redtHnniug'  feature  in  this  ])i('ture.  Degener- 
ate as  iJabyk)!!  has  become  as  a  body,  thert!  are  exceptions  To 
the  general  rule;  for  God  has  still  a  })eoi)le  there,  and  slui 
must  be  entitled  to  some  regard  on  their  account  until  tliey  an; 
called  from  her  conuuuuion.  ^'or  will  it  be  necessary  to  wait 
long  for  this  call.  Soon  liabylon  will  become  so  thoroughly 
k'avened  with  the  influence  of  these  evil  agents  that  her  con- 
dition will  be  fully  manifest  to  all  the  honest  in  heart,  and 
the  way  be  all  prepared  for  the  work  which  the  apostle  now 
introduces. 

Vekse  4.  And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come 
ont  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye 
receive  not  of  her  plagues.  5.  For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven, 
and  God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities.  G.  Reward  her  even  as  she 
rewarded  you,  and  double  imto  her  double  according  to  her  works; 
in  the  cup  which  she  hath  filled,  fill  to  her  double.  7.  How  much  she 
hath  glorified  herself,  and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and 
sorrow  give  her ;  for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no 
widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow.  8.  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come 
in  one  day,  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine;  and  she  shall  be  utterly 
burned  with  fire:  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her. 

The  voice  coming  from  heaven  denotes  that  it  will  be  a 
message  of  power  attended  with  heavenly  glory.  How  marked 
becomes  the  interposition  of  Heaven,  and  how  the  agents  for 
the  accomplishment  of  God's  work  multiply,  as  the  great  crisis 
ap])roaches!  This  voice  from  heaven  is  called  "another" 
voice,  showing  that  a  new  agency  is  here  introduced.  AVe  now 
have  five  celestial  messengers  expressly  mentioned  as  engaged 
in  this  last  religious  refornuition.  Th(>se  are  tlie  first,  six'ond, 
and  third  angels  of  cha])ter  14;  fourth,  the  angel  of  verse  one 
of  this  chapter;  and  fifth,  the  agency  indicated  by  the  "■  voice  " 
of  verse  4,  now  before  us.  Three  of  these  are  already  in 
operation.  The  second  angel  has  joined  the  first,  and  tlu^  third 
has  joined  them.  The  first  and  second  have  not  ceased.  All 
three  now  have  the  field.  The  angel  of  verse  1  is  (uitering 
upon  his  mission,  as  the  conditions  Avhich  call  for  his  work  arc 
sup])lied  ;  ami  the  divine  call  from  heaven  must  take  ])lace  in 
connection  with  his  work. 


804  THE  REVELATION 

Proof  lias  already  been  offered  to  sliow  that  the  message  of 
verses  1  and  2  of  this  chapter  is  to  be  given  in  connection  with 
the  now  current  third  message,  and  will  mark  a  new  era  in  this 
work.  An  idea  of  its  extent  and  power  may  be  gathered  from 
the  descrijDtion  of  the  angel  there  given.  The  first  message  is 
said  to  go  with  a  "  loud  voice ;  "  the  same  is  also  said  of  the 
third  message;  but  this  angel,  instead  of  simply  flying  '^  in  the 
midst  of  heaven,"  like  the  others,  is  said  to  "  come  down  from 
heaven."  He  comes,  as  it  were,  nearer  to  the  earth,  with  a 
message  more  pointed  and  direct;  and  he  has  "great  power," 
and  the  earth  is  "  lightened  with  his  glory."  Xo  such  descrip- 
tion of  a  message  from  heaven  to  man  is  elsewhere  to  be  found 
in  all  the  Bible.  This  is  the  last ;  and  as  is  meet,  it  comes 
with  surpassftig  glory  and  unwonted  power.  It  is  an  awful 
hour  when  a  world's  destiny  is  to  be  decided, —  a  most  spleiim 
crisis  when  an  entire  contemporaneous 'generation  of  the  hu- 
man family  is  to  i)ass  the  bounds  of  probation,  as  the  last  note 
of  mercy  is  sounded  in  their  ears.  In  such  a  time,  the  world 
must  not  be  left  without  warning.  So  amply  must  the  great 
fact  be  heralded,  that  none  can  plead  a  reasonable  ignorance 
of  the  impending  doom.  Every  excuse  must  be  taken  away. 
The  justice  and  long-suffering  and  forbearance  of  God  in  delay- 
ing threatened  vengeance  till  all  have  had  an  opportunity  to 
receive  a  knowledge  of  his  will,  and  space  to  repent,  must  be 
vindicated.  An  angel  is  sent  forth,  panoplied  with  Heaven's 
power.  The  light  that  encircles  the  throne  enshrouds  him. 
He  comes  to  the  earth.  !None  but  the  spiritually  dead  —  yea, 
"  twice  dead,  and  plucked  up  by  the  roots  " —  would  fail  to 
realize  his  presence.  Light  flashes  everywhere.  The  dark 
places  a.re  lighted  up.  And  while  his  presence  dispels  the 
shadows,  his  voice  in  thunder  tones  utters  a  warning.  He 
cries  "  mightily."  He  speaks  in  no  feeble  tones,  and  with  no 
uncertain  sound.  It  is  no  parlor  announcement,  but  a  cry,  a 
rnirjlity  cry,  a  cry  with  a  strong  voice.  The  fatal  defects  in  the 
profession  of  a  worldly  church  are  again  pointed  out.  Their 
errors  are  once  more,  and  for  the  last  time,  exposed.  The 
inade(|uacv  of  tlic  ])rcs('iit  standard  of  godliness  to  meet  the 
final  crisis  is  eniphasized  beyond  all  mistaking.      The  inevitable 


CllAl'TER  JS,  VERSES  Jf- 8  8U5 

connection  between  their  cherished  errors  ami  irretrievable  and 
everhasting  destruction  is  heralded  till  the  earth  resounds  with 
the  cry.  Meanwhile,  great  Babylon's  sins  inoiint  up  to  the 
heavens,  and  the  reniendjrance  of  her  iniquities  conies  uj)  l)eforo 
God.  The  storm  of  vengeance  gathers.  The  great  tidal  wave 
of  supernal  wrath  rolls  onward.  The  featliery  foam  ])hiys 
along  its  crest,  indicating  that  but  an  instant  remains  ere  it 
will  burst  u^Km  the  great  city  of  confusion,  and  proud  Babylon 
will  go  down  as  a  millstone  sinks  in  the  depths  of  the  sea. 
Suddenly  another  voice  rings  out  from  heaven,  ""  Come  out  of 
her,  my  people !  "  The  hundde,  sincere,  devoted  children  of 
God,  of  M'liom  there  are  some  still  left,  and  who  sigh  and  cry 
over  the  abominations  done  in  the  land,  heed  the  voice,  wash 
their  hands  of  her  sins,  separate  from  her  connnunion,  escape, 
and  are  saved,  while  Babylon  becomes  the  victim  of  the  just 
judgments  of  God.  There  are  stirring  times  before  the  church. 
Let  us  be  ready  for  the  crisis. 

The  fact  that  God's  people  are  called  out  so  as  not  to  be 
partakers  of  her  sins,  shows  that  it  is  not  till  a  certain  time  that 
people  become  guilty  by.  being  connected  with  Babylon;  and 
this  explains  how  it  can  be  said  of  the  144,000  (Rev.  14:  4), 
many  of  whom  are  the  very  ones  here  called  out,  that  they  were 
not  defiled  with  women. 

Verses  6  and  7  are  a  prophetic  declaration  that  she  will  be 
rewarded  or  pimished  according  to  her  works.  Bear  in  mind 
that  this  testimony  applies  to  that  portion  of  Babylon  which  is 
subject  to  a  moral  fall.  As  already  pointed  out,  it  must  apply 
especially  to  the  "  daughters,"  the  denominations  who  persist 
in  clinging  to  the  personal  traits  of  the  "  mother,"  and  keeping 
up  the  family  resonddance.  These,  as  pointed  out  on  a  pre- 
vious page,  are  to  attem])t  a  sweeping  persecution  against  the 
truth  and  the  people  of  God.  By  these  the  "  image  of  the 
beast "  is  to  be  formed.  These  are  to  have  what  will  be  to 
them  a  new  experience, —  the  use  of  the  civil  arm  to  enforce 
their  dogmas.  And  it  is  doubtless  this  first  intoxication  of 
power  that  leads  this  branch  of  Babylon  to  cherish  in  her  heart 
the  boast,  "T  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow;  "  that  is,  T  am 
no  longer    xvp<^f  "  ^^'^^  bereaved,"  or  destitute  of  power,  as  I 


80G  THE  REVELATION 

have  been;  but  now  I  rule  like  a  c^ueen ;  I  shall  see  no  sorrow; 
God  is  in  the  Constitution  ;  the  church  is  enthroned,  and  shall 
henceforth  bear  sway.  The  expressi()n,  "  Howard  her  even  as 
she  rewarded  you,"  seems  to  show  that  the  time  for  this  mes- 
sage to  be  given,  and  for  the  saints  to  be  called  out,  will  be 
when  she  begins  to  raise  against  them  the  arm  of  oppression. 
As  she  hlls  \\\)  the  cup  of  persecution  to  the  saints,  so  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  will  persecute  her  (Ps.  35:0);  and  judgments 
from  on  high  will  bring  upon  her,  in  a  twofold  degree,  the 
evil  which  she  thought  to  bring  upon  the  humble  servants  of 
the  Lord. 

On  page  137  of  Spiritual  Gifts,  as  found  in  Early  Writings, 
by  ]\Irs.  B.  G.  White,  we  find  testimony  showing  that  the  first 
])art  of  Revelation  18  has  special  reference  to  the  religious 
(»])])]'e8sion  to  be  developed  in  the  United  States  by  professed 
diristians.  Thus:  "  It  will  be  more  tolerable  for  the  heathen 
and  for  papists  in  the  day  of  the  execution  of  God's  judgment 
than  for  such  men.  .  .  .  The  names  of  the  oppressors  are 
written  in  blood,  crossed  with  stri])es,  and  flooded  with  agoniz- 
ing, burning  tears  of  suifering.  God's  anger  will  not  cease 
until  he  has  caused  this  land  of  light  to  drink  to  the  dregs 
of  the  cup  of  his  fury,  until  he  has  rewarded  unto  Babylon 
double.  '  Reward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you,  and  double 
unto  her  double  according  to  her  works ;  in  the  cup  which 
she  hath   filled,   fill  to  her  double.'" 

The  day  in  which  her  plagues  come,  mentioned  in  verse  8, 
must  be  a  prophetic  day,  or  at  least  cannot  be  a  literal  day ; 
for  it  would  be  impossible  for  famine  to  come  in  that  length  of 
lime.  The  ])lagues  of  Ijabylon  are  without  doubt  the  seven 
last  ])lagues,  which  have  already  been  examined;  and  the  plain 
inference  from  the  language  of  this  verse,  in  connection  with 
Isa.  34 :  8,  is  that  a  year  will  be  occupied  in  that  terrible 
visitation. 

Vehse  0.  And  the  kinfj-g  of  the  earth,  who  have  committed  forni- 
cation and  lived  dclicionsly  with  her,  shall  bewail  her,  and  lament  for 
her,  when  they  shall  see  the  smoke  of  her  burning-,  10.  Standing  afar 
off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  saying,  Alas,  alas  that  great  eity  Baliy- 
lon,  that  mighty  city!  for  in  one  hour  is  thy  judgment  come.  11. 
And  the  merehants  of  the  earth  shall  woeji  and  mourn  over  her;  for 
no  man  huyeth   their  merchandise  any  more. 


GR AFTER  IS,   VERGES  V  -  IS  soT 

A  Fitting  Retvibidion. —  The  intiictiou  of  the  very  lirst 
plague  iimst  result  in  a  complete  siis})ensi()n  of  traffic  in  those 
articles  of  luxury  f(n'  Avhicli  I5al)yl()n  is  noted.  And  when  the 
ni(»rcliants  of  these  things,  who  are  to  a  great  extent  citizens 
of  this  syniholic  city,  and  who  have  heen  made  rich  hy  their 
traffic  in  these  things,  su(Menly  find  themscdves  and  their 
neighbors  smitten  with  putrefying  sores,  their  traffic  suspended, 
and  vast  stores  of  merchandise  on  hand,  hut  none  to  buy  them, 
they  lift  up  their  voices  in  lamentation  for  the  fate  of  this  great 
city ;  for  if  there  is  anything  which  will  draw  from  the  men  of 
this  generation  a  sincpre  cry  of  distress,  it  is  that  which  touches 
their  treasures.  And  there  is  a  fitness  in  this  retribution. 
They  who  hut  a  short  time  before  diad  issued  a  decree  that  the 
saints  of  God  should  neither  buy  nor  sell,  now  find  themselves 
])ut  under  the  same  restriction  by  a  far  more  effectual  process. 

The  question  may  arise  how  persons  involved  in  the  same 
calamity  can  stand  afar  off  and  lament,  etc. ;  but  it  must  be 
remembered  that  this  desolation  is  brought  to  view  under  a 
figure,  and  the  figure  is  that  of  a  city  visited  with  destruction. 
Should  calamity  come  upon  a  literal  city,  it  would  be  natural 
for  its  inhabitants  to  flee  from  that  city  if  they  had  opp(jr- 
tunity,  and  standing  afar  off,  lament  its  fall ;  and  just  in  pro- 
portion to  their  terror  and  amazement  at  the  evM  impending, 
would  be  the  distance  at  which  they  would  stand  from  their 
devoted  city.  JSTow  the  figure  the  apostle  uses  would  not  be 
complete  without  a  feature  of  this  kind ;  and  so  he  uses  it,  not 
to  imply  that  people  would  literally  flee  from  th(>  symbolic  city, 
which  would  be  impossible,  but  to  denote  their  terror  and 
amazement   at  the   descending  judgnumts. 

Verse  12.  Tlio  merchandiso  of  iiold,  mid  silver,  and  ]irocious 
stones,  and  of  pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and  pia-pie,  and  silk,  ;nid  scarlet, 
and  all  thyinc  wood,  and  all  manner  vessels  of  ivory,  and  all  manner 
vessels  of  most  i)recious  wood,  and  of  brass,  and  iron,  and  marble, 
13.  And  cinnamon,  and  odors,  and  ointments,  and  frajikincense,  and 
wine,  and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and  beasts,  and  sheep,  and 
horses,  and  chariots,  and  slaves,  and  soids  of  men. 

Bahijlons  JSIerchnndixr. —  Tn  tliese  verses  we  have  an  enu- 
meration of  great  Babylon's  merchandise,  which  includes  every- 
51 


808  THE  REVELATION 

thing  pertaining  to  Inxurious  living,  pomp,  and  worldly  display. 
All  kinds  of  mercantile  traffic  are  brought  to  view.  The  dec- 
laration concerning  ''  slaves  and  souls  of  men  "  may  pertain 
more  particularly  to  the  spiritual  domain,  and  have  reference 
to  slavery  of  conscience  by  the  creeds  of  these  bodies,  which 
in  some  cases  is  more  oppressive  than  physical  bondage. 

Verse  14.  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusted  after  are  departed 
from  thee,  and  all  things  which  were  dainty  and  goodly  are  departed 
from  thee,  and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all. 

Gluttony  Rehulicd. —  The  fruits  here  mentioned  are,  ac- 
cording to  the  original,  "■' autmnnal  fruits;"  and  in  this  we 
Und  a  prophecy  that  the  "  delicacies  of  the  season,"  ujxni  which 
the  luxurious  gormand  so  sets  his  ]>ampered  api)etite,  will  be 
suddenly  cut  ofp.  This,  of  course,  is  the  M'ork  of  the  famine, 
M'hich  is  the  result  of  the  fourth  viaL  Chapter  16:8.  And 
we  may  be  even  now  having  a  premonition  of  this  destruction 
in  the  phylloxera  of  the  vineyards,  the  "  scales  "  and  moths, 
and  other  recent  enemies  to  vegetation. 

In  this  connection  Ave  can  hardly  forbear  glancing  at  the 
general  aspect  of  the  times  in  respect  to  the  remarkable  phys- 
ical phenomena  everywhere  manifesting  themselves,  as  they 
seem  so  plainly  to  indicate  that  all  the  courses  of  nature  are 
disturbed,  and  that  the  earth  itself  is  waxing  old  in  anticipa- 
tion of  the  time  when  it  shall  vanish  away.  Within  a  few 
years  past,  how  many  unnatural  visitations  of  earthquake  and 
fire,  storm  and  flood,  have  wrought  ruin  in  diiferent  localities, 
and  awakened  forebodings  of  fear  in  the  hearts  of  men  in 
general.  Witness  the  Chicago  fire,  the  Baltimore  fire,  the 
Toronto  fire,  and  the  destruction  by  earthquake  and  fire  of  San 
Francisco,  Valparaiso,  and  Kingston;  tlio  floods  of  the  Ohio, 
the  Mississippi,  and  other  Western  rivers;  the  devastating 
floods  of  Europe;  the  famines  of  C^hina  and  Kussia  and  the 
plague  in  India;  the  cyclones  and  tidal  waves,  sweeping  away 
the  proudest  works  of  nnui,  and  hurling  thousands  of  lunnan 
beings  into  untimely  graves. 

Verse  15.  The  merchants  of  these  things,  which  were  made  rich 
by  her,  shall  stand  afar  off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  weeping  and 
wailing,  16.  And  saying,  Alas,  alas  that  great  city,  that  was  clothed 


BABYLON      FALLS,     LIKE    A     MILLSTONE     THROWN      INTO     THE     SEA 

REV.      18:21. 


CHAPTER  18,  VERSES  13-24  Sll 

iu  fine  liueu,  aud  purple,  iuid  scarlet,  and  decked  with  gold,  aud  pre- 
cious stones,  and  pearls !  17.  lor  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come 
to  naught.  And  every  shipmaster,  and  all  the  company  in  ships,  and 
sailors,  and  as  many  as  trade  hy  sea,  stood  afar  oti,  16.  And  cried 
when  they  saw  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  saying,  What  city  is  like 
unto  this  great  city!  19.  And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  and 
cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  saying,  Alas,  alas  that  great  city,  wherein 
were  made  rich  all  that  had  ships  in  the  sea  by  reason  of  her  costli- 
ness !  for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate. 

Emotions  of  the  ^\'icked. —  The  reader  can  readily  imagine 
the  cause  of  this  universal  voice  of  mourning,  lamentation,  aud 
woe.  Imagine  the  plague  of  sores  preying  upon  men,  the  rivers 
turned  to  blood,  the  sea  like  the  blood  of  a  dead  man,  the  suu 
scorching  men  with  lire,  their  traffic  gone,  aud  their  silver  aud 
gold  unable  to  deliver  them,  aud  we  need  not  wonder  at  their 
exclamations  of  distress,  nor  that  shipmasters  and  sailors 
join  iu  the  general  wail.  Xexy  different  is  the  emotion  the 
saints  are  called  upon  to  exercise,  as  the  following  testimony 
shows : — 

Verse  20.  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles  and 
prophets ;  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her.  21.  And  a  mighty  angel 
took  up  a  stone  like  a  great  millstone,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying, 
Thus  with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down, 
and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all.  22.  And  the  voice  of  harpers, 
and  musicians,  and  of  pipers,  and  trumpeters,  shall  be  heard  no  more 
at  all  in  thee;  and  no  craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft  he  l)e,  shall  be 
found  any  more  in  thee;  and  the  sound  of  a  millstone  sliall  be  heard 
no  more  at  all  in  thee;  23.  And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no 
more  at  all  in  thee;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride 
shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee:  for  thy  merchants  were  the 
great  men  of  the  earth;  for  by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived. 
21.  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints,  and 
of  all  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth. 

Emotions  of  the  Righteous. —  The  apostles  and  prophets 
are  here  called  upon  to  rejoice  over  great  ]>abylou  iu  her 
destruction,  as  it  is  iu  close  connection  with  this  destruction 
that  they  will  all  be  delivered  from  the  power  of  death  and 
the  grave  by  the  first  resurrection. 

Like  a  great  millstone,  liabvlou  sinks  to  rise  no  more. 
The  various  arts  aud  crafts  that  have  been  employed  in  lici- 
midst,  and  have  uiiuistered  to  her  desires,  shall  l)e  ])racti('(>d  no 
more.       The  pompous  nuisic   that   has  beeu  emjdoycd    iu   her 


812  THE  BEY  ELATION 

iiupusing  but  formal  and  lifeless  service,  dies  away  forever. 
The  scenes  of  festivity  and  gladness,  when  the  bridegroom  and 
the  bride  have  been  led  before  her  altars,  shall  be  witnessed 
no  more. 

Her  sorceries  constitute  her  leading  crime ;  and  sorcery  is  a 
practice  which  is  involved  in  the  Spiritualism  of  to-day.  "And 
in  her  was  found  the  blood  "  of  "  all  that  were  slain  upon  the 
earth."  From  this  it  is  evident  that  ever  since  the  introduction 
of  a  false  religion  into  the  world,  Babylon  has  existed.  In  her 
hast  been  found,  all  along,  opposition  to  the  work  of  God,  and 
persecution  of  his  people.  In  reference  to  the  guilt  of  the 
last  generation,  see  on  chapter  16:  6. 


i 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Verse  1.  And  after  these  things  I  heard  a  grreat  voice  of  much 
people  in  heaven,  saying'.  Alleluia ;  Salvation,  and  glory,  and  honor, 
and  power,  nnto  the  Lord  our  God :  2.  ^or  true  and  righteous  are  his 
judg:ments;  for  he  hath  judged  the  great  whore,  which  did  corrupt 
the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his 
servants  at  her  hand.  3.  And  again  they  said.  Alleluia.  And  her 
smoke  rose  np  forever  and  ever. 

COX'TIX'ITmG  tlie  subject  of  chapter  18,  the  apostle  here 
introduces  the  soiisj  of  triumph  which  the  redeemed 
saints  strike  up  on  victor  harps,  when  they  behold  the 
complete  destruction  of  that  c;reat  system  of  o])])osition  to  Goil 
and  his  true  worship  comprehended  in  great  T>abvlon.  This 
destruction  takes  place,  and  this  sono-  is  sung,  in  connection 
■with  the  second  coming  of  Christ  at  the  commencement  of  the 
thousand  years. 

Forever  and  Ever. —  There  can  but  one  query  arise  on  this 
scripture,  and  that  is  how  it  can  be  said  that  her  smoke  rose 
up  forever  and  ever.  Does  not  this  language  imply  eternity  of 
suffering?  Let  it  be  remembered  that  this  is  borrowed  lan- 
guage; and  to  gain  a  correct  understanding  of  it,  we  must  go 
back  to  its  first  introduction,  and  consider  its  import  as  there 
used.  In  Isaiah  34-  Avill  be  found  the  language  from  which, 
in  all  probability,  such  expressions  as  these  are  borrowed. 
Under  the  figure  of  Idumea,  a  certain  destruction  is  brought 
to  view;  and  it  is  said  of  that  laud  that  its  streams  should  be 

(813) 


814  THE  REVELATION 

turned  into  piteli,  its  dust  intu  brimstone,  that  it  should  become 
Ijurning  pitch,  and  not  be  quenched  night  nor  daj,  but  that  its 
smoke  should  go  up  forever.  Xow  this  language  is  spoken,  as 
all  must  concede,  of  one  of  two  things ;  either  of  the  particular 
countrv  called  Idumea,  (ir  of  the  whole  earth  under  that  name. 
In  either  case  it  is  evident  that  the  language  must  be  limited. 
Probably  the  ^vhole  earth  is  meant,  from  the  fact  that  the 
chapter  opens  Avith  an  address  to  the  earth  and  all  that  is 
^therein,  the  world  and  all  that  come  forth  of  it ;  and  the  in- 
dignation of  the  Lord  is  declared  to  be  upon  all  nations.  Xow, 
whether  this  refers  to  the  depopulation  and  desolation  of  the 
earth  at  the  secoiid  advent,  or  to  the  purifying  tires  that  shall 
purge  it  of  the  effects  of  the  curse  at  the  end  of  the  thousand 
years,  the  language  must  still  be  limited ;  for  after  all  this, 
a  renovated  earth  is  to  come  forth,  to  be  the  abode  of  the 
nations  of  the  saved  throughout  eternity.  Three  times  this 
expression  of  smoke  going  up  forever  is  used  in  the  Bible : 
once  here  in  Isaiah  34,  of  the  land  of  Idumea  as  a  figure  of 
the  earth;  in  Revelation  14  (which  see),  of  the  worshipers 
of  the  beast  and  his  image;  and  again  in  the  chapter  we  are 
now  considering,  referring  to  the  destruction  of  great  Babylon; 
and  all  of  them  apply  to  the  very  same  time,  and  describe  the 
same  scenes;  namely,  the  destruction  visited  upon  this  earth, 
the  worshipers  of  the  beast,  and  all  the  j^omp  of  great  Babylon, 
at  the  second  advent  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 

Verse  4.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the  four  beasts  fell 
down  and  worshiped  God  that  sat  on  the  throne,  saying,  Amen;  Alle- 
luia. 5.  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying-,  Praise  our  God, 
all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that  fear  him,  both  small  and  great.  6. 
And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice 
of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  miglity  thunderings,  saying.  Alle- 
luia :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth.  7.  Let  us  be  glad  and  re- 
joice, and  give  honor  to  him  :  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come, 
and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  8.  And  to  her  was  granted 
that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white:  for  the 
fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints. 

A  Huncj  of  Tniimj)]!. —  The  Lm'd  God  onmipotent,  the 
Father,  reigneth,  is  the  language  <d'  this  song.  lie  reigns  at 
the  ])resent  time,  and  has  ever  reignetj,  in  renlih',  thougli  sen- 


CHAPTER  10.   VERSES  J^- 8  S15 

tence  against  an  o\il  win-k  has  not  been  executed  speedily;  but 
now  he  reigns  by  I  lie  open  manifestation  of  his  power  in  the 
subjugation  of  all  his  foe 

'■  R(j(ticc,  .  .  .  f(n-  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and 
his  wife  halh  made  herself  ready."  Who  is  the  "bride,  the 
J.aml)"s  wife,"  and  Avhat  is  the  marriage^  A  vast  field  for 
thought  is  here  o])('iU'd,  and  nialcrial  furnislicd  for  a  \iu)Vi" 
lengthy  exposition  than  falls  within  the  design  of  this  work. 
The  Lamb's  wife  is  the  Xew  Jerusalem  which  is  above.  This 
will  be  noticed  more  fully  on  chapter  21.  The  marriage  of 
the  Lamb  is  his  reception  of  this  city.  When  he  receives  this 
city,  he  receives  it  as  the  glory  and  metropolis  of  his  kingdom ; 
hence  with  it  he  receives  his  kingdom,  and  the  throne  of  his 
father  David.  This  uuiy  well  be  the  event  designated  by  the 
marriage  of  the  Landj.  That  the  marriage  relation  is  often 
taken  to  illustrate  the  tmion  between  Christ  and  his  people,  is 
granted ;  but  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  here  spoken  of  is  a 
definite  event  to  take  place  at  a  definite  time ;  and  if  the 
declaration  that  Cdirist  is  the  head  of  the  church  as  the 
husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife  (  E]di.  5:2.">),  ])roves  that 
the  church  is  now  the  Land/s  wife,  then  the  uuirriage  of 
the  Lamb  took  place  long  ago;  but  that  cannot  1)e,  accord- 
ing to  this  scripture,  which  locates  it  in  the  future.  Paid 
told  his  Corinthian  converts  that  he  had  espoused  them  to 
one  husban<l,  even  Christ.  This  is  true  of  all  converts.  Ihit 
while  this  figure  is  used  to  denote  the  relation  that  they 
then  assumed  to  Christ,  was  it  a  fact  that  the  marriage  of 
the  Lamb  took  place  in  Corinth  in  Paul's  day,  and  that  it  has 
been  going  on  for  the  past  eighteen  hundred  years?  Fur- 
ther remarks  on  this  point  are  dcferre<l  to  a  consideration  of 
chapter  21. 

But  if  the  city  is  the  bride,  it  may  be  asked  how  it  can  ne 
said  that  she  made  licvsclf  ready.  Answer:  J>y  the  figure  of 
personification,  which  attributes  life  and  action  to  inanimate 
objects.  (See  a  notable  exam])le  in  Psalm  114.)  Again,  tlie 
querv  may  arise  on  verse  8  how  a  city  can  be  arrayed  in  the 
righteousness  of  the  saints;  but  if  we  consider  that  a  city  with- 
out inhal)itants  would  be  but  a  dreary  and  cheerless  ]dace,  we 


81 «  THE  EEY ELATION 

soe  at  once  how  this  is.  Keferenco  is  had  to  the  countless 
number  of  its  giorihed  inhabitants  in  their  shining  appareh 
The  raiment  was  granted  to  her.  What  is  granted  to  her  i 
Isaiah  54  and  GaL  4:21-31  will  explain.  To  the  new-cove- 
nant city  are  granted  many  more  chihlren  than  to  the  old ; 
these  are  her  glory  and  rejoicing.  The  goodly  apparel  of  this 
city,  so  to  speak,  consists  of  the  hosts  of  the  redeemed  and 
inunortal  ones  who  Avalk  its  golden  streets. 

Verse  9.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they  which  are 
called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  And  he  saith  unto  me. 
These  are  the  true  sayings  of  God.  10.  And  I  fell  at  his  feet  to  wor- 
ship him.  And  he  said  unto  me.  See  thou  do  it  not :  I  am  thy  fellow 
servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus:  wor- 
ship God :  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 

The  Marriage  t^upper. —  j\Iany  are  the  allusions  to  this 
marriage  su|)i)er  in  the  jSTew  Testament.  It  is  referred  to  in 
the  parable  of  the  marriage  of  the  king's  son  (^fatt.  22  :  1  -  14), 
again  in  Luke  14:  16-24.  It  is  the  time  when  we  shall  eat 
bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  when  we  are  recompensed  at  the 
resurrection  of  the  just.  Luke  14:12-15.  It  is  the  time 
when  we  shall  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  new  with  our  Re- 
deemer in  his  heavenly  kingdom.  Matt.  2G:29;  Mark  14: 
25  ;  Luke  22  :  18.  It  is  the  time  when  we  shall  sit  at  his  table 
in  the  kingdom  (Luke  22:  30),  and  he  will  gird  himself,  and 
come  forth  and  serve  us.  Luke  12:37.  Blessed  indeed  are 
they  who  have  the  privilege  of  partaking  of  this  glorious  feast. 

Johns  Felloiv  Servant. — A  word  on  verse  10,  in  reference 
to  those  who  think  they  find  here  an  argument  for  conscious- 
ness in  death.  The  mistake  which  such  persons  make  on  this 
scripture  is  in  supposing  that  the  angel  declares  to  John  that 
he  is  one  of  the  old  prophets  come  back  to  communicate  with 
him.  The  person  em])loyed  in  giving  tlie  Revelation  to  John 
is  called  an  angel,  and  angels  are  not  the  (le])arted  s]iirits  of 
the  dead.  AVhoever  takes  the  position  that  they  are,  is  to  all 
intents  a  Spiritualist;  for  this  is  the  very  foundation-stone  of 
their  theory.  But  the  angel  says  no  such  thing.  lie  sini]>ly 
says  that  he  is  the  fellow  servant  of  John,  as  he  had  been  the 
fellow  servant  of  his  brethren  the  prophets.      The  term  fellow 


CIIAFTKn   10.  y ERSES  1^-21  SIT 

servant  iiuplios  tliaf  they  wcvo  nil  on  a  conuuon  footiiiji!,'  as  scvn- 
ants  of  the  groat  God  ;  lioiico  ho  was  not  a  proi)or  ohjoct  for 
John  to  worship.       (Soe  on  ('ha])k'r  1:1,   '' Ilis  AngcL") 

Verse  11.  And  I  saw  heaven  oi)ened,  and  behold  a  white  horse; 
and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Failhfid  and  True,  and  in  right- 
eousness he  doth  judge  and  make  war.  12.  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame 
of  tire,  and  on  his  head  were  nu^iny  crowns;  and  he  had  a  name  writ- 
ten, that  no  man  knew  hut  he  himself.  13.  And  he  was  clothed  with 
a  vestin-e  dipped  in  blood :  and  his  name  is  called  The  Word  of  God. 
14.  And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed  him  upon  white 
horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  15.  And  out  of  his 
mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations : 
and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  he  treadeth  the  wine- 
press of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God.  16.  And  he  hath 
on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written.  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords.  17.  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun ;  and  he 
cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of 
heaven.  Gome  and  gather  yourselves  together  \into  the  suiii)er  of  the 
great  God;  18.  That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of 
captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and 
of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond, 
both  small  and  great.  19.  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  their  armies,  gathered  together  to  make  war  against  him 
that  sat  on  the  horse,  and  against  his  army.  20.  And  the  "beast  was 
taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before 
him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  them  that  worshiped  his  image.  These  both  were  cast 
alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone.  21.  And  the  rem- 
nant were  slain  with  the  sword  of  him  that  sat  iipon  the  horse,  which 
sword  proceeded  out  of  his  month :  and  all  the  fowls  were  filled  with 
their  flesh. 

Clir'isVs  Second  Coming. —  With  verse  11  a  new  scene  is 
introduced.  We  are  here  carried  back  to  the  second  coniina,'  of 
Christ,  this  time  nnder  tlie  symbol  of  a  warrior  ridino-  forth  to 
battle.  Why  is  he  represented  thus?  —  Because  he  is  going 
f(n-th  to  war, —  to  meet  "  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  their 
armies,"  and  this  wouhl  be  the  only  proper  character  in  wliicli 
to  represent  him  on  snob  a  mission.  His  vesture  is  dipped  in 
blood.  (See  a  description  of  the  same  scene  in  Tsa.  HS  :  1  -  4.) 
The  armies  of  heaven,  the  angels  of  God,  follow  him.  Verse 
1,")  shows  how  he  rules  the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron  when 
thev  are  given  him  for  an  inheritance,  as  recorded  in  tlu'  s(>cond 
iisalm,  which  ])0])nlar  theology  interprets  to  mean  the  conver- 
sion of  the  world.       Ihit  wonld  not  such  (^x]>ressioiis  as  '"  tread- 


818  THE  EETELATIOX 

olh  the  M'inepress  of  the  fierccMiess  and  wrath  of  Ahnighty 
God,"  be  a  very  singular  descrijition  of  a  work  of  grace  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  heathen  for  their  conversion  'i  The  great  and 
tinal  disphiy  of  the  "  winepress  of  God's  wrath,"  and  also  of 
*'  the  lake  of  fire,"  occurs  at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  as 
described  in  chapter  20 ;  and  to  that  it  would  seem  that  the  full 
and  formal  description  of  Eev.  14:18-iJ0  must  applj-.  Ihit 
the  destruction  of  the  living  wicked  at  the  second  coming  of 
Christ,  at  the  beginning  of  the  thousand  years,  furnishes  a  scene 
on  a  smaller  scale,  similar,  in  both  these  respects,  to  what  takes 
place  at  the  close  of  that  period.  Hence  in  the  verses  before 
us  we  have  this  mention  of  both  the  winepress  of  wrath  and 
the  lake  of  fire. 

Christ  has  at  this  time  closed  his  mediatorial  work,  and  laid 
off  his  priestly  robes  for  kingly  attire ;  for  he  has  on  his  vesture 
and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written.  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the  character  in  which  he  here 
appears ;  for  it  was  the  custom  of  warriors  anciently  to  have 
some  kind  of  title  inscribed  upon  their  vesture.  Verse  17. 
AMiat  is  to  be  understood  by  the  angel  standing  in  the  sun  i 
In  chapter  10:  17  we  read  of  the  seventh  vial  being  poured  out 
into  the  air,  from  wdiicli  it  was  inferred  that  as  the  air  envelops 
the  whole  earth,  that  plague  would  be  universal.  May  not  the 
same  principle  of  interpretation  a])]dy  here,  and  show  that  the 
angel  standing  in  the  sun,  and  issuing  his  call  from  thence  to 
the  fowls  of  heaven  to  come  to  the  supj)er  of  the  great  God, 
denotes  that  this  proclamation  will  go  wherever  the  sun's  rays 
fall  upon  this  earth  ?  And  the  fowls  will  be  obedient  to  the 
call,  and  fill  themselves  with  the  flesh  of  horses,  kings,  cap- 
tains, and  mighty  men.  Thus,  while  the  saints  are  partaking 
of  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb,  the  wicked  in  their  own 
persons  furnish  a  great  supper  for  the  fowls  of  the  heavens. 

The  beast  and  false  prophet  are  taken.  The  false  prophet 
is  the  one  that  works  miracles  before  the  beast.  This  proves 
him  to  be  identical  with  the  two-horned  beast  of  chai)ter  13, 
to  Avhom  the  same  work,  for  the  very  same  jmrpose,  is  there 
attributed.  The  fact  that  these  are  cast  alive  into  the  lake  of 
fire,  shows  that  these  powers  will   not  ])ass  awav  and   be   sue- 


CHAPTER  W.   VERSKH  Jl-Jl  ^V,) 

coeded  by  others,  but  be  living  i)()wers  at  the  second  advent  of 
Christ. 

The  papacy  has  long  been  in  the  field,  and  has  come  to  the 
closing  scenes  in  its  career.  And  its  overthrow  is  emphatically 
predicted  in  other  prophecies  than  the  one  now  before  ns,  nota- 
bly in  Dan,  7:11,  in  which  the  prophet  says  that  he  beheld 
till  the  beast  was  slain,  and  his  body  destroyed  and  given  to  the 
burning  flame.  xind  this  followed  close  upon  the  utterance  of 
great  words  which  the  horn  spake,  which  words  were  doubtless 
heard  in  the  decree  of  papal  infallibility  in  the  great  ecumen- 
ical council  of  1870.  This  power  must  therefore  be  very  near 
the  close  of  its  existence.  But  it  does  not  pcn-ish  till  Christ 
appears,  for  it  then  goes  alive  into  the  lake  of  fire. 

The  other  power  associated  with  it,  the  two-horned  beast, 
we  see  fast  approaching  the  very  climax  of  the  work  it  has  to 
do  before  it  also  goes  alive  into  the  lake  of  fire.  .ind  how 
thrilling  is  the  thought  that  we  see  before  us  two  great  pro- 
l>hetic  agencies  which  are,  by  all  the  evidences,  near  the  close 
of  their  history,  which  yet  are  not  to  cease  till  the  Lord  shall 
appear  in  all  his  glory. 

It  appears  from  verse  21  that  there  is  a  remnant  not  num- 
bered with  the  beast  or  false  prophet.  These  are  slain  by  the 
sword  of  Ilim  that  sits  upon  the  horse,  which  sword  jiroceeds 
out  of  his  mouth.  This  sword  is  doubtless  what  is  spoken  of 
elsewhere  as  "  the  spirit  of  his  mouth  "  and  "  the  breath  of  his 
lips,"  with  which  the  Lord  shall  slay  the  wicked  at  his  ap]iear- 
ing  and  kingdom.       Isa.   11:1;  2   Thess.   2:8. 


mcm\) 


KE^URBEX)TION 


(11  AFTER  XX. 

Verse  1.  And  I  saw 
an  angel  come  down 
from  heaven,  having  the 
key  of  the  bottomless 
pit  and  a  great  chain  in 
liis  hand.  2.  And  he 
laid  hold  on  the  dragon, 
that  old  serpent,  which 
is  the  devil,  and  Satan, 
and  bound  liim  a  thousand  years,  3.  And  cast  him  into  the  bottomless 
pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  de- 
ceive the  nations  no  more  till  the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled: 
and  after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season. 

THE  event  with  wliicli  this  chapter  opens  seems  to  follow, 
in  chronological  order,  the  events  of  the  preceding  chap- 
ter. The  impiiries  that  here  arise  are,  AVho  is  the  angel 
that  conies  down  from  heaven  'i  what  are  the  ke_y  and  chain 
which  he  has  in  his  hand  ?  what  is  the  ])ottomless  pit  ?  and  what 
is  meant  by  binding  Satan  a  thousand  years  ? 

1.  Tlic  Angel. —  Is  this  angel  (lirist,  as  some  suppose?  — 
iM'idcntly  not.  A  bright  ray  of  light  is  thrown  from  the  old 
typical  service  directly  upon  this  ])assage.  Thus,  Christ  is  the 
great  High  Priest  of  this  disjx'nsation.  On  th(^  day  of  atone- 
ment, anciently,  tw^o  goats  were  taken  by  the  priest,  upon 
which  lots  were  cast,  one  for  the  Lord,  and  the  other  for  the 
scapegoat.  Tlie  one  n])(>ii  wliicli  the  Lord's  lot  fell,  was  tht>u 
slain,  and  liis  lilcxxl  carried  iulo  llic  sanctuary  to  nudvc  an 
.(820) 


CU AFTER  20.  VERSES  1-3  821 

atoneniont  for  the  cliiklren  of  Israel,  after  which  the  sins  of 
the  people  were  confessed  upon  the  head  of  the  other,  or  scape- 
goat, and  he  was  sent  away  by  the  hand  of  a  lit  man  into  the 
Avilderness,  or  a  j^lace  not  inhabited.  Now,  as  Christ  is  the 
priest  of  this  dispensation,  so  by  argimients,  a  few  of  which  we 
here  introduce,  Satan  is  shown  to  be  the  antitypical  sca])egoat. 

(1)  The  Hebrew  word  for  scapegoat,  as  given  in  the  mar- 
gin of  Lev.  16:8,  is  Azazcl.  On  this  verse,  Jenks,  in  his 
Comprehensive  Commentary,  remarks:  "Scapegoat.  (Sec 
diff.  o])in.  in  J3ocliart.)  Spencer,  after  the  oldest  0})inion  of 
the  Hebrews  and  Cliristians,  thinks  Azazcl  is  the  name  of  Ihe 
devil;  and  so  liosenmiiller,  whom  see.  The  Syriac  has  Azzail, 
the  angel  (strong  one)  who  revolted."  The  devil  is  hcvo.  evi- 
dently ])ointe(l  out.  Thus  we  have  the  definition  of  the  Scrip- 
ture term  in  two  ancient  languages,  with  the  oldest  o|)inion  of 
the  Christians,  in  favor  of  the  view  that  the  scapegoat  is  a 
type  of  Satan. 

Charles  Beecher,  in  Redeemer  and  Kedeemed,  ])]).  07,  OS, 
says:  "  AVhat  goes  to  confirm  this  is  that  the  most  ancient 
])araphrases  and  translations  treat  Azazel  as  a  proper  name. 
The  Chaldee  paraphrase  and  the  targums  of  Onkelos  and 
Jonathan  would  certainly  have  translated  it  if  it  was  not  a 
proper  name,  but  they  do  not.  The  Septuagint,  (n*  oldest 
Greek  version,  renders  it  by  diroTrofXTroio^  (apojwinpaios),  a 
Avord  applie<l  by  the  Greeks  to  a  malign  deity  sometimes  a])- 
])eased  by  sacrifices.  Another  confirnuition  is  found  in  the 
book  of  Enoch,  where  the  name  Azalzel,  evidently  a  corni])ti<in 
of  Azazel,  is  given  to  one  of  the  fallen  angels,  thus  ])]ainly 
showing  what  was  the  prevalent  understanding  of  the  Jews 
at   that   day. 

"  Still  anotlier  evidence  is  found  in  tlic  Aral)i(',  wherc^ 
Azazel  is  employed  as  the  name  of  the  evil  spirit.  in  addition 
Id  these,  we  have  the  evidence  of  the  Jewish  work  Zohar,  and 
itf  the  Cabalistic  and  Rabbinical  writers.  They  tell  us  that 
the  folloAving  proverb  was  current  among  the  Jews:  '  On  tlic 
day  of  atonement,  a  gift  to  Sammael.'  Hence  Moses  Gerun- 
dinensis  feels  called  to  say  that  it  is  not  a  sacrifice,  but  only 
done  because  commanded  by  God. 


822  THE  REVELATION 

^'Another  step  in  the  evidence  is  when  we  find  this  sauie 
opinion  passing  from  the  Jewish  to  the  early  Christian  chnrch. 
Origen  was  tlie  most  learned  of  the  Fathers,  and  on  snch.  a 
])oint  as  this,  the  meaning  of  a  Hebrew  word,  his  testimony  is 
reliable.  Origen  says,  '  He  who  is  called  in  the  Septnagint 
dTTOTTo/An-atos,  and  in  the  Hel)rcw  Azazel,  is  no  other  than  the 
devil. ' 

"  In  view,  then,  of  the  difficnltios  attending  any  other 
meaning,  and  the  accnmnlated  evidence  in  favor  of  this, 
Hengstenberg  affirms  with  great  confidence  that  Azazel  cannot 
be  anything  else  than  another  name  for  Satan." 

(2)  In  the  conmion  acceptation  of  the  Avord,  the  term 
scapegoat  is  applied  to  any  one  who  has  become  olnioxious 
to  the  claims  of  jnstice;  and  while  it  is  revolting  to  all  oi.r 
conceptions  of  the  character  and  glory  of  Christ  to  apply  this 
term  to  him,  it  mnst  strike  every  one  as  a  very  ajipropriate 
designation  of  the  devil,  who  is  styled  in  Scriptnre  the  accnser, 
adversary,  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,  Beelzebnb,  Belial, 
dragon,  enemy,  evil  spirit,  father  of  lies,  murderer,  prince  of 
devils,   serpent,   tempter,    etc.,    etc. 

(3)  The  third  reason  for  this  position  is  the  very  striking 
manner  in  which  it  harmonizes  with  the  events  to  transpire  in 
connection  with  the  cleansing  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  as  far 
as  revealed  to  us  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

AVe  behold  in  the  type,  (a)  the  sin  of  the  transgressor 
transferred  to  the  victim;  (h)  we  see  that  sin  borne  by  the 
ministration  of  the  priest  and  the  blood  of  the  offering  into  the 
sanctuary;  (r)  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  seventh  month  we  see 
the  priest,  with  the  Itlood  of  the  sin-ofFering  for  the  ]ieople, 
remove  all  tlicir  sius  from  the  sanctuary,  and  lay  tliciu  n]ioii 
llic  hea(]  of  llie  sca])egoat ;  and  (c/)  the  goat  bears  them  away 
into  a  land  not  iidia1)ite(l.  Bcv.  1:1-4;  4:  3  -  C;  Hi:  ."')  -  10, 
15,   K;,   20-22. 

Answering  to  these  events  in  the  type,  we  behold  in  the 
antityjx',  (n)  the  great  ofl'ering  for  the  world  made  on  ( 'alvary ; 
{}))  the  sins  of  all  those  who  avail  themselves  of  the  merits  of 
Christ's  sIkmI  hlood  I;y  faith  in  him,  ])ornc,  l>v  the  ministration 
(if  C^hrist  while  pleading  liis  own  blood,   into  the  new-coNcnant 


CHAPTER  20,  VEiisi::^  1-j  ,si>:; 

.siiiictiiarv;  {<■)  after  (Mirist,  th(>  luiiiistor  of  tlu-  tnio  tahcniaclt! 
(liob.  8:2),  has  tinislied  his  ministration,  he  will  rcinoxc  the 
sins  of  his  people  from  the  sanctuary,  and  lav  tiicm  u])<»n  the 
head  of  tlieir  author,  the  antity})ieal  scapegoat,  the  devil;  and 
( c/)  the  devil  will  be  sent  away  witli  them  into  a  ]aii<l  not 
inhabited. 

This  we  believe  to  be  the  very  event  described  in  the  verses 
under  notice.  The  sanctuary  service  is,  at  the  time  here  speci- 
Hed,  closed.  Christ  lays  upon  the  head  of  the  devil  the  sins 
which  have  been  transferred  to  the  sanctuary,  and  which  are 
imputed  to  the  saints  no  more,  and  the  devil  is  sent  away,  nut 
by  the  hand  of  the  High  Priest,  but  by  the  hand  of  another 
person,  according  to  the  type,  into  a  place  here  called  the  bot- 
tondess  ])it.  Hence  this  angel  is  n»»t  Christ.  For  a  full  expo- 
sition of  this  subject,  see  the  work.  Looking  unto  Jesus;  or 
CHirist  in  Type  and  Antitype. 

2.  Tlic  Key  and  Cliain. — ^  Tt  cannot  be  supposed  that  the 
key.  and  chain  are  literal;  they  are  rather  used  merely  as  sym- 
bols of  the  power  and  authority  with  which  this  angel  is  clothed 
upon  this  occasion. 

3.  The  Bottomless  Pit. —  The  original  word  signifies  an 
abyss,  bottondess,  deep,  profound.  Its  use  seems  to  be  such 
as  to  show  that  the  word  denotes  any  place  of  darkness,  deso- 
lation, and  death.  Thus  in  Rev.  0:  1,  2,  it  is  applied  to  the 
barren  Avastes  of  the  Arabian  desert,  and  in  Rom.  10:7,  to 
the  grave ;  but  the  passage  which  specially  throws  light  upon 
the  meaning  of  the  word  here  is  Gen.  1 :  2,  where  we  read  that 
"  darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep."  The  word  thtM"e 
rendered  deep  is  the  same  word  that  is  here  rendered  hottomless 
pit ;  so  that  passage  might  have  heen  translated,  "  Darkness  was 
upon  the  face  of  the  abyss,  or  bottomless  pit."  But  we  all  know 
Avhat  is  meant  by  the  word  deep  as  there  used;  it  is  a})})lied  to 
this  earth  in  its  chaotic  state.  Precisely  this  it  must  mean  in 
this  third  verse  of  Revelation  20.  At  this  time,  let  it  be  borne 
in  mind,  the  earth  is  a  vast  charnel-house  of  desolation  and 
death.  The  voice  of  God  has  shaken  it  to  its  foundations;  the 
islands  and  mountains  have  been  moved  out  of  their  ])hices; 
lli(>   gi-eal    earthquake   has    levelecl    to    tlu;   earth    the    miglitiest 

52 


824  TEE  REVELATION' 

works  of  man ;  the  seven  last  plagues  have  left  their  all-deso- 
lating footprints  over  the  earth ;  the  burning  glory  attending 
the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  has  borne  its  part  in  accomplish- 
ing the  general  desolation ;  the  Avicked  have  been  given  to  the 
slaughter,  and  their  putrefying  flesh  and  bleaching  bones  lie 
unburied,  ungathered,  and  unlamented  from  one  end  of  the 
earth  to  the  other  end  thereof.  Thus  is  the  earth  made  empty 
and  waste,  and  turned  upside  down.  Isa.  24 :  1.  Thus  is  it 
brought  back  again,  partially  at  least,  to  its  original  state  of 
confusion  and  chaos.  (See  Jer.  4:10-26,  especially  verse 
23.)  And  what  better  term  could  be  used  to  describe  the 
earth  thus  rolling  on  in  its  course  of  darkness  and  desolation 
for  a  thousand  years  than  that  of  the  abyss,  or  bottomless  pit  ? 
Here  Satan  will  be  confined  during  this  time,  amid  the  ruins 
which  indirectly  his  own  hands  have  wrought,  unable  to  flee 
from  his  habitation  of  Avoe,  or  to  repair  in  the  least  degree  its 
hideous  ruin. 

4.  The  Binding  of  Satan. —  Wo  well  know  that  Satan,  in 
order  to  work,  must  have  subjects  upon  whom  to  work.  AVith- 
out  these,  he  can  do  nothing.  But  during  the  thousand  years 
of  his  confinement  to  this  earth,  all  the  saints  are  in  heaven, 
beyond  the  power  of  his  temptations ;  and  all  the  wicked  are 
in  their  graves,  beyond  his  power  to  deceive.  His  sphere  of 
action  is  circumscribed,  he  being  at  this  time  confined  to  this 
earth;  and  thus  is  he  bound,  being  condemned  throughout  this 
period  to  a  state  of  hopeless  inactivity.  This,  to  a  mind  that 
has  been  so  busy  as  his  has  been  for  the  past  six  thousand 
yeaprs  in  deceiving  the  world,  must  be  a  punishment  of  the 
most  intense  severity. 

According  to  this  exposition,  the  "  binding  "  of  Satan  means 
simply  the  placing  beyond  his  roach  of  the  subjects  u})<)n  whom 
he  works,  and  his  being  "•  loosed  "  means  their  being  brought 
again,  by  a  resurrection,  to  a  position  where  he  can  again  exer- 
cise his  power  upon  them.  Over  this  exposition  some  assume 
to  grow  merry,  telling  us  that  we  have  mistaken  the  parties, 
and  have  the  wicked  bound,  not  the  devil.  Yet  how  often  do 
we  hear,  in  the  daily  transactions  of  life,  such  expressions  as 
these :    My  way  was  completely  hedged  up ;   my  hands  Avorc 


CHAPTER  30,  VERSES  1-G  825 

completely  tied,  etc.  ]>ut  do  wc  understand,  when  persons 
use  such  ex})ressions,  that  some  insurmuuntable  obstacle  was 
literally  thrown  across  the  path  they  were  traveling,  or  tliat 
their  hands  were  literally  confined  with  ropes  or  cords?  —  Xo; 
but  simply  that  a  combination  of  circumstances  rendered  it 
impossible  for  them  to  act.  Just  so  here;  and  why  will  not 
people  grant  to  the  Bible  the  same  liberty  of  speech  that  they 
give,  without  question  and  without  ridicule,  to  their  fellow 
men  in  the  common  intercourse  of  life  ?  But  more  than  this, 
there  is  here  a  great  limitation  of  Satan's  power,  which  may 
well  be  called  a  "  binding."  He  no  longer  has  the  j^ower  of 
traversing  space,  and  visiting  other  worlds;  but  like  man  he 
is  confined  to  this  earth,  which  he  nevermore  leaves.  The 
place  of  the  ruin  he  has  wrought  now  becomes  his  gloomy 
prison-house,  till  he  is  led  out  to  execution,  at  the  end  of  the 
thousand  years. 

Verse  4,  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judg- 
ment was  given  \mto  them :  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  be- 
headed for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which 
had  not  worshiped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  received 
his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands ;  and  they  lived  and 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  5.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead 
lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the 
first  resurrection.  6.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection :  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall 
be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand 
years. 

The  Exaltation  of  tlie  Saints. —  From  the  devil  in  his 
gloomy  confinement,  Jolm  now  directs  our  attention  to  the 
saints  in  victory  and  glory, —  the  saints  reigning  with  Christ 
• —  their  employment  being  to  assign  to  the  wicked  dead  the 
punishment  due  their  evil  deeds.  From  that  general  assenJjlv 
John  then  selects  two  classes  as  worthy  of  especial  attention: 
first,  the  martyrs,  those  who  had  been  beheaded  for  the  witness 
of  Jesus ;  and  secondly,  those  who  had  not  worshiped  the  beast 
and  his  image.  This  class,  the  ones  who  refuse  the  mark  of 
the  beast  and  his  image,  are  of  course  the  ones  who  hear  and 
obey  the  third  message  of  Revelation  14;  hut  these  are  not  tlie 
ones  who  arc  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  us  some  who 


820  THE  REVELATION 

claim  that  the  last  generation  of  saints  are  all  to  be  slain,  would 
have  us  believe.  The  word  rendered  ivliicli,  in  the  expression, 
"  and  which  had  not  worshiped  the  beast,"  etc.,  shows  that 
there  is  another  class  introduced.  The  word  is  the  compound 
relative,  oo-ns  (liostls),  not  merely  the  simple  relative  os,  and 
is  defined  by  Liddoll  and  Scott,  "  Whosoever ;  whichsoever ; 
any  one  tclio;  anything  which;  "  and  by  Ilobinson,  "  One  who; 
some  one  who ;  whosoever ;  whatsoever."  As  one  class,  John 
saw  the  martyrs,  and  as  another,  he  saw  those  ivlio  had  not 
Avorsliiped  the  beast  and  his  image. 

It  is  true  that  ooris  is  sometimes  used  as  a  simple  relative, 
as  in  2  Cor.  3:14;  Eph.  1:23,  but  never  in  such  construc- 
tions as  this,  preceded  by  the  conjunction  koI. 

Lest  any  one  should  say  that  if  we  render  the  passage  "  and 
whosoever  had  not  worshiped  the  beast,"  we  thereby  include 
millions  of  heathen  and  sinners  who  have  not  worshiped  the 
beast,  and  promise  them  a  reign  with  Christ  of  a  thousand 
years,  we  Avould  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  preceding 
chapter  states  that  the  wicked  had  all  been  slain,  and  the  seal 
of  death  had  been  set  upon  them  for  a  thousand  years ;  and 
John  is  viewing  only  the  righteous  comjoany  who  have  part 
in  the  first  resurrection. 

To  avoid  the  doctrine  of  two  resurrections,  some  claim  that 
the  passage,  "  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thousand  years  were  finished,"  is  an  interjwlation,  not  found  in 
the  original,  and  hence  not  genuine.  Even  if  this  were  so,  it 
would  not  disprove  the  main  proposition  that  the  righteous  dead 
are  raised  by  themselves,  in  a  ''  first  resurrection,"  and  that 
there  is  a  second  resurrection  a  thousand  years  later,  in  which 
all  the  Avicked  are  brought  from  their  graves.  But  the  criti- 
cism is  not  true.  All  scholarship  is  against  it.  The  Revised 
Version  retains  the  passage. 

Two  Besurrections. —  "  The  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again 
until  the  thousand  years  were  finished."  Whatever  may  be  said 
to  the  contrary,  no  language  could  more  plainly  prove  two 
resurrections ;  the  first,  a  resurrection  of  the  righteous  at  the 
commencement  of  ihc  thousand  years;  and  tlic  sccoiul,  that  of 
t\\v  wicked  at  the  end  of  that  period.      On  such  as  ha\e  ]»art  in 


ClIAPTEU  20.  y FUSES  Jf  - 10  827 

the  first  resurrection,  llic  second  death  ^vill  have  no  power. 
Tliey  can  pass  unlianned  tlirongli  tlie  elements  wliicli  destroy 
the  wicked  like  cliatf.  They  will  he  ahle  to  dwell  with  devour- 
ing fire  and  everlasting  hurnings  (Isa.  33:14,  !.">);  they  will 
be  ahle  to  go  forth  and  look  upon  the  carcasses  of  the  men  who 
have  transgressed  against  the  Lord,  as  the  quenchless  tire  and 
undying  worm  are  preying  upon  them.  Isa.  UG:  24.  The  dif- 
ference between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  in  this  respect 
is  seen  again  in  the  fact  that  while  God  is  to  the  Latter  a  con- 
suming fire,  he  is  to  his  people  both  a  sun  and  a  shield. 

The  WicJi-ed  Raised  to  Life. —  The  wicked  who  are  raised  at 
the  end  of  the  thousand  years  as  really  live  again  as  they  have 
once  lived  on  the  earth.  To  deny  this  is  to  do  violence  to  this 
scripture.  In  what  physical  condition  they  will  be  raised,  we 
are  not  informed.  It  is  usual  to  say  on  this  point  that  what 
we  have  lost  unconditionally  in  Adam,  is  restored  uncondition- 
ally in  Christ.  With  respect  to  physical  condition,  this  should 
not  perhaps  be  taken  in  an  unlimited  sense;  for  we  have  lost 
greatly  in  stature  and  vital  force,  Avliich  need  not  be  restored 
to  the  wacked.  If  they  are  brought  back  to  the  average  mental 
and  physical  condition  which  they  enjoyed  during  life,  or  the 
l^eriod  of  their  probation,  that  would  certainly  be  sufficient  to 
enable  them  to  receive  at  last  understandingly  the  reward  due 
them  for  all  their  deeds. 

Verse  7.  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  expired,  Satan  shall 
be  loosed  out  of  his  prison,  8.  And  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations 
which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  to 
gather  them  together  to  battle :  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of 
the  sea.  9.  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  and  com- 
passed the  camp  of  the  saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city:  and  tire 
came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  devoured  them.  10.  And  the 
devil  that  deceived  them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone, 
where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be  tormented  day 
and  night  forever  and  ever. 

The  Perdition  of  Ungodly  Men. —  At  the  end  of  the  one 
thousand  years,  the  holy  city,  the  Xew  Jerusalem,  in  which 
the  saints  have  dwelt  in  heaven  during  that  period,  comes 
down,  and  is  located  ujion  the  earth,  and  becomes  (he  camp  of 
the  saints,  around  which  the  resurrected  wicked  come  up,  nuni- 


828  THE  REVELATION 

bcrless  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.  The  devil  deceives  them,  avid 
thus  brings  them  up  to  this  battle.  Thev  are  induced  to  com- 
mence an  impious  warfare  upon  the  holy  city,  in  prospect  of 
some  advantage  to  be  gained  by  fighting  against  the  saints. 
Satan  doubtless  persuades  them  that  they  can  overcome  the 
saints,  dispossess  them  of  their  city,  and  still  hold  possession  of 
the  earth.  But  iire  conies  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and 
devours  them.  The  word  here  rendered  devoured,  Professor 
Stuart  admits  is  "  intensive,"  and  signifies  "  to  eat  up,  devour, 
so  that  it  denotes  utter  excision."  (Hudson's  Christ  our  Life, 
]).  14G.)  This  is  the  time  of  the  perdition  of  ungodly  men, — 
the  time  when  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the 
earth  also,  and  when  the  works  that  are  in  the  earth  shall  be 
burned  up.  2  Peter  3  :  7,  10.  In  the  light  of  these  scriptures, 
we  can  see  how  the  wicked  are  to  receive  their  recompense  in 
the  earth  (Pro v.  11 :  31)  ;  we  can  see  also  that  this  recompense 
is  not  eternal  life  in  misery,  but  an  "  utter  excision/'  entire 
and  complete  destruction. 

The  ^yic^xed  Never  Tread  the  New  Earth. —  Two  views 
deserve  a  passing  notice  at  this  point.  The  first  is  that  the 
earth  is  renewed  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  and  is  the 
habitation  of  the  saints  during  the  thousand  y^ars;  the  other 
is  that  when  Christ  appears  the  second  time,  he  sets  up  his 
kingdom  in  Palestine,  and  performs,  in  connection  with  his 
saints,  a  work  of  conquest  over  the  nations  left  on  the  earth 
during  the  thousand  years,   and  sul)dues  them  to  himself. 

One  among  many  objections  to  the  first  view  is  that  it 
makes  the  wicked,  in  their  resurrection,  come  up,  with  the 
devil  at  their  head,  and  tread  with  their  unhallowed  feet  u]>()n 
the  purified  and  holy  earth,  and  the  saints,  who  have  held 
possession  for  a  thousand  years,  are  obliged  to  yield  the  groinid, 
and  flee  into  the  city.  Put  we  cannot  believe  that  the  saints' 
inheritance  will  ever  be  thus  nuirred,  or  that  the  fair  plains  of 
tlie  earth  made  new  will  ever  be  soiled  with  the  polluting  tread 
of  the  resuscitated  wicked  ;  for  besides  outraging  all  ideas  of 
y)ropriety,  there  is  no  scripture  from  which  even  an  inference 
can  be  drawn  to  su])])ort  it 

And  as  to  the  second  view,  one  amoni>:  manv  of  its  nbsur  1- 


CHAPTER  20.  VERSES  7-10  s29 

ities  is  that  notwithstaiidinii-  Christ  and  liis  saints  have  con- 
(luered  the  earth  (hiring'  the  thousand  years,  at  tlie  end  of  this 
]ieriod  the  wicked  i>et  the  n])])('r  hand  (tf  llieni,  they  lose  their 
territory,  the  work  of  a  thousand  years  is  undone,  and  they 
are  compelled  to  beat  an  iiiuoniinious  r(»treat  into  the  city  for 
slielter,  leaving  tlu^  earth  to  the  undisputed  sway  of  their  foes. 
Those  who  Avish,  may  rack  their  brains  in  trying  to  liavnioni/e 
the  inconsistencies  and  absurdities  of  such  theories,  or  may 
endeavor  to  draw  consolation  from  the  dubious  prospect.  For 
<^)urselves,  wo  prefer  better  employment   and  a  brighter  ho})('. 

A  Tliousand  Years  in  Ilcnren. —  In  contrast  with  these 
theories,  there  is  a  beautiful  harmony  in  the  view  herein 
presented;  namely,  that  the  saints  are  with  Christ  in  heaven 
during  the  thousand  years  while  the  earth  lies  desolate;  that 
the  saints  and  the  city  come  down,  and  the  wicked  dead  are 
raised  and  come  up  against  it ;  that  the  latter  there  receive 
their  judgment ;  and  that  from  the  purifying  fires  which  de- 
stroy them  come  forth  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  to 
])e  the  abode  of  the  righteous  throughout  endless  ages. 

Hie  Subjects  of  Torment. —  From  verse  10,  some  have 
argued  that  the  devil  alone  was  to  be  tormented  day  and  night ; 
but  the  testimony  of  this  verse  is  more  extensive  than  that. 
The  verb  "  shall  be  tormented  "  is  in  the  plural,  and  agrees 
with  the  beast  and  false  prophet ;  whereas  it  would  be  in  the 
singular  nundjor  if  it  referred  to  the  devil  alone.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  in  the  expression,  "  where  the  beast  and  the  false 
])rophet  are,"  are  is  a  supplied  word.  It  would  be  more  ])roper 
to  supply  the  words  ivere  cast,  answering  to  what  was  si)oken 
of  the  devil  just  before.  The  sentence  would  then  read,  "  The 
devil  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire,  where  the  beast  and  false 
prophet  luere  cast."  The  beast  and  false  ])ro])het  were  cast 
in  there,  and  destroyed,  at  the  commencfMuent  oi'  tlic  thousand 
years.  Ivev.  10:20.  The  individuals  of  wliom  those  oi-gani- 
zations  were  then  composed,  now  come  u])  in  the  second  resiir- 
rection,  and  a  similar  and  final  destruction  is  visited  upon 
them,  under  the  names  Gog  and    Magog. 

llir  Tjolrr  of  Fire. —  Some  reader  nniy  be  inclined  to  ask 
for  a  definition  of  the  lake  of  fire.      As  a  comprehensive  defini- 


830  THE  REVELATIOX 

tion,  may  it  not  l)c  called  a  syiiil)(»l  of  tlio  agencies  which  God 
employs  to  close  uj)  liis  controversy  Avitli  the  living  wicked  at 
the  beginning  of  the  thousand  years,  and  with  all  the  hosts  of 
the  nngudly  at  the  end  of  that  period  i  Literal  tire  will  of 
course  be  largely  employed  in  this  A\ork.  We  can  better  de- 
scribe its  effects  than  the  thing  itself.  At  the  second  coming  of 
Christ,  it  is  the  flaming  tire  in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  is  re- 
vealed;  it  is  the  s[)irit  of  his  mouth  and  brightness  of  his  com- 
ing, by  which  the  man  of  sin  is  to  be  consumed;  it  is  the  fire 
in  which  great  Babylon  shall  be  utterly  burned.  llev.  18 :  8. 
At  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  it  is  the  day  that  shall  burn 
as  an  oven  (Mai.  4:1);  it  is  the  fervent  heat  that  shall  melt 
the  elements  and  the  earth,  and  burn  up  the  wx)rks  that  are 
therein;  it  is  the  fire  of  Tophet  ''prepared  for  the  king"  (the 
devil  and  his  angels,  j\latt.  25:4:1),  the  pile  whereof  is  deep 
and  large,  and  which  "  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream 
of  brimstone,  doth  kindle."  Isa.  30 :  33.  It  is  the  fire  that 
comes  down  from  God  out  of  heaven.  (On  the  expression, 
''  tormented  day  and  night  forever  and  ever,"  see  on  chap- 
ter 11:11.)       ' 

Verse  11.  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  liim  that  sat  on  it, 
from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away;  and  there  was 
found  no  place  for  them.  12.  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great, 
stand  before  God;  and  the  books  were  opened;  and  another  book  was 
opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life:  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of 
those  things  wliich  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works. 
13.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it;  and  death  and 
hell  delivered  np  the  dead  which  were  in  them:  and  they  were  judged 
every  man  accoring  to  their  works.  14.  And  death  and  hell  were 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second  death.  15.  And  whoso- 
ever was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire. 

With  verse  11,  John  introduces  another  scene  to  take  ])lace 
in  connection  with  the  final  doom  of  the  ungodly.  It  is  the 
great  white  thrcme  of  jiulgment,  before  which  they  are  assem- 
bled to  receive  their  awful  sentence  of  condemnation  an<l  death. 
.HefV)re  this  throne  the  heavens  and  the  earth  flee  away,  so  that 
no  place  is  fV)uiid  for  them.  A  moment's  reflection  on  the 
changes  which  must  then  take  place  in  the  earth  will  bring  ont 
the  great  force  of  this  language.      The  scene  is  that  of  Peter's 


THE     I  NVESTISMl-IVE    JUCJMENT 

■rill-  iiiflrji'i'-i't  icfi.s  nft,  avd  the  hooks  trere  opened."    Dan.  7    JO. 


C II  APT  En  20.  VERSED  11  -  ir>  333 

Lurning  day,  wliieli  is  the  "'  perdition  of  uno-odly  men,"  and  in 
wliicli  even  the  "  elements  "  melt  with  fervent  heat.  2  Peter 
o  :  7  -  1'].  The  city  is  then  located  upon  the  earth,  the  foun- 
dations of  course  extending  under  its  whole  area,  so  that  it 
will  not  be  affected  hy  any  changes  that  may  take  place,  or  any 
conditions  Avhich  may  exist,  in  the  earth  beneath  it.  Fire 
comes  down  from  God  out  of  heaven. 

First,  the  works  that  are  in  the  world  are  l>urned  nj);  and 
by  the  poisonous  gases  evolved,  and  the  flames,  the  wicked  are 
destroyed;  this  is  the  fire  of  Gehenna,  which  contains  all  tlu^ 
elements  necessary  to  consume  utterly  every  mortal  l)eing  that 
comes  under  its  power  (Mark  9 :  43  -  48)  ;  and  then  will  be  fid- 
filled  Isa.  60:24:  "And  they  [the  righteous]  shall  go  forth, 
and  look  upon  the  carcasses  of  the  men  that  have  transgressed 
against  me:  for  their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their 
fire  be  quenched;  and  they  shall  be  an  abhorring  unto  all 
flesh." 

Secondly,  the  heat  is  raised  till  all  the  material  of  which 
this  glol)e  is  composed,  is  fused  like  the  ores  in  a  smelter's 
furnace,  and  the  whole  earth  becomes  a  fluid,  fiery,  molten 
mass.  Upon  this  the  city  floats,  as  the  ark  of  Xoah  floateil 
ujion  the  waters  of  the  flood.  Then  will  be  fulfilled  Isa.  80: 
14:  "Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire  ^ 
who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  ?  "  The 
answer,  in  the  following  verses,  shows  it  to  be  the  righteous, 
and  this  must  be  the  time  when  it  will  be  fulfilled. 

Thirdly,  there  is  one  stage  more  to  1)0  reached.  Tt  is  well 
known  that  with  a  suflicient  degree  of  heat,  any  substaiu'c^  on 
this  earth  can  be  reduced  to  the  condition  of  gas,  and  thus 
become  invisible.  So  will  it  be  then  with  tins  whole  earth. 
The  heat  being  raised  to  a  suflicient  degree  of  intensity,  would 
not  the  whole  earth  be  converted  into  gas,  and  l)ecome  invisi- 
ble, and  thus  appear  most  literally  to  fiee  away,  so  that  no 
])lace  is  found  for  it?  The  city  would  then  seem  to  be,  as 
virtually  it  would  be,  suspended  in  mid-heaven. 

Ihit  the  elements  are  not  destroyed.  They  are  only,  by 
tiiat  ]irocess,  ])urge(l  from  the  last  and  minutest  taint  of  ain, 
and  every  token  of  the  curse.       The  almighty  fiat   again  goes 


834  THE  EEVELATWX 

forth,  "  Bcliold,  I  iiiako  all  tliiui;s  new.  ...  It  is  dono " 
(liev.  21:  5,  G),  aud  the  particles  combine  again  to  compose  a 
new  world ;  and  there,  beneath  the  wondering  and  admiring 
gaze  of  all  the  redeemed  and  the  angelic  host,  the  work  of 
creation  is  gone  throngh  with  again.  At  the  first  creation,  the 
morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy.  Job  38:7.  At  this  new  creation,  that  song  and 
shout  will  be  augmented  by  the  glad  voices  of  the  redeemed. 
8o  will  this  earth,  wrenched  for  a  time,  by  sin,  from  its  in- 
tended orbit  of  joy  and  peace,  be  brought  back,  renewed,  into 
harmony  with  a  loyal  universe,  to  be  the  everlasting  home  oi 
the  saved. 

Tlie  Bools  of  Record. —  Men  are  judged  out  of  the  thing;^ 
written  in  the  books,  from  which  we  learn  the  solemn  fact  that 
a  record  of  all  our  deeds  is  kept  on  high.  A  faithful  and 
unerring  record  is  made  by  the  angelic  secretaries.  The  wicked 
cannot  conceal  from  them  any  of  their  deeds  of  darkness. 
They  cannot  bribe  them  to  pass  over  in  their  record  any  of 
their  unlawful  atts.  They  must  meet  them  all  again,  and  be 
judged  accordingly. 

The  Execution  of  the  Sentence. —  The  wicked  are  to  be  y>\u\- 
ished  according  to  their  works.  The  Scriptures  declare  that 
tliey  shall  be  rewarded  according  to  their  deeds.  There  are, 
then,  to  be  degrees  in  the  punishment  of  the  wicked ;  and  it  may 
be  asked  how  this  can  be  harmonized  with  the  view  that  death  is 
the  punishment'  for  sin,  and  comes  upon  all  alike.  Let  us  ask 
believers  in  eternal  misery  how  they  will  maintain  degrees  in 
theii'  system.  They  tell  us  the  intensity  of  the  pain  endured 
will  be  in  each  case  proportioned  to  the  guilt  of  the  sufferer. 
But  how  can  this  be  ^  Are  not  the  fiames  of  hell  equallv 
severe  in  all  ])arts  ?  and  will  they  not  e([ually  affect  all  the 
immaterial  souls  cast  therein  ?  ]>ut  God  can  interpose,  it  is 
answered,  to  ])ro(luce  the  effect  (l(\sired.  Yvvy  well,  then,  we 
reply,  cannot  he  also  interj)ose,  if  necessary,  and  graduate  the 
pain  which  will  attend  the  infliction  of  death  upon  the  sinnei 
as  the  climax  of  his  piMialty  ?  So,  then,  our  view  is  e(puil  with 
the  conniion  one  in  this  respect,  while  it  ])ossesses  great  advan- 
tages over  it  in  another;  for  while  that  has  to  find  its  degrees 


CllAl'TKR  M.   VERSES  11 -15  y;}.-) 

of  ijunislinient  in  intensity  of  pain  alone,  the  dnration  in  all 
cases  being  the  same,  this  may  not  only  have  degrees  in  pain, 
hnt  in  duration  also;  inasmuch  as  some  may  perish  in  a  short 
space  of  time,  and  the  weary  sufferings  of  others  be  long  drawn 
out.  But  yet  we  apprehend  that  the  bodily  suffering  will  be 
but  an  unnoticed  trifle  com])ared  with  the  mental  agony,  that 
keen  anguish  which  will  rack  their  souls  as  they  get  a  view  of 
their  incom})aral)le  loss,  each  according  to  his  capacity  of  appre- 
ciation. The  youth  who  had  but  little  more  than  reached  tlu^ 
years  of  accountability,  being  less  able  to  com[)rehend  his  sit- 
uation and  his  loss,  will  of  course  feel  it  less ;  to  him  of  older 
years,  more  capacity,  and  conse(piently  a  deeper  experience  in 
sin,  the  burden  of  his  fate  will  be  ])r<»i)ortionately  greater; 
while  the  man  of  giant  intellect  and  almost  boundless  compre- 
hension,—  who  hence  possessed  greater  influence  for  evil,  and 
so  was  the  more  guilty  for  devoting  his  powers  to  the  service 
of  that  evil, —  being  al)le  to  understand  his  sitmition  fully,  com- 
])reliend  his  fate,  and  realize  his  loss,  will  feel  it  most  keenly  of 
all.  Into  liis  soul  the  iron  will  indeed  enter  most  intolerably 
deep.  And  thus,  by  an  established  law  of  mind,  the  sufferings 
of  each  may  be  most  accurately  adjusted  to  the  magnitude  of 
his  guilt. 

That  the  degree  of  suffering  which  each  one  is  to  endure  is 
taken  into  the  account  as  a  part  of  the  punishment  of  his 
crimes,  is  evident  from  Rom.  2:6-  10.  Paul,  here  speaking 
of  the  future  ^'judgment  of  God,"  says: — 

"Who  will  render  to  every  nuui  according  to  his  deeds:  to 
them  who  1)y  ])atient  continuance  in  well-doing  seek  for  glory 
and  honor  and  inniiortality  [he  will  render  J,  eternal  life;  but 
unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but 
obey  unrighteousness  [he  will  render],  in<Hgnation  and  wratli, 
tribulation  and  anguish,  u]x)n  every  so\d  of  man  that  docth 
evil,  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile." 

Tlic  Bool-  of  Life. —  Why,  it  nniy  l)e  asked,  is  tlie  book  of 
life  brought  forth  on  this  occasion,  when  all  who  have  ])art  in 
the  second  resurrection,  beyond  which  this  scene  is  located,  arc 
alreadv  foiH^jndged  to  the  second  death  (  At  least  one  ap])ar('nt 
reason  is,  that  it  may   be  seen  that  none  of  the  uaiucs  of  all 


836  THE  REVELATIOX 

the  imiltitudc  who  die  the  second  death  are  in  the  hook  of  life, 
and  why  thev  are  not  there ;  and  if  the  names  have  ever  been 
there,  why  they  were  not  retained;  that  all  the  intellio;ences 
of  the  universe  may  see  that  God  acts  with  strict  justice  and 
impartiality. 

''And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  This 
is  the  second  death."  This  is  the  final  epitaph  of  all  the  forces 
that  have  risen  np,  from  first  to  last,  to  oppose  the  will  and 
work  of  the  Lord  Almighty.  Satan  originated  and  led  ont  in 
this  nefarions  work.  A  portion  of  heaven's  angels  joined  him 
in  his  false  jwsition  and  murderous  work;  and  for  him  and 
them  the  everlasting  fire  was  prepared.  Matt.  25  :  41.  .Men 
become  involved  therein  only  because  they  join  him  in  his 
rebellion.  But  here  the  controversy  closes.  The  fire  is  to 
them  everlasting  because  it  allows  of  no  escape.  The  second 
death  is  their  punishment,  and  it  is  "  everlasting  punislnnent  " 
(Matt.  25:40)  because  they  never  find  release  from  its  dread 
embrace.      "  The  wages  of  sin  is  death." 

"And  Avhosoever  was  not  found  Avritten  in  the  Ijook  of  life 
was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire."  Reader,  is  your  name  written 
in  the  book  of  life  ?  Are  you  striving  to  avert  in  your  own 
case  the  fearful  doom  that  awaits  the  ungodly  ?  Eest  not  till 
you  have  reason  to  believe  tliat  your  name  is  registered  in 
the  list  of  those  who  are  to  share  at  last  in  the  blessings  of 
eternal  life. 


^^w 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


THE  burden  of  this  cliaptor,  couinioiicing  with  verso  2,  is 
the  Xew  Jerusalem;  but  before  that  is  introfhiced,  John 
tells  us  how  the  present  heaven   and  earth  and  sea  are 
to  be  disposed  of,  as  follows : — 

Verse  1.  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth:  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away;  and  there  was  no  more 
sea. 

Neiv  Heaven  and  New  Earth. —  By  the  first  heaven  and 
first  earth,  John  uncpiestionably  means  the  present  heaven  and 
earth,  "  the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now."  2  Peter 
3  :  7.  Some  have  supposed  that  Avhen  the  Bible  s])eaks  of  the 
third  heaven,  in  which  are  paradise  and  the  tree  of  life  (2 
Cor.  12:2;  Rev.  2:7),  it  refers  to  the  heaven  which  is  yet 
future,  and  does  not  ])r(>ve  that  thci-e  is  a  ])aradise  and  tree  of 
life  literally  in  existence  in  heaven  at  the  ju'csent  tinu\  They 
base  their  view  on  the  fact  that  Peter  speaks  of  three  heavens 
and  earths, —  (1)  those  before  the  flood,  (2)  the  ones  which 
now  are,  and  (o)  the  ones  which  are  to  come.  P)Ut  that  th(M)rv 
is  completely  overturned  by  the  first  verse  of  Revelation  21; 
for  John  here  reckons  l)nt  two  heavens  and  earths.  The  ones 
which  noAV  are  he  calls  the  first,  so  that  the  future  new  heavens 
Avould,  accordinii'  to  this  count,  be  the  serond.  and  m^t  the  third, 
as  Peter  reckons.      Hence  it  is  certain  that   Peter  did  not  de- 

(837) 


838  THE  REVELATION 

sign  to  establish  a  numerical  order,  in  accordance  with  which 
we  should  speak  of  one  as  the  first,  another  as  the  second, 
and  the  last  as  the  third.  The  object  of  his  reasoning  was 
simply  to  show  that  as  a  literal  heaven  and  earth  succeeded  to 
the  destruction  of  the  earth  by  the  flood,  so  a  literal  heaven 
and  earth  would  result  from  the  renovation  of  the  present 
system  by  fire.  There  is  no  proof,  therefore,  that  the  l)il)lo, 
when  it  speaks  of  the  third  heaven,  refers  simply  to  the  third 
state  of  the  present  heavens  and  earth,  for  then  all  the  Bible 
writers  would  uniforndy  have  so  reckoned  it.  Thus  the  argu- 
ments of  those  who  would  endeavor  to  disprove  the  idea  of  a 
literal  paradise  and  tree  of  life  in  existence  at  the  present  time, 
fall  to  the  ground.  The  Bible  certainly  recognizes  three  heav- 
ens in  the  present  constitution  of  things ;  namely,  the  first,  or 
atmospheric  heaven,- which  the  fowls  of  the  air  inhabit;  the 
second,  the  planetary  heaven,  the  region  of  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars ;  and  the  third,  high  above  the  oth(n's,  where  paradise  and 
the  tree  of  life  are  found  (Bev.  2:7);  where  God  has  his 
residence  and  his  throne  (Rev.  22:  1,  2);  to  Avliich  Paul  was 
caught  up  in  heavenly  vision  (2  Cor.  12:  2)  ;  to  which  Christ 
ascended  when  he  left  the  earth  (Bev.  12:  5)  ;  where  he  now, 
as  priest-king,  sits  upon  the  throne  with  his  Father  (Zecli. 
6:  13)  ;  and  wdiere  the  glorious  city  stands,  awaiting  the  saints 
when  they  enter  into  life.  Bev.  21 :  2.  Blessed  be  God  that 
from  that  l)right  land  intelligence  has  been  brought  to  this 
far-off  world  of  ours !  and  thanks  be  to  his  holy  name  that  a 
way  has  been  opened  from  tlie  dark  places  of  earth,  which 
leads  like  a  straight  and  shining  ])atli  of  light  up  to  those 
Idlest  abodes ! 

Tlie  Sea  No  More. —  IJecause  John  says,  "And  there  was 
no  more  sea,"  the  question  is  sometimes  asked,  "  Is  there,  then, 
to  be  no  sea  in  the  new  earth  ?  "  It  does  not  certainly  follow 
from  this  text  that  there  will  l)e  none;  for  John  is  speaking 
only  of  the  present  heaven  and  earth  and  sea.  It  might  b^^ 
translated  thus:  "For  llie  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth 
were  passed  awav,  aiul  tlic  sea  ^ovk  Ifrrtv  ertj  was  no  nioro ; 
that  is,  the  old  sea  no  longer  a])])('ai'(Ml,  any  \\u>vv  llian   the  i>ld 


CHAPTER  21,  VERSES  1  -  J^  839 

heaven  and  old  earth ;  and  yet  there  may  be  a  new  sea  as  there 
is  a  new  earth. 

Dr.  Chirke  says  on  this  passage :  '"  The  sea  no  more  ap- 
peared than  did  the  first  heaven  and  carili.  All  was  made 
new;  and  probably  the  new  sea  occupied  a  different  position, 
and  was  differently  distributed,  from  that  of  the  old  sea." 

The  river  of  life,  of  which  we  read  in  the  following  chaj)- 
ter,  proceeding  from  the  throne  of  God,  and  llowing  through 
the  broad  street  of  the  city,  must  find  some  place  into  which 
to  discharge  its  waters ;  and  what  can  that  be  but  the  new- 
earth  sea  ?  That  there  will  be  a  sea,  or  seas,  in  the  new  earth, 
may  be  inferred  from  the  prophecy  which  speaks  of  Christ's 
future  reign  as  follows:  ''And  his  dominion  shall  be  from  sea 
even  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
Zech.  9 :  10.  But  that  three  quarters  of  the  globe  will  then,  as 
now,  be  abandoned  to  a  waste  of  waters,  cannot  be  expected. 
The  new  world  will  have  everything  which  will  contribute  to 
its  utility  and  beauty. 

Verse  2.  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  New  Jerusalem,  coming 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her 
husband.  3.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven  saying,  Behold, 
the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them, 
and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and 
be  their  God.  4.  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes; 
and  there  sliall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither 
shall  there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away. 

The  Father's  House. —  In  connection  Avith  the  view  which 
John  has  of  the  holy  city  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven, 
a  voice  is  heard,  saying,  "  The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
and  he  will  dwell  with  them."  The  conclusion  naturall_y 
follows  that  the  tabernacle  here  mentioned  is  the  city.  This 
same  city  is  called  in  John  1-i  the  Father's  house  in  which 
are  many  mansions.  If  an  objection  should  arise  in  any  mind 
that  this  is  too  permanent  a  place  to  be  called  a  tabernacle,  we 
reply  that  the  word  "  tabernacle  "  sometimes  has  the  significa- 
tion of  a  permanent  dwelling-place.  The  great  God  takes  up 
bis  abode  on  this  earth ;  but  we  do  not  suppose  that  God  is 
confined  to  this,  or  any  other  one  of  the  worlds  of  liis  crcatiou. 
53 


840  THE  REVELATION 

lie  lierc  has  a  throne,  and  the  earth  enjoys  so  much  of  his 
presence  that  it  may  be  said  that  he  dwells  among  men.  And 
why  should  this  be  thought  a  strange  thing  'i  God's  only 
begotten  Son  is  here  as  ruler  of  his  special  kingdom ;  the  holy 
city,  which  is  called  the  Father's  house,  and  which  it  is  natural 
to  suppose  Avill  be  the  most  beautiful  and  glorious  object  in  the 
universe,  will  be  here ;  and  the  heavenly  hosts  take  an  interest 
in  this  world  probably  above  what  they  feel  in  any  other ;  yea, 
reasoning  from  one  of  the  Saviour's  parables,  there-  will  be 
more  joy  in  heaven  over  one  Avorld  redeemed  than  over  ninety 
and  nine  which  have  needed  no  redemption. 

No  Cause  for  Tears. —  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes.  lie  does  not  literally  wipe  away  tears  from 
the  eyes  of  liis  people ;  for  there  Avill  be  no  tears  in  that 
kingdom  to  be  thus  Aviped  away;  but  he  wij^es  away  tears  by 
removing  all  causes  of  tears. 

Verse  5.  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  Behold,  I  make  all 
things  new.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Write:  for  these  words  are  true 
and  faitlifid.  6.  And  he  said  unto  me.  It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning-  and  the  end.  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is 
athirst  of  the  fountain  of  the  Avater  of  life  freely. 

The  New  Creation.—  lie  that  sits  upon  the  throne  is  the 
same  being  that  is  mentioned  in  verses  11,  12  of  the  preceding 
chapter.  He  says,  "I  make  all  things  new;"  not,  I  make 
all  new  things.  The  earth  is  not  destroyed,  annihilated,  and 
a  new  one  created,  but  all  things  are  made  over  new.  Let 
us  rejoice  that  these  words  are  true  and  faithful.  And  when 
this  is  accomplished,  all  will  be  ready  for  the  utterance  of 
that  sublime  sentence,  "  It  is  done."  The  dark  shadow  of 
sin  has  then  forever  ])assed  otf  from  the  universe.  The  wicked, 
root  and  branch  (Alal.  4:  1),  are  Aviped  out  of  the  land  of  the 
living,  and  the  universal  anthem  of  praise  and  thanksgiving 
(Rev.  5:  lo)  goes  u])  from  a  redeemed  world  and  a  clean  uni- 
verse to  a  covenantdieeping  God. 

Verse  7.  lie  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things;  and  I  will 
be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son.  8.  But  the  fearful,  and  unbeliev- 
ing, and  the  abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sor- 
cerers, and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake 
which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone:  which  is  the  second  death. 


THE     ANGEU      SHOWING     JOHN      THE      HOLY     CITY 


CHAPTER  21.  VERSES  7 -U  843 

The  Great  Inheritance. —  The  ovorcomers  are  Abraham's 
seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise.  Gal  3 :  2U.  The; 
promise  embraces  tlie  world  (Rom.  4:  13)  ;  and  the  saints  will 
go  forth  npon  the  new  earth,  not  as  servants  or  aliens,  bnt  as 
lawful  heirs  to  the  heavenly  estate  and  proprietors  of  the  soil. 

The  Fear  that  Ilath  Torment.— Bwi  the  fearful  and  unbe- 
lieving have  their  part  in  the  lake  that  bnrneth  with  lire  and 
brimstone.  The  word  "  fearful  "  has  been  a  trouble  to  some 
conscientious  ones,  who  have  had  fears  more  or  less  in  all  their 
Christian  experience.  It  may  be  well,  therefore,  to  in(iuire 
what  kind  of  fear  is  here  meant.  It  is  not  fear  of  our  own 
weakness,  or  of  the  power  of  the  tempter;  it  is  not  fear  of 
sinning,  or  of  falling  out  by  the  way,  or  of  coming  slun-t  at 
last.  Such  fear  will  be  very  apt  to  drive  us  to  the  Lord. 
But  it  is  a  fear  connected  with  unbelief;  a  fear  of  the  ridi- 
cule and  opposition  of  the  world;  a  fear  to  trust  God,  and 
venture  out  upon  his  promises;  a  fear  that  he  will  not  fulfil 
what  he  has  declared,  and  that  consequently  we  shall  be  left 
to  shame  and  loss  for  believing  on  him.  Cherishing  such  fear, 
one  can  be  only  half-hearted  in  his  service.  This  is  most  dis- 
honoring to  God.  This  is  the  fear  which  we  are  commanded 
not  to  have.  Isa.  51:7.  This  is  the  fear  which  brings  into 
condemnation  here,  and  will  finally  bring  all  who  are  controlled 
by  it  into  the  lake  of  fire,  which  is  the  second  death. 

Verse  9.  And  there  came  inito  me  one  of  the  seven  angels  which 
had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the  seven  last  plagues,  and  talked  with  me, 
saying,  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife. 
10.  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  to  a  great  and  high  moini- 
tain,  and  showed  me  that- great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending 
out  of  heaven  from  God,  11.  Having  the  glory  of  God:  and  her  light 
was  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as 
crystal;  12.  And  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  had  twelve  gates,  and 
at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  written  thereon,  which  are  the 
names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel:  13.  On  the  east 
three  gates;  on  the  north  three  gates;  on  the  south  three  gates;  and 
on  the  west  three  gates.  14.  And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve 
foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve  aiwstles  of  the 
Lamb. 

The  Bride ,  tlie  Lanih's  Wife. —  This  testimony  is  positive 
that  the  ]^ew  Jerusalem  is  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.      The 


844  THE  BEY  ELATION 

angel  told  John  distinctly  that  he  would  show  him  the  bride, 
the  Lamb's  wife;  and  we  may  be  sure  that  he  did  not  practice 
upon  him  a  piece  of  deception,  but  fulfilled  his  promise  to  the 
very  letter;  but  all  that  he  did  show  him  was  the  Xew  Jeru- 
salem. It  would  be  unnecessary  to  offer  a  word  of  proof  that 
this  city  is  not  the  church,  were  it  not  that  popular  theology 
has  so  mystified  the  Scriptures  as  to  give  it  this  application. 
This  city,  then,  cannot  be  the  church,  because  it  would  be 
absurd  to  talk  of  the  church  as  lying  foursquare,  and  having 
a  north  side,  a  south  side,  an  east  side,  and  a  west  side.  It 
would  be  absurd  to  speak  of  the  church  as  having  a  wall  great 
and  high,  and  having  twelve  gates,  three  on  each  side  toward 
the  four  points  of  the  compass.  Indeed,  the  whole  description 
of  the  city  which  is  given  in  this  chapter  would  be  more  or 
less  an  absurdity  if  applied  to  the  church. 

Again:  Paul,  to  the  Galatians,  speaks  of  the  same  city 
and  says  that  it  is  the  mother  of  us  all,  referring  to  the  church. 
The  church,  then,  is  not  the  city  itself,  but  the  children  of  the 
city.  And  verse  24  of  the  chapter  under  comment,  speaks  of 
the  nations  of  the  saved,  who  walk  in  the  light  of  this  city. 
These  nations  who  are  the  saved,  and  on  earth  constitute  the 
church,  are  distinct  from  the  city,  in  the  light  of  which  they 
Avalk.  It  follows  that  the  city  is  a  literal  city,  built  of  all 
the   precious   materials   here    described. 

But  how  can  it  then  be  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife  ?  An- 
swer: Ins])iration  has  seen  fit  to  speak  of  it  under  this  figure, 
and  with  every  believer  in  the  Bible,  that  should  be  sufficient. 
The  figure  is  first  introduced  in  Isaiah  54.  The  new-covenant 
city  is  there  brought  to  view.  It  is  re])resented  as  being  des- 
olate while  the  old  covenant  was  in  force,  and  the  Lord's  care 
was  confined  to  the  Jews  and  old  Jerusalem;  but  it  is  said 
to  her  that  "  the  children  of  the  desolate"  shall  be  many  more 
than  "  the  children  of  the  married  wife."  It  is  further  said 
to  her,  "  Thy  Maker  is  thy  husband ;  "  and  the  closing  promise 
of  the  Lord  to  this  city  contains  a  very  similar  descri]ition  to 
the  one  which  we  have  here  in  Revelation ;  namely,  "'  T  will 
lay  thy  stones  with  fair  colors,  and  lay  thy  foundations  wirli 
sap]ihires;   and    I  will  make  thy   windows  of  agates,   and   thv 


CHAPTER  21,  VERSES  9  -  IJ^  jj^;, 

gates  of  carbuncles,  and  all  tliy  borders  of  pleasant  stones. 
And  all  thy  children  shall  be  tanght  of  the  Lord."  It  is 
this  very  promise  U)  Avhich  J'aul  refers,  and  ni)on  which  he 
eonnnents  in  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  when  lie  says,  "  l^ut 
Jerusalem  ^vhieh  is  above  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us 
all"  (Gal.  4:  2G)  ;  for  he  quotes,  in  the  next  verse,  this  very 
prophecy  from  the  book  of  Isaiah  to  sustain  this  declaration. 
Here,  then,  Paid  makes  an  inspired  apjdication  of  Isaiah's 
prophecy  which  cannot  be  mistaken ;  and  in  this  he  shows  that 
under  the  figure  of  a  "  woman,"  a  "  wife  "  whose  '"  children  " 
were  to  be  multii^lied,  the  Lord  by  the  prophet  speaks  of  the 
Xew  Jerusalem,  the  city  above,  as  contrasted  with  the  earthly 
Jerusalem  in  the  land  of  Palestine;  and  of  this  city  the  Lord 
calls  himself  the  "  husband."  In  addition  to  this,  we  have 
the  positive  testimony  of  the  twenty-first  chapter  of  Ilevela- 
tion  to  the  same  facts. 

With  this  view,  all  is  harmony.  Christ  is  called  the  Fatlun- 
of  his  people  (Isa.  0:());  the  Jerusalem  above  is  called  our 
mother,  and  wc  are  called  the  children  ;  and,  carvving  out  the 
figure  of  a  marriage,  Chi'ist  is  represented  as  the  IJridegroom, 
the  city  as  the  bride,  and  we,  the  church,  as  the  guests.  There 
is  no  confusion  of  ]iarties  here.  Put  the  populai"  view,  which 
makes  the  city  the  church,  and  the  church  the  bride,  exhibits 
the  inexcusable  confusion  of  making  the  church  at  the  same 
time  both  mother  and  children,  both  bride  and  guests. 

The  view  that  the  marriage  of  the  Landi  is  the  inauguration 
of  Christ  as  King  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  that  the  ]iar- 
ables  of  Matt.  22  :  1  -  14  ;  2:> :  1  -  P] ;  Luke  12  :  ;3.5  -  .'57  ;  P.> : 
12,  lo,  etc.,  apply  to  that  event,  is  furth(>r  confirmed  by  a 
well-known  ancient  custom.  '  It  is  said  that  M-hen  a  person  took 
his  position  as  ruler  over  the  people,  and  was  invested  with  that 
pow(M-,  it  was  callcMl  a  marriage,  and  the  usually  accompanying 
feast  was  called  a  nnirriage  supper.  Dr.  Clarke,  in  his  note 
on  Matt.   22:2,  thus  s])eaks  of  it: — 

".1  inaii-uKjc  /'()!■  Ills  SO)!.']  A  niarriar/r  feast,  so  the  word 
ydfiovi  ])ro])erly  means.  Or  a  feast  of  inauguration,  when  his 
son  was  ])nt  in  possession  of  the  government,  and  thus  he  and 
his   new   subjects   became    niarrieil    together.        Many    eminent 


846  THE  REVELATION 

critics  so  understand  this  parable  as  indicating  the  Father's 
induction  of  his  Son  into  his  Messianic  kingdom.  (See  1 
Kings  1:5-9,  19,  25,  etc.,  where  such  a  feast  is  mentioned.)" 
A  Christian  City. —  The  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  in 
the  foundations  of  the  city,  show  it  to  be  a  Christian  and  not 
a  Jewish  city;  while  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  on  the 
gates,  show  that  all  the  saved,  from  this  dispensation  as  well 
as  from  the  former,  are  reckoned  as  belonging  to  some  one  of 
the  twelve  tribes;  for  all  must  enter  the  city  through  some 
one  of  these  twelve  gates.  It  is  this  fact  which  explains  those 
instances  in  wdiich  Christians  are  called  Israel,  and  are  ad- 
dressed as  the  twelve  tribes,  as  in  Kom.  2 :  28,  29 ;  9:6-8; 
Gal  3:29;  Eph.   2:12,  13;  James  1:1;  Kev.  7:4. 

Verse  15.  And  he  that  talked  with  me  had  a  golden  reed  to  meas- 
ure the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof,  and  the  wall  thereof.  16.  And  the 
city  lietli  foursquare,  and  the  length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth:  and 
he  measured  the  city  with  the  reed,  twelve  thousand  furlongs.  The 
length  and  the  breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal.  17.  And  he 
measin-ed  the  wall  thereof,  an  hundred  and  forty  and  four  cubits,  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is,  of  the  angel.  18.  And  the 
building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of  jasper:  and  the  city  was  pure  gold, 
like  unto  clear  glass. 

The  City's  Diniensions. — According  to  this  testimony  the 
city  is  laid  out  in  a  perfect  square,  measuring  equally  on  all 
sides.  The  measure  of  the  city,  John  declares,  was  twelve 
thousand  furlongs.  Twelve  thousand  furlongs,  eight  furlongs 
to  the  mile,  equal  fifteen  hundred  English  miles.  It  may  be 
understood  that  this  measure  is  the  measure  of  the  whole  cir- 
cumference of  the  city,  and  not  merely  of  one  side.  This 
appears,  from  Kitto,  to  have  been  the  ancient  method  of  meas- 
uring cities.  The  wdiole  circumference  was  taken,  and  that  was 
said  to  be  the  measure  of  the  city.  According  to  this  rule,  the 
New  Jerusalem  will  be  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles 
on  each  side.  The  length,  breadth,  and  height  of  it  are  equal. 
Erom  this  language,  the  question  has  arisen  whether  the  city 
was  as  high  as  it  was  long  and  broad.  The  word  rendered 
equal  is  lo-os  (/.^o.s);  and  from  the  definitions  given  by  Liddcll 
and  Scott,  we  learn  that  it  may  be  used  to  convey  the  idea  of 
pro])orti()n :   the   height   was   proportionate   to   the   length    and 


CHAPTER  21,  VERSES  15-18  847 

breadth.  And  this  idea  is  strengthened  l)y  the  fact  that  thii 
wall  was  only  a  hnndred  and  forty-fonr  cnbits  high.  Taking 
the  cnbit  at  abont  twenty-two  inches,  the  length  which  is  niost 
commonly  assigned  to  the  ancient  cnbit,  it  wonld  give  only 
two  hnndred  and  sixty-fonr  feet  as  the  height  of  the  wall. 
Xow,  if  the  city  is  jnst  as  high  as  it  is  long  and  broad,  that 
is,  three  hnndred  and  seventy-five  miles,  this  wall  of  less  than 
three  hnndred  feet  would  be,  in  comparison,  a  most  insignifi- 
cant affair.  Probably,  therefore,  the  height  of  the  buildings 
of  the  city  is  to  be  judged  of  by  the  height  of  the  wall,  which 
is  distinctly  given. 

The  following  criticisms  on  verse  16,  the  verse  which  gives 
the  dimensions  of  the  heavenly  city,  are  undoubtedly  correct : — 

"  It  has  been  inferred  from  the  above  text  that  the  New 
Jerusalem  city  is  to  be  as  high  as  it  is  long,  and  that  its  length 
will  be  twelve  thousand  furlongs,  or  fifteen  liundved  miles.  It 
seems  to  us  entireh'-  unnecessary  to  place  such  a  construction 
upon  the  language.  The  word  equal  does  not  always  mean  the 
same  as  to  dimensions  or  position;  it  is  frequently  used  in  the 
sense  of  proportion.  If  we  were  to  say  that  the  length  and 
the  breadth  and  the  height  of  the  city  were  in  proportion,  we 
should  not  violate  the  language."  This  view^  is  taken  by 
Jas.  Du  Pui,  A.  M.,  in  his  ExjDosition  of  the  Aj)ocalypse. 
The  following  from  Thomas  Wicks,  author  of  Lectures  on  the 
Apocalypse,  presents  the  same  idea:  "  The  language,  however, 
will  bear  another  meaning,  which  is  far  more  natural.  It  is 
not  that  the  length  and  breadth  and  height  were  severally  equal 
to  each  other,  but  equal  with  themselves ;  that  is,  the  length  was 
everywhere  the  same,  and  the  breadth  everywhere  the  same, 
and  the  height  the  same.  It  was  perfect  and  symmetrical  in  all 
its  proportions.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  fact  distinctly  stated, 
that  the  wall  was  one  hundred  and  forty-four  cubits  high,  or 
two  hundred  and  sixteen  feet,  a  proper  height  for  a  wall ; 
M'hile  it  is  said  that  'the  length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth.'  "' 
This  writer  allows  but  eighteen  inches  to  the  cubit. 

The  Greek  word  isos,  which  is  translated  equal,  will,  accoi-d- 
ing  to  Pickering,  bear  the  meaning  of  ])r()p()rtion.  Greenfield, 
in  defining  one  of  its  cogliate  words   (isotcs),  gives  to   it   the 


848  THE  REVELATION 

sense  of  "  equal  proijortion/'  and  refers  to  2  Cor.  8 :  13,  14 
as  an  example  where  this  definition  is  quite  admissible. 

It  would  appear,  therefore,  that  the  height  of  the  city  was 
proportionate  to  its  length  and  breadth,  and  not  that  it  was  as 
high  as  it  was  long.  The  text  certainly  admits  of  this  inter- 
pretation ;  and  this  frees  the  language  from  all  ambiguity,  and 
the  city  from  all  disproportion,  and  shows  perfect  harmony  in 
the  general  description. 

The  building  of  the  wall  was  of  jasper.  Jasper  Is  a  pre- 
cious stone  usually  described  as  of  ''  a  beautiful  bright  green 
color,  sometimes  clouded  with  white  or  spotted  with  yellow." 
This  we  understand  to  be  tlie  material  of  the  main  body  of  the 
wall  built  uj)on  the  twelve  foundations  hereafter  described. 
And  let  it  be  remembered  that  this  jasper  wall  was  "  clear  as 
crystal"    (verse   11),  revealing  all  the  glories  within. 

Verse  19.  And  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city  were  gar- 
nished with  all  manner  of  precious  stones.  The  first  foundation  was 
jasper;  the  second,  sapphire;  the  third,  a  chalcedony;  the  fourth,  an 
emerald;  20,  The  fifth,  sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius;  the  seventh, 
chrysolite;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth,  a  topaz;  the  tenth,  a  chryso- 
l)rasus;  tlie  eleventh,  a  jacinth;  the  twelfth,  an  amethyst. 

A  Literal  City. —  If  we  consider  this  description  exclu- 
sively metaphorical,  as  is  done  by  the  gTeat  mass  of  those  who 
profess  to  be  Bible  teachers,  and  spiritualize  away  this  city  into 
aerial  nothingness,  how  unmeaning,  yea,  even  bordering  upon 
folly,  do  these  minute  descriptions  appear;  but  if  we  take  it, 
as  it  is  evidently  designed  to  be  understood,  in  its  natural  and 
obvious  signification,  and  look  upon  the  city  as  the  Revelator 
evidently  designed  we  should  look  upon  it,  as  a  literal  and 
tangible  abode,  our  glorious  inheritance,  the  beauties  of  which 
we  are  to  look  upon  with  our  own  eyes,  how  is  the  glory  of  the 
scene  enhanced ! 

It  is  in  this  light  —  though  it  is  not  for  mortal  man,  of 
himself,  to  conceive  of  the  grandeur  of  those  things  which  God 
has  prepared  for  those  that  love  him  —  that  men  may  delight 
to  contem]ilate  the  glories  of  their  future  abode.  We  love  to 
dwell  upcm  those  descriptions  which  convey  to  our  minds,  as 
well  as  language  can  do  it,  an  idea  of  the  loveliness  and  beauty 


Twelfth 

Beventh 
Tenth 
Mnth 
Eighth 

Seventh 

Sixth 

fifth 

fourth 

Third 

Second 
First 


m 

■ . 

^H 

MM-- ' ' 

----'/'Zzz::^ 

^=^Z:'^ 

~ — - 

— "~",--^ 

'^''^-""z^ 

—-----_  f'~~ 

Amethyst 
Jacinth 
(hrysoprasus 
Topa2 
Beryl 
Chrysolite 
Sardius 
Sardon)x 
Emerald- 
Chalcedony 
Sapphire 
Jasper 


This  illuftltnliffn  15  not  designed  Id  sliou 

J  thr  propocttoii  litti 

ffii  Ihr  loundntion  (md  tlie  mail,  but  si 

npig  Iht  CDlot* 

... 

nil  Dt 

arninonnrnt  of  tht  Btnrirs  lomiiogtng  llir  fo 

unrfntioit.       ^hni  lu 

r  considft  thnt  thr  ulorp  of  (Sod  ntiiJ  Ihr 

Lnmh  luill  sH 

HI  Ult 

ugh  all 

lllfar   nufl   uicud   Ijie   tolnts   hi   d.izilmq   sfilr 

doc,  vur  innp  uirll  r 

luludr  it  lulll  pitsrnl  n  scntc  ol  gloif 

ot  luliich  nn    m 

md  •a 

n  turm 

miD  ndrquntc  toncrptimi 

CHAPTER  21.  VERSES  10,  20  S51 

■\vhieli  shall  cliaraetorizo  our  eternal  home.  And  as  we  become 
absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  an  inheritance  tangible  an<l 
sure,  courage  springs  up  anew,  hope  revives,  faith  plumes  her 
wings;  and  with  feelings  of  thanksgiving  to  God  that  he  has 
l)lace(l  it  within  our  power  to  gain  an  entrance  to  the  nuuisions 
of  the  redeemed,  we  resolve  anew,  desi)it('  the  world  and  all  its 
obstacles,  that  we  will  be  among  the  sharers  in  the  ])rotfered 
joy.  Let  us,  then,  look  at  the  precious  foundation  stones  of 
that  great  city,  through  whose  gates  of  pearl  God's  people  may 
hope  soon  to  enter. 

The  Glorious  Foundation. —  "  The  W(jrd  adovucd  "  (gar- 
nished), says  Stuart,  "  may  raise  a  d()ul)t  here  whether  the 
writer  means  to  say  that  into  the  various  courses  of  the  foun- 
dation ornamental  precious  stones  were  only  here  and  there 
inserted ;  but  taking  the  whole  description  together,  I  do  not 
apprehend  this  to  have  been  his  meaning. 

"  Jasper,  as  we  have  seen  above,  is  usually  a  stone  of 
green,  transparent  color,  with  red  veins;  but  there  are  many 
varieties. 

"  Sapphire  is  a  beautiful  azure,  or  sky-blue,  color,  almost 
as  transparent  and  glittering  as   a   diamond. 

"  Chalcedony  seems  to  be  a  species  of  agate,  or  more  prop- 
erly the  onyx.  The  onyx  of  the  ancients  was  probably  of  a 
bluish  white,  and  semipellucid. 

"  The  emerald  was  of  a  vivid  green,  and  next  to  the  ruby 
in  hardness. 

•'  Sardonyx  is  a  mixture  of  chalcedony  and  carnelian,  which 
last  is  of  a  flesh-color. 

"  Sardius  is  probably  the  carnelian.  Sometimes,  however, 
tlie   red   is   quite  vivid. 

''  Chrysolite,  as  its  name  imports,  is  of  a  yellow  or  gold 
color,  and  is  pcdlueid.  From  this  was  prol)al)ly  taken  the  con- 
ception of  the  pellucid  gold  which  constitutes  the  material  of 
the  city. 

"  Beryl  is  of  a  sea-green  color. 

"  The  topaz  of  the  present  day  seems  to  be  reckoned  as 
yellow;  but  that  of  the  ancients  appears  to  have  been  pale 
green.      Plin.,  38,  8,  Bellermann.      Trim  et  Thummim,  p.  37. 


852  THE  REVELATION 

"  Chrysoprasiis,  of  a  pale  yellow  and  greenish  color,  like  a 
scallion;  sometimes  it  is  classed  at  the  present  day  mider  topaz. 

"Hyacinth   [jacinth],  of  a  deep  red  or  violet  color. 

"Amethyst,  a  gem  of  great  hardness  and  l)rilliancy,  of  a 
violet   color,   and   nsnally   found   in   India. 

"  In  looking  over  these  various  classes,  we  find  the  first 
four  to  be  of  a  green  or  bhiish  cast;  the  fifth  and  sixth,  of  a 
red  or  scarlet ;  the  seventh^  yelloA\' ;  the  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth, 
of  diiferent  shades  of  the  lighter  green ;  the  eleventh  and 
twelfth  of  a  scarlet  or  splendid  red.  There  is  a  classification, 
therefore,  in  this  arrangement;  a  mixture  not  dissimilar  to  the 
arrangement  in  the  rainbow,  Avith  the  exception  that  it  is  more 
complex." 

Verse  21,  And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls;  every  several 
g-ate  was  of  one  pearl;  and  the  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  it 
were  transparent  glass. 

The  Gates  of  Pearl. —  "Whether  we  understand  that  these 
gates  were  of  solid  pearl,  or  whether  composed  of  pearls  thickly 
set. in  a  framework  of  some  other  precious  material,  does  not 
jnaterially  afi^ect  the  testimony.  If  it  should  be  objected  that 
it  would  be  contrary  to  the  nature  of  things  to  have  a  pearl 
large  enough  for  a  gate,  we  rc]dy  that  God  is  aide  to  produce 
it;  the  objection  simply  limits  the  power  of  God.  But  in 
either  case  the  gates  would  outwardly  have  the  appearance  of 
]iearl,  and  in  ordinary  language  would  be  described  as  gates 
of  pearl. 

The  Streets  of  Burnished  Gold. —  In  this  verse,  as  also  in 
verse  18,  the  city  is  spoken  of  as  built  of  gold,  pure,  like  \\n\^^ 
clear  glass,  or,  as  it  were,  transj^arent  glass.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  conclude  from  this  language  that  the  gold  is  of  itself 
transparent.  Take  that,  for  instance,  which  composes  the 
street.  If  it  were  really  transparent,  it  would  siuijdy  ]KM-niit 
us  to  look  through  and  bdiold  whatever  was  beneath  the  city, 
— 'the  substratum  upon  whicli  it  rested, —  a  view  which  cannot 
be  antici]iated  as  specially  ]deasing.  Thit  let  us  su])]i(>se  the 
golden  pavement  of  the  street  to  \)v  so  higldy  ])olisli('d  as  to 
possess  perfect  ])owers  of  reflection,  like  the  truest  mirror,  and 


CHAPTER  21,  VERSES  21-27  85.'} 

we  can  see  at  once  that  tlie  effect  would  be  grand  and  striking 
in  the  extreme.  Think  for  a  moment  what  the  appearance  of 
a  street  su  jjaved  ^^•()^kl  be.  The  gorgeous  pahices  on  either 
side  would  be  retlccted  beneath,  and  the  boundless  expanse  of 
the  heavens  abo\'e  would  also  appear  below;  so  that  to  the 
person  walking  those  golden  streets  it  would  appear  that  both 
himself  and  the  city  were  suspended  between  the  intinite  heights 
above  and  the  unfathomable  depths  beloM',  while  the  mansions 
on  either  side  of  the  street,  having  ecpuil  powers  of  reflection, 
would  marvelously  multiply  both  palaces  and  people,  and  con- 
spire to  render  the  whole  scene  novel,  pleasing,  beautiful,  ajid 
grand  beyond  conception. 

Verse  22.  And  I  saw  no  temple  therein :  for  the  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it. 

The  Living  Tcmide. —  With  the  temple  is  connected  the 
idea  of  sacritices  and  a  mediatorial  work;  but  when  the  city 
is  located  upon  the  earth,  there  will  be  no  such  work  to  be  per- 
formed. Sacrifices  and  offerings,  and  all  mediatorial  work 
based  thereon,  will  be  forever  past ;  hence  there  will  be  no 
need  of  the  outward  symbol  of  such  work.  But  the  temple^ 
in  old  Jerusalem,  besides  being  a  place  for  sacrificial  worship, 
was  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  place ;  and  as  if  to  anticipate 
the  question  that  might  arise  as  to  what  would  constitute  the 
ornament  and  glory  of  the  new  city  if  there,  was  to  be  no  temple 
therein,  the  prophet  answers,  "  The  Lord  God  Alunghty  and 
the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it."  It  appears  that  there  is  now 
a  tem.ple  in  the  city.  Chapter  IG:  17.  What  becomes  of  that 
temple  when  the  city  comes  down,  revelation  does  not  inform 
us.  Possibly  it  is  removed  from  the  city,  or  it  may  be  put  to 
such  a  different  use  as  to  cease  to  be  the  t(Miijde  of  God. 

Verse  23.  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  ncitlier  of  the 
moon,  to  shine  in  it:  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb 
is  the  light  thereof.  24.  And  tlio  nations  of  them  whieh  are  saved 
shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it :  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their 
glory  and  lionor  into  it.  25.  And  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at 
all  by  day:  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there.  20.  And  tliey  shall 
bring  the  glory  and  honor  of  the  nations  into  it.  27.  And  there  shall 
in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything  that  defilotli,  neither  whatsoovor 
worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie:  but  they  which  are  written  in 
the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 


854  THE  REVELATION 

No  Night  There. —  It  is  in  the  city  alone,  probably,  that 
there  is  no  night.  There  will  of  course  be  days  and  nights  in 
the  new  earth,  but  they  will  be  days  and  nights  of  surpassing 
glory.  The  prophet,  speaking  of  this  time,  says,  "  Moreover, 
the  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the 
light  of  the  sun  shall  be  sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days, 
in  the  day  that  the  Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  his  peo})le, 
and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their  wound."  Isa.  30:  2G.  But  if 
the  light  of  the  moon  in  that  state  is  as  the  light  of  the  sun, 
how  can  there  be  said  to  be  night  there  ?  Answer :  The  light 
of  the  sun  shall  be  sevenfold,  so  that  although  the  night  is  as 
our  day,  the  day  will  be  sevenfold  brighter,  making  the  con- 
trast between  day  and  night  there  as  marked,  perhaps,  as  at 
the  present  time;  but  both  will  be  surpassingly  glorious. 

Verse  24  speaks  of  nations  and  kings.  The  nations  are 
the  nations  of  the  saved ;  and  we  are  all  kings,  in  a  certain 
sense,  in  the  new-earth  state.  We  possess  a  "  kingdom,"  and 
are  to  *'  reign  "  forever  and  ever. 

J3ut  it  appears  from  some  of  our  Saviour's  parables,  as  in 
Matt.  25 :  21,  23,  that  some  will  occupy  in  a  special  sense  the 
position  of  rulers,  and  may  thus  be  spoken  of  as  kings  of  the 
earth  in  connection  with  the  nations  of  the  saved.  These 
bring  their  glory  and  honor  into  the  city,  when  on  the  Sab- 
baths and  new  moons  they  there  come  up  to  worship  before 
God.      Isa.  QQ :  23. 

Reader,  do  you  Avant  a  part  in  the  unspeakable  and  eternal 
glories  of  this  heavenly  city  ?  See  to  it,  then,  that  your  name 
is  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life ;  for  those  only  whose 
names  are  on  that  heavenly  "  roll  of  honor  "  can  enter  there. 


4^^\' iy«  ii.. 


„.iP" 


Verse  1.  And  he  sliowed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb.  2.  In 
the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side  of  the  river,  was 
there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded 
her  fruit  every  month :  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations. 

THE  angel  continues  to  sliow  John  tlie  wonderful  things 
of  the  city  of  God.  Tn  the  midst  of  the  street  of  the 
city  was  the  tree  of  life. 
21ie  Broad  Street. —  Although  the  word  street  is  here  used  in 
the  singular  number,  with  the  definite  article  the  before  it, 
it  is  not  supposed  that  there  is  but  one  street  in  the 'city;  for 
there  are  twelve  gates,  and  there  must  of  course  be  a  street 
leading  to  each  gate.  But  the  street  here  spoken  of  is  the 
street  by  way  of  distinction ;  it  is  the  main  street,  or,  as  the 
original  word   signifies,   the  broad  way,   the  gi'eat  avenue. 

The  liiver  of  Life. —  The  tree  of  life  is  in  the  midst  of 
this  street ;  but  the  tree  of  life  is  on  either  side  of  the  river 
of  life ;  hence  the  river  of  life  is  also  in  the  midst  of  the  street 
of  the  city.  This  ri\er  ]n*oceeds  from  the  throne  of  God.  The 
picture  thus  presented  before  the  mind  is  this:  The  glorious 
throne  of  God  at  the  head  of  this  broad  Avay,  or  avenue ;  out  of 
that  throne  the  river  of  life,  flowing  lengthwise  through  the 
center  of  the  street ;  and  the  tree  of  life  growing  on  either 
side,  forming  a  high  and  magnificent  arch  over  that  majestic 
stream,  and  spreading  its  life-bearing  l>ranches  far  away  on 
cither  hand.       How   broad   this   In-oad   street    is,    we   have   nt) 

(855) 


85G 


THE  REVELATION 


means  of  determining;  but  it  will  be  at  once  perceived  that 
a  city  three  hundred  and  seventy-live  miles  from  side  to  side 
in  either  direction,  would  be  able  to  devote  quite  an  ample 
space  to  its  great  avenue. 

A  very  natural  conception  of  the  arrangement  of  the  streets 
of  the  city  would  be  that  shown  in  the  accompanying  diagram ; 
namely,  the  throne  in  tlie  center,  and  a  grand  avenue  in  \\-hich 
is  the  river  of  life  and  the  tree  of  life  extending  out  in  four 

directions  to  the  wall 
of  the  city  on  all  of 
its  four  sides.  This 
would  give  all  corre- 
sjjonding  parts  of  the 
city  equal  access  to 
the  grand  avenue. 
It  would  also  furnish 
opportunity  for  one 
magnificent  gate  in 
the  center  of  each 
side  of  the  city,  open- 
ing upon  the  gTand 
avenue.  The  length 
of  each  of  these  four 

Diagram  Showing  Plan  op  the  New  Jerusalem  OraUCUeS    01    tlie    ave- 

"The  City  Ueth  foursquare."  ^^^^^        (depending       of 

course  on  how  much  space  is  allotted  to  the  throne)  would 
be  at  least  some  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles.  It  may  be 
said  that  this  is  carrying  speculation  a  degree  too  far.  Per- 
haps it  is.  But  it  is  assumed  that  those  who  hope  soon  to 
enter  into  that  city,  will  not  b3  averse  to  a  little  innocent 
speculation  in  that  direction. 

The  Tree  of  Life. —  Ihit  how  can  the  tree  of  life  be  but  one 
tree,  and  still  be  on  either  side  of  the  river  I  1.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  there  is  Init  one  tree  of  life.  From  Genesis  to 
Revelation  it  is  spoken  of  as  but  one  —  the  tree  of  life.  2. 
To  be  at  once  on  l)oth  sides  of  the  river,  it  must  have  mor<> 
tliaii  Olio  trunk,  in  wliicli  case  it  must  l)o  united  at  the  top 
or  in  its  upi)er  branches,  in  order  to  form  but  one  tree.      John, 


CHAPTER  22,  VERSES  1,  2  859 

cauglit  away  in  the  Spirit,  and  presented  with  a  minute  view 
of  this  wonderfnl  object,  says  that  it  was  on  either  side  of  the 
river.  Another  who  has  been  privileged  to  behohl  in  vision 
the  marvelous  glories  of  the  heavenly  land,  has  borne  similar 
testimony :  "  We  all  marched  in,  and  felt  that  we  had  a  per- 
fect right  in  the  city.  Here  we  saw  the  tree  of  life  and  the 
throne  of  God.  Out  of  the  throne  came  a  pure  river  of  water, 
and  on  either  side  of  the  river  was  the  tree  of  life.  At  first 
I  thought  I  saw  two  trees.  I  looked  again,  and  saw  that  they 
Avere  united  at  the  top  in  one  tree.  So  it  was  the  tree  of  life 
on  either  side  of  the  river  of  life;  its  branches  bowed  to  the 
place  M'here  we  stood;  and  the  fruit  was  glorious,  which  looked 
like  gold  mixed  with  silver."  —  Experience  and  Views,  pp. 
12,  IS.  And  why  should  such  a  tree  be  looked  upon  as  im- 
natural  or  impossible,  since  we  have  an  illustration  of  it  here 
upon  earth  'I  The  banyan  tree  of  India  is  of  precisely  the 
same  nature  in  this  respect.  Of  this  tree  the  Encyclopedia 
Americana  thus  speaks:  "The  feus  Indiea  (Indian  fig,  or 
banyan  tree)  has  been  celebrated  from  antiquity  from  its  let- 
ting its  branches  drop  and  take  root  in  the  earth,  which  in 
their  turn  become  trunks,  and  give  out  other  branches,  a  single 
tree  thus  forming  a  little  forest."  In  just  this  way  the  tree 
of  life  could  extend  and  support  itself. 

The  tree  of  life  bears  twelve  kinds  of  fruit,  and  yields  its 
fruit  every  month.  This  fact  throws  light  upon  the  declara- 
tion in  Isa.  6G :  23,  that  all  flesh  shall  come  up  "  from  one 
new  moon  to  another  "  to  worship  before  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
The  words  new  moon  should  be  rendered  month.  The  Hebrew 
has  ti*'in  (^'^'orfr.s//),  the  second  definition  of  which  Gesenius 
gives  as  "a  month."  The  Septuagint  has  fiyv  €k  /xrjvo^  (men 
eh  7nenos)  "  from  month  to  month."  The  redeemed  come  up 
to  the  holy  city  from  month  to  month  to  partake  of  the  fruit 
of  the  tree  of  life.  Its  leaves  are  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions; literally,  the  service  of  the  nations.  This  cannot  be 
understood  as  implying  that  any  will  enter  the  city  in  a  dis- 
eased or  deformed  condition  to  need  healing;  for  then  the 
conclusion  would  follow  that  there  will  always  be  jiersons  there 
in  that  condition,  as  we  have  no  reason  to  understand  that  the 


860  THE  REVELATION 

service  of  the  leaves,  whatever  it  is,  will  not  be  perpetual, 
like  the  use  of  the  fruit ;  but  the  idea  of  disease  and  deformity 
in  the  immortal  state  is  contrary  to  the  express  declarations 
of  other  scriptures. 

Verse  3.  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse:  but  the  throne  of 
God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it;  and  his  servants  shall  serve  him. 

This  language  proves  that  the  gTeat  God,  the  Father,  is 
referred  to,  as  well  as  the  Son.  The  marks  of  the  curse,  the 
deadly  miasma,  and  the  ghastly  scenes  of  desolation  and  decay, 
will  no  more  be  seen  on  the  earth.  Every  breeze  will  be 
balmy  and  life-giving,  every  scene  beauty,  and  every  sound 
music. 

Verse  4.  And  they  shall  see  his  face;  and  his  name  shall  be  in 
their  foreheads. 

The  word  his,  in  the  sentence,  "And  they  shall  see  his 
face,"  refers  to  the  Father;  for  he  is  the  one  whose  name  is  in 
their  foreheads;  and  that  it  is  the  Father,  we  learn  from  chap- 
ter 14 :  1.  This  will  be  a  fulfilment  of  the  promise  in  Matt. 
5 :  8,  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart ;  for  they  shall  see  God." 

Verse  5.  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there;  and  they  need  no 
candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun ;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light : 
and  they  shall  reigii  forever  and  ever.  6.  And  he  said  unto  me,  These 
sayings  are  faithful  and  true :  and  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets 
sent  his  angel  to  show  unto  his  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly 
be  done.  7.  Behold,  I  come  quickly:  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the 
sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book. 

Here,  again,  we  have  the  declaration  that  there  shall  be  no 
night  in  the  city;  for  the  Lord  God  will  be  the  light  of  the 
place.  Verse  7  proves  that  Christ  is  the  speaker,  a  fact  wliicli 
it  is  of  especial  im])ortance  to  bear  in  mind  in  connection  witli 
verse  14.  To  keep  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book 
is  to  obey  the  duties  brought  to  view  in  connection  with  th(^ 
prophecy,  as,  for  instance,  in  chapter  14:9-12. 

Verse  S.  And  I  John  saw  those  things,  and  heard  them.  And 
when  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I  fell  down  to  worsliip  before  the  feet 
of  the  angel  which  showed  me  these  things.  9.  Then  saith  ho  unto 
me,  See  thou  do  it  not:  for  T  am  thy  follow  servant,  and  of  thy 
brethren   the  prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep   the  sayings  of  this 


CHAPTER  22,  VERSES  8  - 12  8G1 

book:  worship  God.  lU.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  sayinj-s 
of  the  prophecy  of  this  book :  for  the  time  is  at  liand.  11.  lie  that  is 
unjnst,  let  him  be  unjust  still:  and  he  which  is  tilthy,  let  hini  be 
iilthy  still:  and  he  that  is  rij^hteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still:  and 
he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still.  12.  And,  behoM,  I  come  quickly ; 
and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work 
shall  be. 

(For  remarks  on  verse  9,  see  on  eliapter  19 :  10.)  In  verse 
10  John  is  told  not  to  seal  the  sa^'ings  of  the  i)rophecj  of  this 
l)Ook.  The  popular  theology  of  our  day  says  that  the  book 
is  sealed.  One  of  two  things  follows  from  this:  either  John 
disobeyed  his  instructions,  or  the  theology  above  referred  to 
is  fulfilling  Isa.  29:10-14.  Verse  11  proves  that  probation 
eloses,  and  the  cases  of  all  are  unalterably  fixed,  before  the 
coming  of  Christ ;  for  in  the  very  next  verse  Christ  says,  "  Be- 
hold, I  come  quickly."  What  dangerous  and  insane  presump- 
tion, then,  to  claim,  as  age-to-come  believers  do,  that  there  will 
be  probation  even  after  that  event!  Christ's  reward  is  with 
him,  to  give  every  man  as  his  work  shall  be,  which  is  another 
conclusive  proof  that  there  can  be  no  probation  after  that 
event ;  for  all  the  living  wicked,  those  "  who  know  not  God," 
the  heathen,  and  those  ''  who  obey  not  the  gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,"  the  sinners  of  Christian  lands  (2  Thess.  1:8), 
will  be  visited  with  swift  destruction  from  Him  who  thou 
comes  in  flaming  fire  to  take  vengeance  on  his  foes. 

The  declaration  of  verse  11  marks  the  close  of  probation, 
which  is  the  close  of  Christ's  work  as  mediator.  But  we  are 
taught  by  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary  that  this  work  closes 
with  the  exaniination  of  the  cases  of  the  living  in  the  investi- 
gative judgment.  When  this  is  accomplished,  the  irrevocable 
fiat  can  be  pronounced.  But  when  the  cases  of  the  living  are 
reached  in  the  work  of  judgment,  we  apprehend  that  what 
remains  to  be  done  will  be  so  speedily  accomplished  that  all 
these  cases  may  almost  be  said  to  be  decided  simultaneously. 
We  have  therefore  no  occasion  to  speculate  as  to  tlio  order  of 
work  among  the  living;  that  is,  whose  cases  will  be  decided 
first,  and  whose  last,  nor  whether  or  not  it  will  be  known  tliat 
any  are  decided  before  all  is  finished. 


862  THE  REVELATION 

Verse  13.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the 
first  and  the  last.  14.  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments, 
that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  citj. 

Christ  here  applies  to  himself  the  ap])ellation  of  Alpha  and 
Omega.  As  applied  to  him,  the  expression  must  be  taken  in  a 
more  limited  sense  than  when  applied  to  the  Father,  as  in  elui])- 
ter  1 :  S.  Christ  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
the  end,  of  the  great  plan  of  salvation.  Verse  14,  as  before 
noticed,  is  the  language  of  Christ.  The  commandments  of 
which  he  speaks  are  his  Father's.  Reference  can  be  had  only 
to  the  ten  commandments  as  delivered  on  ]\Iount  Sinai.  He 
pronounces  a  blessing  upon  those  who  keep  them.  Thus  in  the 
closing  chapter  of  the  word  of  God,  and  near  the  very  close  of 
the  last  testimony  which  the  faithful  and  true  Witness  there 
left  for  his  people,  he  solemnly  pronounces  a  blessing  u})on 
those  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God.  Let  those  who 
believe  in  the  abolition  of  the  law,  candidly  consider  the  de- 
cisive bearing  of  this  important  fact. 

Instead  of  the  reading,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  com- 
mandments," some  translations,  including  the  Revised  Version, 
have,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  wash  their  robes."  On  this  point 
Alford's  Testament  for  English  Readers  has  this  note :  "  The 
difference  in  the  readings  is  curious,  being  in  the  original  that 
between  poloiintcs  tas  entuJas  aiitoii,  and  plunontes  tas  stolas; 
aidon,  either  of  which  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  the  other." 
In  view  of  this  statement,  it  is  not  surprising,  perhaps,  that 
this  difference  of  reading  is  found.  Ihit  there  seems  to  be 
good  evidence  that  the  first  is  the  original,  from  which  the 
latter  is  a  variation  by  the  error  of  transcribers.  Thus  the 
Syriac  New  Testament,  one  of  the  very  earliest  translations 
from  the  original  Greek,  reads  according  to  the  conniion 
English  version.  And  Cyprian,  whose  writings  antedate  any 
extant  Greek  manuscript  ( Ante-l^icene  Library,  Vol.  XIII. 
p.  122),  quotes  the  text  as  reading,  ''  Blessed  are  they  that  do 
his  commandments."  We  may  therefore  safely  consider  this 
as  the  genuine   reading. 


CHAPTER  22,  VERSES  15-17  863 

Verse  15.  For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcereis,  and  whoremongers, 
and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie. 

Dog  is  the  Bible  symbol  of  a  shameless  and  impndciii  man. 
Who  would  wish  to  be  left  in  the  company  of  those  whose  lot 
is  outside  of  the  city  of  God  i  yet  how  many  will  stand  con- 
demned as  idolaters,  how  many  as  those  who  make  lies,  and 
how  niany  more  as  those  who  love  them,  and  love  to  circulate 
them  after  they  are  made ! 

Verse  1G.  1  Jesus  liave  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these 
things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  root  and  the  offspring  of  David, 
and  the  bright  and  morning  star. 

Jesus  testifies  these  things  in  the  churcluvs,  showing  that 
the  whole  book  of  Revelation  is  given  to  the  seven  churches, 
W'hich  is  another  incidental  proof  that  the  seven  churches  are 
representati\es  of  the  church  through  the  entire  gos})el  dispen- 
sation. Christ  is  the  offspring  of  David,  in  that  he  appeared 
on  earth  in  the  line  of  l^ivid's  descendants.  He  is  the  root  of 
David,  inasmuch  as  he  is  the  great  prototype  of  David,  and 
the  maker  and  upholder   of  all  things. 

Verse  17.  And  the  Spirit  and  tlie  bride  say,  Come.  And  let  him 
that  hearetli  say.  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And 
whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely. 

Thus  arc  all  invited  to  come.  The  Lord's  love  for  nuinkind 
would  not  be  satisfied  in  merely  ])rci)aring  the  blessings  of 
eternal  life,  opening  the  way  to  them,  ami  announcing  that 
all  might  come  wlu)  would;  but  he  sends  out  an  earnest  invita- 
tion to  come.  He  sets  it  forth  as  a  favor  done  to  himself  if 
])ersons  will  come  and  partake  of  the  infinite  blessings  jn-ovided 
by  his  infinite  love.  His  invitation,  how  gracious!  how  full! 
how  free!  Xone  of  those  who  are  finally  lost  will  ever  have 
occasion  to  complain  that  the  provisions  made  for  their  salva- 
tion were  not  sufficiently  ample.  They  can  never  n^isonably 
object  that  the  light  given  to  show  them  the  way  of  life  was  not 
sufficiently  clear.  They  can  never  excuse  themselves  on  the 
ground  that  the  invitations  and  entreaties  that  ^lercy  has  given 
them  to  turn  and  live,  were  not  sufficiently  full  and  fi-ee.  From 
the  very  beginning,  there  has  been  a  power  exerted  as  strong 


864  THE  REVELATION 

as  could  be  exerted  and  still  leave  man  his  own  free  agent, —  a 
power  to  draw  liim  heavenward,  and  raise  him  from  the  abyss 
into  which  he  has  fallen.  Come !  has  been  the  entreaty  of  the 
Spirit  from  the  lips  of  God  himself,  from  the  lips  of  his  projjli- 
ets,  from  the  lips  of  his  apostles,  and  from  the  lips  of  his  Son, 
even  while,  in  his  infinite  compassion  and  humility,  he  was 
paying  the  debt  of  our  transgression. 

The  last  message  of  mercy  as  it  is  now  going  forth,  is 
another  and  final  utterance  of  divine  long-suffering  and  com- 
passion. Come,  is  the  invitation  it  gives.  Come,  for  all  things 
are  ready.  And  the  last  sound  that  will  fall  from  Mercy's  lips 
on  the  ear  of  the  sinner  ere  the  thunders  of  vengeance  burst 
upon  him,  will  be  the  heavenly  invitation.  Come.  So  great  is 
the  loving-kindness  of  a  merciful  God  to  rebellious  man.  Yet 
they  will  not  come.  Acting  independently  and  deliberately, 
they  refuse  to  come.  So  when  they  shall  see  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  themselves  thrust  out, 
they  will  have  no  one  to  accuse,  no  one  to  blame,  but  their  own 
selves.  They  will  be  brought  to  feel  this  in  all  its  bitterness ; 
for  the  time  will  come  when  Pollok's  thrilling  description  of 
the  condemnation  of  the  lost  will  be  true  to  the  letter  :— 

"  And  evermore  the  thunders  murmuring  spoke 
From  out  the  darkness,  uttering  loud  these  words, 
Which  every  guilty  conscience  echoed  back: 

*  Ye  knew  your  duty,  but  ye  did  it  not.' 

Dread  words !  that  barred  excuse,  and  threw  the  weight 
Of  every  man's  perdition  on  himself 
Directly  home  — 

*  Ye  knew  your  duty,  but  ye  did  it  not.' " 

The  bride  also  says,  Come.  But  the  bride  is  the  city,  and 
how  does  that  say.  Come  ?  If  we  could  be  strengthened  to 
l)eliold  the  living  glories  of  that  city  and  live,  and  should  be 
jiermitted  to  gaze  upon  its  dazzling  beauty,  and  be  assured  that 
we  had  a  perfect  right  to  enter  therein,  and  bathe  in  tliat  ocean 
of  bliss  and  blessedness,  and  revel  in  its  glory  forever  and 
over,  would  it  not  then  say  to  us.  Come,  with  a  persuasion 
which  no  power  could  resist  ?  AMio  of  us,  in  view  of  this, 
could  turn  away,  and  say,  I  have  no  <lesire  for  an  inheritance 
there  ? 


VISIONS     OF     BEAUTY     ARE     THERE,      FIELDS      OF     LIVING     GREEN 


CHAPTER  22.  VERSE  11  ji67 

Ijiit  though  we  cannot  now  h^ok  iqxju  that  city,  the  unfail- 
ing word  of  God  hac>  promised  it,  and  that  is  sutticient  to  inspire 
us  with  implicit  and  living  faith ;  and  through  the  channel  of 
that  faith  it  says  to  us.  Come.  Come,  if  you  would  iidierit 
mansions  where  sickness,  sorrow,  pain,  and  death  can  never 
enter ;  if  you  would  have  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  pluck 
its  immortal  fruit,  and  eat  and  live;  if  you  would  drink  of  the 
water  of  the  river  of  life,  that  flows  from  the  throne  of  God, 
clear  as  crystal.  Come,  if  you  would  obtain  through  those  glit- 
tering gates  of  pearl  an  abundant  entrance  into  the  eternal  city; 
if  you  would  walk  its  streets  of  trans})arent  gold ;  if  you  would 
behold  its  glowing  foundation  stones;  if  you  would  see  the  King 
in  his  beauty  on  his  azure  throne.  Come,  if  you  would  sing  the 
jubilee  song  of  millions,  and  share  their  joy.  Come,  if  you 
would  join  the  anthems  of  the  redeemed  with  their  melodious 
harps,  and  know  that  your  exile  is  fore\'er  over,  and  this  is  your 
(Vernal  home.  Come,  if  you  would  receive  a  palm  of  victory, 
and  know  that  you  are  forever  free.  Come,  if  you  wouhl  ex- 
change the  furrows  of  your  care-worn  brow  for  a  jeweled  crown. 
Come,  if  you  would  see  the  salvation  of  the  ransomed  myriads, 
the  glorified  throng  which  no  man  can  nund)er.  Come,  if  you 
would  drink  from  the  pure  fountain  of  celestial  bliss,  if  you 
would  shine  as  the  stars  forever  in  the  firmament  of  glory,  if 
you  would  share  in  the  unutterable  rapture  that  tills  tlie  triuiu- 
phant  hosts  as  they  behold  before  them  unending  ages  of  glory 
over  brightening  and  joys  ever  new. 

The  bride  does  say.  Come.  Who  of  us  can  resist  the  invi- 
tation ?  The  word  of  truth  is  pledged  to  us  that  if  we  keep  the 
commandments  of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus,  we  filmU  have 
right  to  the  tree  of  life,  we  ,s7/rt//  enter  in  through  the  gate.- 
into  the  city.  And  we  shall  feel  that  we  are  at  home  in  our 
Father's  house,  the  very  mansions  prepared  for  us,  and  realize 
the  full  truth  of  the  cheering  words,  ''  l^lessed  are  they  whicli 
are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb."      Rev.  lU  :  !>. 

"  Let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come."  "We  have  heard  of  the 
glory,  of.  the  beauty,  of  the  blessings,  of  that  goodly  land,  and 
we  say,  Come.  We  have  heard  of  the  river  witli  its  verdant 
banks,   of   the   tree    with    its   healinu'  leaves,    of   the    anil>rosial 


8G8  THE  REVELATION 

bowers  tliat  bloom  iu  the  Paradise  of  God,  and  Ave  say,  Come. 
Whosoever  will,  let  him  come,  and  take  of  the  water  of  life 
freely. 

Verse  18.  For  I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of 
the  prophecy  of  this  book.  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things, 
God  shah  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book : 
19.  And  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of 
this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his'  part  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written  in 
this  book. 

What  is  it  to  add  to,  or  take  from,  the  book  of  this  proph- 
ecy ?  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  it  is  the  book  of  this 
prophecy,  or  the  Revelation,  which  is  the  subject  of  remark; 
hence  the  words  concerning  adding  to  or  taking  from  have 
exclusive  reference  to  this  book.  Nothing  can  be  called  an 
addition  to  this  book  except  something  added  to  it  with  the 
intention  of  having  it  considered  as  a  genuine  part  of  the 
book  of  Revelation.  To  take  from  the  book  would  be  to  sup- 
press some  portion  of  it.  As  the  book  of  Revelation  could 
not  be  called  an  addition  to  the  book  of  Daniel,  so  if  God 
should  see  fit  to  make  further  revelations  to  us  by  his  Spirit, 
it  would  be  no  addition  to  the  book  of  Revelation,  unless  it 
should  claim  to  be  a  j^art  of  that  book. 

Verse  20.  He  which  testifieth  these  things  saith,  Surely  I  come 
quickly.  Amen.  Even  so,  come.  Lord  Jesus.  21.  The  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.     Amen, 

The  w^ord  of  God  is  given  to  instruct  us  in  reference  to  the 
plan  of  salvation.  The  second  coming  of  Christ  is  to  be  the 
climax  and  completion  of  that  great  scheme.  It  is  most  apjn-o- 
priate,  therefore,  that  the  book  should  close  with  the  solenni 
announcement,  ''  Surely  I  come  quickly."  Be  it  ours  to  join 
Avith  fervent  hearts  in  the  response  of  the  apostle,  "Amen. 
Even  so,  come.  Lord  Jesus." 

Thus  closes  the  A^olume  of  inspiration, —  closes  with  that 
which  constitutes  the  best  of  all  promises,  and  the  substance 
of  the  Christian's  hope  —  the  return  of  Christ.  Then  shall  the 
elect  be  gathered,  and  l)i(l  a  long  farewell  to  all  the  ills  of  this 
mortal  life.      How  rich  in  all  that  is  precious  to  the  Christian 


CHAPTER  22,  VERSE  20  809 

is  this  promise!  Waiuloring  an  exile  in  this  evil  worhl,  sepa- 
rated from  the  few  of  like  precious  faith,  he  loiig-s  for  the  coiu- 
panioiiship  of  the  righteous,  the  comumuiou  of  saints.  Hero 
he  shall  obtain  it ;  for  all  the  good  shall  be  gathered,  not  from 
one  land  only,  but  from  all  lands;  not  from  one  age  only,  but 
from  all  ages, —  the  great  harvest  of  all  the  good,  coming  up  in 
long  and  glorious  procession,  while  angels  shout  the  harvest 
home,  and  the  timbrels  of  heaven  sound  forth  in  joyous  con- 
cert; and  a  song  before  unheard,  unknown,  in  the  universe, 
the  song  of  the  redeemed,  shall  add  its  marvelous  notes  of 
rapture  and  melody  to  the  universal  jubilee.  So  shall  the 
saints  be  gathered,  to  be  joyful  in  each  other's  presence  for- 
ever and  e^'er, — • 

"  While  the  glory  ot  God,  like  a  molten  sea, 
Bathes  the  immortal  company." 

This  gathering  has  nothing  in  it  but  that  which  is  desirable. 
The  saints  can  but  sigh  and  pray  for  it.  Like  Job,  they  cry  out 
for  the  presence  of  God.  Like  David,  they  cannot  be  satistied 
till  they  awake  in  his  likeness.  Li  this  mortal  c(mdition  we 
groan,  being  burdened,  not  for  that  we  would  be  unclothed, 
but  clothed  upon.  We  can  but  be  ""  upon  tiptoe "  for  tlu; 
adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  the  body.  Our  eyes  are 
open  for  its  visions,  oiir  ears  are  waiting  to  catch  the  sounds  of 
the  heavenly  music,  and  our  hearts  are  beating  in  anticipation 
of  its  infinite  joy.  Our  appetites  are  growing  sharp  for  the 
marriage  supper.  We  cry  out  for  the  living  God,  and  long  to 
come  into  his  presence.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly. 
Xo  news  more  welcome  than  the  announcement  that  the  com- 
mand has  gone  fm'tli  from  the  Lord  to  his  angels.  Gather 
together  unto  me  my  elect  from  the  four  winds  of  heaven. 

The  place  of  gathering  has  nothing  but  attraction.  Jesus, 
the  fairest  among  ten  thousand,  is  there.  The  throne  of  God 
and  the  Land),  in  the  glory  of  which  the  sun  disa])pears  as  the 
stars  vanish  in  the  light  of  day,  is  there.  The  city  of  jasper 
and  gold,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God,  is  there.  The 
river  of  life,  sparkling  Avith  the  glory  of  God  and  flowing  from 
his  throne  in  infinite  purity  ami  peace,  i«;  there.      The  tree  of 


870  THE  REVELATION 

life,  with  its  liealing  leaves  and  life-giving  frnit,  is  there. 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  Xpali,  Job,  and  Daniel,  prophets, 
apostles,  and  martyrs,  the  perfection  of  heavenly  society,  will 
be  there.  Visions  of  beauty  are  there ;  fields  of  living  green, 
flowers  that  never  fade,  streams  that  never  dry,  products  in 
variety  that  never  ends,  fruits  that  never  decay,  crowns  that 
never  dim,  harps  that  know  no  discord,  and  all  else  of  which 
a  taste  purified  from  sin  and  raised  to  the  plane  of  immortality, 
can  form  any  conception  or  think  desirable,  will  be  there. 

We  must  be  there.  We  must  bask  in  the  forgiving  smiles 
of  God,  to  whom  Ave  have  become  reconciled,  and  sin  no  more ; 
we  must  have  access  to  that  exhaustless  fount  of  vitality,  the 
fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  never  die;  we  must  re})ose  under 
the  shadow  of  its  leaves,  which  are  for  the  service  of  the 
nations,  and  never  again  grow  weary;  we  must  drink  from 
the  life-giving  fountain,  and  thirst  nevermore ;  we  must  bathe 
in  its  silvery  spray,  and  be  refreshed ;  we  must  walk  on  its 
golden  sands,  and  feel  that  we  are  no  longer  exiles;  we  must 
exchange  the  cross  for  the  crown,  and  feel  that  the  days  of 
our  humiliation  are  ended ;  we  must  lay  down  the  staff  and 
take  the  palm  branch,  and  feel  that  the  journey  is  done;  we 
must  put  off  the  rent  garments  of  our  warfare  for  the  white 
robes  of  triumph,  and  feel  that  the  conflict  is  ended  and  the 
victory  gained ;  we  must  exchange  the  toil-worn,  dusty  girdle 
of  our  ])ilgrimage  for  the  glorious  vesture  of  immortality,  and 
feel  that  sin  and  the  curse  can  never  more  pollute  us.  O  day 
of  rest  and  triumph,  and  every  good,  delay  not  thy  daA\Tiing! 
Let  the  angels  at  once  be  sent  to  gather  the  elect.  Let  the  prom- 
ise be  fulfilled  which  bears  in  its  train  these  matchless  glories. 
EVEN  SO,  COME,  LORD  JESUS. 


APPENDIX 


1— RESEMBLANCE  BETWEEN  OUR  TIMES  AND  THE 
FRENCH  REVOLUTION. 

IN"  the  books  Loth  of  Daniel  and  tlie  Revelation  distinct  reference 
is  made  to  that  abnormal  national  experience  known  as  "  The 
French  Eevolutiou."     (See  Dan.  11 :  36  -  39 ;  Rev.  11:7- 10.)     The 

time  when  the  principles  of  irreligion  and  infidelity  were  given 
full  opportunity  to  bud  and  blossom  and  bear  fruit,  that  all  the  world 
might  judge  of  their  nature;  when  men  were  left  to  show  to  what 
deeds  of  darkness  the  carnal  heart  wovdd  lead,  unrestrained  by  any 
principles  of  righteousness  and  truth,  was  most  appropriately  noted 
in  prophecy.  And  the  descriptions  given  of  the  character  of  the  last 
days  by  the  same  pen  of  inspiration,  are  such  as  to  show  that  the 
masses  will  then  fall,  to  a  large  extent,  if  not  wholly,  under  the  same 
principles  of  evil.  While  such  is  the  representation  of  jirophecy, 
it  is  a  serious  question  in  many  minds  whether  the  preliminary  stages 
of  this  condition  of  things  are  not  already  appearing  before  our  eyes, 
and  if  we  may  not  now  be  on  the  threshold  of  one  of  those  eras 
wherein  "history  repeats  itself"  in  its  worst  forms. 

Those  who  entertain  the  sentiments  concerning  the  nature  of  our 
times  set  forth  in  some  portions  of  this  work,  are  often  charged  with 
being  pessimists,  alarmists,  and  looking  too  much  on  the  dark  side  of 
the  picture.  To  the  charge  of  being  alarmists  in  the  bad  sense  of 
that  term,  we  do  not  plead  guilty.  While  there  mayTie  such  a  thing 
as  imagining  evils  which  do  not  exist,  and  anticipating  trouble  wliieh 
never  comes,  'there  is,  on  the  other  hand,  such  a  tbing  as  crying, 
"  Peace,  peace,"  when  there  is  no  peace,  and  sluitting  our  eyes  to  real 
danger  till  it  is  too  late  to  guard  against  it,  and  we  find  ourselves  in- 
volved in  irretrievable  calamity  and  loss.  The  wisest  of  men  has 
said,  "A  prudent  man  foreseeth  the  evil,  and  hideth  liimself ;  but  the 
simple  pass  on,  and  are  pmiished."  Prov.  22:3.  Noah  was  not  an 
alarmist  when  he  warned  the  world  of  the  approaching  catastrophe 
of  the  flood;  nor  Lot,  when  he  warned  the  Sodomites  that  an  all- 
devastating  storm  of  fire  was  banging  over  their  doomed  city;  nor 
our  Lord,  when  he  foretold  the  utter  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and 
gave  his  people  directions  how  to  escape  it.  Let  lis  not  be  diverted 
from  the  real  situation  by  the  cry  of  "  alarmist,"  nor  tliink  that  there 
can  be  no  danger  because  all  do  not  see  it ;  for  St.  Paul  has  warnerl 

(871) 


872  APPENDIX 

lis  that  "  when  they  shall  say,  Peace  and  safety ;  then  sudden  destruc- 
tion Cometh  upon  them."      1  Thess.  5 :  3. 

But  we  need  offer  no  apology  for  ourselves  in  this  particular;  for 
the  strongest  utterances  we  put  on  record  are  simply  those  we  find  in 
the  secular  press  of  the  day.  Even  so  cautious  a  paper  as  the  Chicago 
Evening  Journal,  in  its  issue  of  Aug.  26,  1874,  under  the  heading 
"  The  ReigTi  of  Crime,"  drew  the  following  picture  of  the  times, 
which  no  one  can  say  have  been  growing  better  since  that  time : — 

"  If  Mr.  Beecher  used  to  be  rather  soft  on  the  doctrine  of  '  total 
depravity,'  we  suspect  he  may  have  got  more  light  on  this  point  by 
this  time.  But  Brooklyn  does  not  by  any  means  monopolize  the  il- 
lustrative evidence  of  it.  Crimes  of  all  sorts  and  sizes  seem  just  now 
to  be  '  breaking  out,'  like  the  measles,  all  over  the  body  social.  The 
newspapers,  if  they  give  the  news  at  all,  have  to  be  darkened  with  the 
wretched  records  of  misdoings.  We  confess  that  the  dailies  at  the 
present  time  are  not  so  cheerful  reading  as  might  be.  Suicides,  mur- 
der, and  the  whole  catalogue  of  offenses  against  God  and  man,  are 
startiingly  prevalent.  Is  it  symptomatic  of  some  great  social  dis- 
ease, the  seeds  of  which  have  long  been  growing,  but  long  hidden? 
Is  there  some  malign  moral  miasma  in  the  air,  some  taint  in  the 
blood,  some  great,  though  subtle,  popular  error  that  has  been  silently 
conceiving  sin,  and  is  at  last  bringing  forth  iniquity?  Or  is  it  only 
a  kind  of  spiritual  contagion,  or  epidemic,  like  the  epizootic,  for  in- 
stance, among  animals,  that  has  somehow  got  started,  and  is  sweeping 
across  the  continent? 

"  Such  questions  are  full  of  significance,  even  if  not  easily  an- 
swered. The  philosophy  of  epidemical  influences  in  society  is  better 
understood  than  it  was  a  generation  ago;  but  we  suspect  the  subject 
is  far  from  being  cleared  up  yet.  We  need  more  light,  both  as  to  the 
incipient  causes  and  the  coiicomitant  conditions  which  allow  such 
alarming  potency  to  causes  that  seemed  to  be  latent,  until,  all  at 
once,  they  break  forth,  as  if  thousands  had  suddenly  taken  to  the 
habit  of  carrying  loose  powder  and  matches  in  the  same  pocket.  'As 
a  man  thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he.'  Is  it,  then,  that  somehow 
communities  get  to  thinking  of  the  same  ill  things,  and  the  bad 
thought  becomes  a  tempting  suggestion,  and  forthwith  begins  to  work 
in  the  heart  like  a  spark  of  an  old-fashioned  tinder-box?  If  so,  one 
scarcely  dares  to  think  of  the  frightful  consequences  that  may  come 
of  this  Brooklyn  scandal-sowing  throughout  the  land." 

While  this  extract  speaks  of  our  own  land,  there  is  testimony  to 
show  that  an  equally  alarming  state  of  things  prevails  in  Europe. 
As  a  representative  statement  upon  this  point,  we  quote  from  the  dis- 
tinguished and  devoted  J.  11.  Merle  D'Aubigne,  author  of  the  History 
of  the  Reformation,  who,  just  previous  to  his  death,  prepared  a  paper 
for  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  which  was  read  at  a  meeting  of  that 
association.  All  thoughtful  persons  will  consider  his  words  most 
solemn,  and  his  statements  as  startling  as  they  are  true: — 

"  If  the  meeting  for  which  you  are  assembled  is  an  important  one, 
the  period  at  which  it  is  held  is  equally  so,  not  only  on  account  of  the 
great  things  which  God  is  accomplishing  in  the  world,  but  also  by 


APPENDIX  S73 

reason  of  the  great  evils  which  the  spirit  of  darkness  is  spreadiui 
thruugliout  Christendom.  The  despotic  and  arrogant  pretensions  of 
liome  have  reached  in  our  days  their  highest  pitch,  and  we  are  con- 
sequently more  than  ever  called  upon  to  contend  against  that  power 
which  dares  to  usurp  the  divine  attributes.  But  that  is  not  all. 
While  superstition  has  increased,  unbelief  has  done  so  still  more. 
Until  now,  the  eighteenth  century  —  the  age  of  Voltaire  —  was  re- 
garded as  the  epoch  of  most  decided  infidelity;  but  how  far  does  the 
present  time  surpass  it  in  this  respect !  Voltaire  himself  protested 
against  the  philosophy  which  he  called  atheistic,  and  said,  '  God  is 
necessarily  the  Great,  the  Only,  the  Eternal  Artificer  of  all  nature  " 
(Dialogues,  xxv).  But  the  pretended  philosophers  of  our  day  leave 
such  ideas  far  behind,  and  regard  them  as  antiquated  superstitions. 
Materialism  and  atheism  have,  in  many  minds,  taken  the  place  of  the 
true  God.  Science,  which  was  Christian  in  the  brightest  intellects 
of  former  days,  in  those  to  whom  we  owe  the  greatest  discoveries,  has 
become  atheistic  among  men  who  now  talk  the  loudest.  They  imag- 
ine that  by  means  of  general  laws  which  govern  the  physical  world, 
they  can  do  without  Ilim  from  whom  these  laws  proceeded.  Some 
remains  of  animals  found  in  ancient  strata  of  our  globe,  make  them 
reject  the  creation  of  which  the  Bible  inaugurates  the  account  in  these 
solemn  words :  '  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the 
earth.' 

"  Eminent  literary  men  continually  put  forward  in  their  writings 
what  is  called  Positivism,  rejecting  everything  that  goes  beyond  the 
limit  of  the  senses,  and  disdaining  all  that  is  supernatural.  These 
evils,  which  had  formerly  only  reached  the  upper  ranks  of  society, 
have  now  spread  to  the  working  classes,  and  some  among  them  may  be 
heard  to  say,  '  When  man  is  dead,  all  is  dead.'  But  there  is  a  still 
sadder  feature  of  our  times.  Unbelief  has  reached  even  the  ministry 
of  the  word.  Pastors  belonging  to  Protestant  churches  in  France, 
Switzerland,  Germany,  and  other  continental  countries,  not  only  re- 
ject the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  faith,  but  also  deny  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ,  and  see  in  him  nothing  more  than  a  man, 
who,  according  to  many  of  them,  was  even  subject  to  errors  and 
faults.  A  synod  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Holland  has  lately  de- 
creed that  when  a  minister  baptizes,  he  need  not  do  it  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  A  journal,  when  re- 
lating this  fact,  adds,  '  Will  they  then  baptize  in  the  God  abyss  ? ' 
At  an  important  assembly  held  lately  in  German  Switzerland,  at  which 
were  present  many  men  of  position  both  in  the  church  and  the  state, 
the  basis  of  the  new  religion  was  laid  down.  '  Xo  doctrines,'  was  the 
watchword  on  that  occasion.  '  ISTo  new  doctrines,  whatever  they  may 
be,  in  place  of  the  old;  liberty  alone,'  which  means  liberty  to  overthrow 
everything.  And  too  truly  some  of  those  ministers  believe  neither  in 
a  personal  God  nor  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  For  a  portion  of 
the  European  population  there  is  no  other  gospel  than  that  of  Spin- 
oza, and  often  much  less  even  than  that." 

Such  words  from  such  a  source  should  cause  the  most  thoughtless 
to  pause  and  consider.  Mark  the  expressions :  The  spirit  of  darkness 
55 


874  APPENDIX 

spreading  through  Christendom,  superstition  and  unbelief  increasing, 
the  present  age  far  surpassing  tliat  of  Voltaire  in  infidelity,  atheism 
taking  the  place  of  God,  science  becoming  atheistic,  eminent  literary 
men  teaching  Positivism;  the  masses  becoming  pervaded  with  these 
ideas,  and  even  Protestant  ministers  denying  the  fundamental  facts 
of  the  gospel, —  these  are  the  prominent  features  of  the  times. 

Professor  J.  Cairus,  D.  D.,  of  Berwick,  England,  draws  the  fol- 
lowing picture  of  the  present  generation :  "  The  advance,  so  rapid  and 
wonderful,  of  science  and  art,  and  the  progress  of  education  and  the 
diffusion  of  literature;  the  self-assertion,  by  long-oppressed  nationali- 
ties, of  their  rights  and  liberties;  the  approximation  to  a  commercial 
and  political  unity  of  the  human  race, —  all  tend  to  foster  the  idea 
of  man's  inherent  capacity,  and  to  set  afloat  wild  and  chimerical 
schemes  and  hopes  of  moral  regeneration,  irrespective  of  Christianity. 
The  dream  of  independent  morality  finds  countenance.  Theories  of 
spiritual  development,  more  exaggerated  and  fictitious  by  far  than 
these  of  physical  development,  are  accepted.  The  march  of  intelli- 
gence, or  the  revolutionary  impulse,  is  to  make  all  things  new. 
Meanwhile,  the  sad  and  humbling  aspects  of  the  nineteenth  century 
—  its  hideous  vices  and  crimes,  its  luxury,  selfishness,  and  greed  set 
over  against  pauperism,  debasement,  and  discontent;  its  wars  Imd 
international  feuds,  with  ever-increasing  conscriptions  and  standing 
armies  — •  are  overlooked." 

Hon.  Geo.  H.  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia,  thus  spoke  before  the  Alli- 
ance :  "  The  field  is  the  world.  It  has  in  it  1,300,000,000  immortal 
souls,  destined  to  meet  us  at  the  judgment  bar  of  God.  Of  these 
1,300,000,000,  there  are  some  800,000,000  bowing  down  to  stocks  and 
stones,  the  workmanship  of  their  own  hands.  Besides  these  800,000,- 
000  heathen,  there  are  110,000,000  Mohammedans  and  240,000,000  of 
other  false  systems  of  religion,  leaving  only  100,000,000  nominal  Prot- 
estants. It  is  not  for  us  to  say  how  many  of  these  100,000,000  are 
true  disciples  of  our  risen  and  exalted  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 
Sad  indeed  is  the  view  here  presented;  and  is  it  not  every  year 
growing  worse?  Students  of  prophecy  are  sometimes  looked  upon  as 
fanatics,  because  they  believe  that  the  second  advent  of  Christ  is 
soon  to  take  place,  when  all  the  wicked  will  be  destroyed  and  the 
righteous  saved.  But  we  ask  the  candid  reader  whether  the  man, 
who,  in  the  face  of  all  the  facts  above  stated,  believes  in  the  speedy 
conversion  of  the  whole  world  and  the  near  approach  of  the  millen- 
nium, may  not  more  justly  be  regarded  as  a  fanatic.  While  a  few 
thousand  pagans  in  heathen  lands  are  receiving  the  gospel,  millions 
in  Christian  lands  are  turning  away  from  it,  and  embracing  false 
religions  and  atheism;  and  among  these  we  find  the  educated,  the 
scientific,  the  so-called  higher  classes  taking  the  lead.  But  this  need 
not  surprise  us;  for  Jesus  himself  said  respecting  the  last  days,  "  Nev- 
ertheless when  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the 
earth  ?  "      Luke  18  :  8. 

From  this  general  description,  let  us  come  to  particulars.  Every 
student  of  history  understands  that  like  caiises  produce  like  effects, 
and  that  indications  which  foretokened  the  occurrence  of  certain 


APPEXDIX  y75 

events  in  one  age,  will  generally  reappear  when  similar  events  are 
about  to  transpire  in  any  other  age.  As  in  the  natural  world  there 
must  be  the  gathering  of  clouds  and  the  accumulation  of  electricity 
before  the  storm,  so  in  the  moral  and  political  world  there  nuist  be 
the  dissemination  of  principles,  the  formulation  of  ideas,  and  the 
rousing  of  passions,  before  the  revolution.  Causes  which  in  the  past 
have  led  to  anarchy,  rapine,  license,  and  a  general  disintegration  of 
society,  will,  if  permitted  to  operate,  produce  again  the  same  results. 
The  French  Revolution  of  1789  - 1800  stands  fixed  in  history  as  the 
"  Reign  of  Terror."  Each  succeeding  faction  which  gained  i)ower 
during  that  awful  era  shed  in  torrents  the  blood  of  its  enemies,  until 
over  2,000,000  lives  were  sacrificed.  All  social  order  was  destroyed. 
The  marriage  covenant  was  abrogated,  and  lust  stalked  abroad  every- 
where, licensed  and  unrestrained.  Christ  was  declared  an  impostor, 
and  his  religion  a  fraud.  The  existence  of  God  was  denied,  and  the 
reading  of  his  word  forbidden.  All  this  was  the  work  of  infidelity. 
Behold,  therefore,  in  that  terrible  Revolution,  the  miniature  of  the 
world  without  the  restraining  influence  of  God's  revelation.  And  is 
there  danger  that  this  frightful  condition  of  things  may  be  repro- 
duced in  our  own  day  I  Facts  constrain  us  to  answer  in  the  affirma- 
tive; for  the  same  causes  are  operating  everywhere  to-day  which  a 
hundred  years  ago  were  at  work  in  France.  The  same  names  and 
principles  may  be  heard  and  seen  all  about  us.  Let  us  first  notice 
some  of  the  more  prominent  elements  which  produced  the  French 
Revolution. 

1.  Spiritualism. —  Says  Samuel  Smucker  in  his  Memorable  Scenes 
in  French  History,  p.  IIG :  "  We  find  in  the  records  of  that  period, 
materials  and  events  which  prove  that  then  it  was  that  the  impostures 
of  modern  spiritual  rappers  and  mediums  were  first  practiced,  in 
precisely  the  same  way  and  for  the  same  results  as  they  are  at  the 
present  day.  .  .  .  Count  Cagliostro  enabled  Cardinal  Rohan  to  sup 
with  the  deceased  D'Alembert,  with  the  king  of  Prussia,  and  with 
Voltaire,  all  dead  some  years  before.  He  convinced  His  Eminence 
that  the  worker  of  these  wonders  had  himself  been  jiresent  with  Christ 
at  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee.  ...  In  the  triumphs  of  Cagli- 
ostro, of  Misner,  and  of  St.  Germain,  which  at  this  period  were  at 
their  greatest  height,  we  behold  another  instance  of  the  uprooting 
of  the  firm  and  stable  foundations  of  society  in  an  excessive  desire 
for  novelties,  and  a  restless  itching  after  things  new,  mysterious, 
and  wonderful." 

As  a  system  of  pretended  communication  with  the  dead.  Spirit- 
ualism, is  as  old,  at  least,  as  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  for  it  was 
strictly  forbidden  in  his  day;  and  it  has  at  favorable  epochs  mani- 
fested itself  among  men;  but  its  wonder-working  i)hase  is  peculiar  to 
modern  times,  and  first  manifested  itself  in  this  country,  according 
to  the  prophecy  of  Revelation  13.  Its  principles  and  spirit  found 
congenial  soil  in  France  in  the  Revolution.  But  if  what  then  ap- 
peared contributed  in  any  manner  to  i)roduce  the  state  of  society 
which  then  existed,  what  must  be  its  tendency  to-day? 


876  APPENDIX 

2.  Infidelity. —  llr.  Anderson,  in  The  Annals  of  the  English  Bible, 
p,  494,  says :  "  Never  let  it  be  forgotten  that  before  the  Revolution  of 
1792,  the  promoters  of  infidelity  in  France  are  stated  to  have  raised 
among  themselves,  and  spent,  a  simi  equal  to  £900,000  in  one  year, — 
nay,  again  and  again, —  in  purchasing,  printing,  and  dispersing  books 
to  corrupt  the  minds  of  the  people  and  prepare  them  for  desperate 
measures." 

Dr.  Dick,  in  his  work  on  The  Improvement  of  Society,  p.  154, 
says :  "  The  way  for  such  a  revolution  was  prepared  by  the  writings 
of  Voltaire,  Mirabeau,  Diderot,  Helvetius,  D'Alembert,  Condorcet, 
Rousseau,  and  others  of  the  same  stamp,  in  which  they  endeavored 
to  disseminate  principles  subversive  both  of  natural  and  revealed  re- 
ligion. Revelation  was  not  only  impugned,  but  entirely  set  aside. 
The  Deity  was  banished  from  the  universe,  and  an  imaginary  i^han- 
tom,  under  the  name  of  the  Goddess  of  Reason,  substituted  in  his 
place.  The  carved  work  of  all  religious  belief  and  moral  practice 
was  boldly  cut  down  by  Carnot  and  Robespierre  and  their  atheisti- 
cal associates.  Nature  was  investigated  by  pretended  philosophers, 
only  with  the  view  to  darken  the  mind,  and  prevent  mankind  from 
considering  anything  as  real  but  what  the  hand  could  grasp  or  the 
corporeal  eye  perceive." 

The  infidelity  of  to-day,  in  many  respects,  according  to  the  quo- 
tation from  D'Aubigne,  leaves  that  of  France  at  the  time  of  the  Revo- 
lution far  behind. 

3.  Socialism. —  Webster  makes  this  word  synonymous  with  "  com- 
munism," which  he  defines  as  follows :  "  The  reorganizing  of  society, 
or  the  doctrine  that  it  should  be  reorganized,  by  regidating  property, 
industry,  and  the  sources  of  livelihood,  and  also  the  domestic  rela- 
tions and  social  morals  of  mankind ;  socialism,  especially  the  doctrine 
of  a  community  of  property,  or  the  negation  of  individual  rights  in 
property." 

These  principles  were  carried  into  practice  in  France,  and  as  the 
result  the  Revolution  blossomed  into  all  its  horrid  reality.  The  re- 
lations of  the  different  classes  of  society  were  completely  changed. 
The  monarchy  was  overthrown,  and  an  infidel  republic  established 
on  its  ruins.      The  king  and  queen  were  beheaded. 

Alison,  Vol.  IV,  p.  151,  says :  "  The  confiscation  of  two  thirds  of 
the  landed  property  in  the  kingdom,  which  arose  from  the  decrees  of 
the  convention  against  the  emigrants,  clergy,  and  persons  convicted 
at  the  revolutionary  triliunals,  .  .  .  placed  funds  worth  above  £700,- 
000,000  sterling  at  the  disposal  of  the  government." 

Titles  of  nobility  were  abolished.  It  was  a  conflict  between  the 
rich  and  the  poor,  between  capital  and  labor.  The  motto  of  the 
Revolution  was,  "  Liberty,  Equality,  Fraternity  "  —  blessed  words, 
but,  with  the  strangest  inconsistency,  wholly  outraged  and  misap- 
plied. The  same  principles  are  treated  in  the  same  way  to-day,  and 
are  shouted  as  the  watchword  among  the  discontented  masses  and 
the  labor  organizations  the  world  over.  The  principles  of  socialism, 
or  commtmism,  were  iirobably  never  so  widely  diffused  as  at  the  pres- 
ent time. 


APPENDIX  :s-- 

4.  Free  Love. —  When  the  existence  of  the  true  God  was  denied, 
as  it  was  during  the  French  Kevohition,  and  in  his  phice  men  set  up 
a  lewd  woman  as  the  Goddess  of  Keason,  and  the  object  of  their  high- 
est adoration,  it  was  a  natural  consequence  that  the  sacredness  of  the 
marriage  relation  should  be  wholly  discarded.  ]\larriage  was  there- 
fore declared  a  civil  contract,  binding  only  during  the  pleasure  of 
the  contracting  parties.  Divorce  became  general,  and  the  corruption 
of  manners  reached  a  height  never  before  known  in  France.  One 
half  of  the  whole  number  of  births  in  Paris  were  illegitimate.  See 
Thiers's  French  Revolution,  Vol.  11,  p.  380.  Free-lovism  is  an  inte- 
gral part  of  the  spiritualistic  movement  of  our  day,  not  so  openly 
advocated  as  formerly,  but  none  the  less  cherished  and  practiced  as  a 
part  of  the  boasted  "freedom"  to  which  the  human  race  is  attaining. 

5.  llie  Cominune. —  This  word  is  derived  from  a  small  territorial 
district  in  France  governed  by  an  officer  called  a  mayor.  It  has  come 
to  have  a  much  more  extensive  application  at  the  present  time;  but 
the  origin  of  the  word  is  not  so  important  as  the  principles  which  it 
is  taken  to  represent.  Of  these  we  have  already  had  a  definition 
from  Webster,  and  seen  a  practical  illustration  in  the  French  Revo- 
lution. Thiers's  French  Revolution,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  lOG,  gives  the  whole 
number  of  persons  guillotined  during  the  reign  of  terror  as  1,022,351, 
besides  massacres  of  other  kinds  in  other  places,  in  some  of  which 
the  population  of  whole  towns  perished.  Dr.  Dick,  in  his  Improve- 
ment of  Society,  p.  154,  says:  "Such  was  the  rapidity  with  which 
the  work  of  destruction  was  carried  on,  that  within  the  short  space 
of  ten  years  not  less  than  three  million  human  beings  .  .  .  are  sup- 
posed to  have  perished  in  that  country  alone,  chietly  through  the 
influence  of  immoral  principles,  and  the  seductions  of  a  false  plii- 
losophy." 

In  connection  with  this,  as  showing  the  tendency  of  the  times, 
may  be  mentioned  the  "  International,"  an  association  which,  not 
long  since,  was  prominent  and  created  a  good  deal  of  appndiensiou. 
The  object  of  its  members  was  to  overthrow  those  whom  they  esteemed 
their  enemies,  namely,  kings  and  capitalists.  Its  platform  was, 
briefly,  the  abolition  of  all  class  rule  aiul  privileges;  political  and 
social  equality  of  both  sexes;  nationalization  of  land  and  instruments 
of  production;  reduction  of  hours  of  labor;  education  to  be  controlled 
by  the  state,  and  to  be  obligatory,  gratuitous,  and  secular;  religion 
to  be  ignored,  a  direct  system  of  taxation  based  ui)on  property,  not 
upon  industry;  the  abolition  of  all  standing  armies;  and  associative 
])roduction  instead  of  capitalist  production. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once  tluit  to  put  these  ])rinciples  into  practice 
would  be  completely  to  change  the  ])resent  ]ioIitical  and  social  rela- 
tions of  society.  The  different  branches  of  this  revolutionary  body 
may  now  go  by  different  names,  as  Nihilists  in  Russia,  Connnunists 
in  Germany,  Anarchists  and  ^fonarchists  in  France,  Fenians  and 
Land-Leaguers  in  Ireland,  the  different  secret  la])or  organizations  in 
this  country,  and  Socialists  everywhere.  The  i)rincii)les  involved  are 
similar  in  all  their  divisions;  the  end  sought,  the  same;  and  in  the 
natural  order  of  things,  a  great  crisis  in  respect  to  these  movements 
is  inevitable. 


878  APPENDIX 

The  impress  of  the  Satanic  hand  is  clearly  seen  in  that  the  state 
of  society  sought  for  is  exactly  the  opposite  of  that  established  by 
God  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  There  God  was  supreme;  Christ,  by 
whom  God  made  all  things,  was  recognized  and  honored;  God's  law 
was  the  governing  rule;  a  spirit  of  true  worship,  prompted  by  love, 
controlled  man's  mind;  the  marriage  relation  was  sacred;  and  the 
Sabbath  was  honored  as  God's  great  memorial.  In  the  French  Rev- 
olution, God  was  dethroned,  Christ  crucified  afresh,  Christianity  de- 
nounced, and  all  restraint  broken  off  from  the  carnal  heart,  worship 
discarded,  the  rest-day  abolished,  the  marriage  relation  annidled,  and 
society  rent  into  mournful  fragments.  Let  Communism  prevail,  and 
such  is  the  state  of  society  we  shall  have  again. 

The  fruit  of  this  agitation  is  appearing  more  and  more  in  the 
strained  relations  between  labor  and  capital,  all  the  time  growing 
greater,  the  multiplication  of  "  orders  "  among  the  working  men,  and 
the  combination  of  capital  for  self-protection,  the  great  strikes  and 
mobs  of  1893  -  95,  necessitating  even  armed  intervention  on  the  part 
of  the  government.  Suspicion  and  mistrust  everywhere  prevail;  and 
"  What  are  we  coming  to  ? "  is  the  question  that  trembles  on  many  a 
lip.  Triily,  as  our  Lord  said  it  would  be  just  before  his  coming, 
"  men's  hearts  "  are  "  failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after 
those  things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth."      Luke  21 :  26. 


2— THE  "SEVEN  TIMES"   OF  LEVITICUS  26. 

ALMOST  every  scheme  of  the  "  Plan  of   the   Ages,"   "Age-to- 
come,"  etc.,  makes  use  of  a  supposed  prophetic  period  called 
the  "Seven  Times;"  and  the  attempt  is  made  to  figure  out 
a  remarkable  fulfilment  by  events  in  Jewish  and  Gentile  his- 
tory.    All  such  specvdators  might  as  well  spare  their  pains;  for  there 
is  no  such  prophetic  period  in  the  Bible. 

The  term  is  taken  from  Leviticus  26,  where  the  Lord  denounces 
judgments  against  the  Jews,  if  they  shall  forsake  him.  After  men- 
tioning a  long  list  of  calamities  down  to  verse  17,  the  Lord  says : 
"And  if  ye  will  not  yet  for  all  this  hearken  unto  me,  then  I  will 
punish  you  seven  times  more  for  your  sins."  Verse  18.  Verses  19 
and  20  enumerate  the  additional  judgments,  then  it  is  added  in  verse 
21 :  "And  if  ye  walk  contrary  unto  me,  and  will  not  hearken  unto 
me;  I  will  bring  seven  times  more  plagues  upon  you  according  to 
your  sins."  More  judgments  are  enumerated,  and  then  in  vei-ses  23 
and  24  the  threatening  is  repeated :  "And  if  ye  will  not  be  reformed 
by  me  by  these  things,  but  will  walk  contrary  unto  me;  then  will  I 
also  walk  contrary  unto  you,  and  will  punish  you  yet  seven  times  for 
your  sins."      In  verse  28  it  is  repeated  again. 

Thus  the  expression  occurs  four  times,  and  each  succeeding  men- 
tion brings  to  view  severer  punishments,  because  the  i)receding  ones 
were  not  heeded.     Now,  if  "  seven  times  "  denotes  a  prophetic  period 


APPENDIX  870 

(2520  years),  then  we  would  have  four  of  them,  amounting  in  all  to 
10,080  years,  which  would  be  rather  a  long  time  to  keep  a  nation 
■under  chastisement. 

But  we  need  borrow  no  trouble  on  this  score;  for  the  expression 
"  seven  times  "  does  not  denote  a  period  of  duration,  but  is  simply 
an  adverb  expressing  degree,  and  setting  forth  the  severity  of  the 
judgments  to  be  brought  upon  Israel. 

If  it  denoted  a  period  of  time,  a  noun  and  its  adjective  would  be 
used,  as  in  Dan.  4 :  16 :  "  Let  seven  times  pass  over  him."  Here  we 
have  the  noun  (times)  and  adjective  (seven)  ;  thuSj^^^j^  r]^'2'\L*shihah 
iddan) ;  but  in  the  passages  quoted  above  from  Leviticus  26,  the 
words  "seven  times"  are  simply  the  adverb  ^^I^,*  (s/i-e&a),  which 
means,  "  sevenfold."  The  Septuagint  makes  the  same  distinction, 
using  in  Dan.  4 :  16,  etc.,  cTrra  Kaipoi  but  in  Leviticus  simply  the  ad- 
verb, eTTTaKts. 

The  expression  in  Dan.  4 :  16  is  not  prophetic,  for  it  is  used  in 
plain,  literal  narration.       (See  verse  25.) 


3— THE  TEN  DIVISIONS  OF  ROME. 

THE  ten  kingdoms  which  arose  out  of  the  old  Roman  empire, 
are  symbolized  by  the  ten  horns  on  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel 
7.  All  agree  on  this  point;  but  there  has  not  been  entire  una- 
nimity among  expositors  as  to  the  names  of  the  kingdoms 
which  constitvited  these  divisions.  Some  name  the  Huns  as  one  of 
these  divisions,  others  put  the  Alemanni  in  place  of  the  Iluns.  That 
the  reader  may  see  the  general  trend  of  what  has  been  written  on 
this  subject,  the  following  facts  are  presented: — 

Machi^velli,  the  historian  of  Florence,  writing  simply  as  a  his- 
torian, names  the  Huns  as  one  of  the  nations  principally  concerned 
in  the  breaking  up  of  the  Roman  empire.  Among  those  who  have 
written  on  this  point  with  reference  to  the  prophecy,  may  be  men- 
tioned, Berengaud,  in  the  ninth  century;  IMede,  15S6-1638;  Bossuet, 
1627-1704;  Llovd,  1627-1717;  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  1642-1727;  Bishop 

Newton,  1704-1782;  Hales,  1821;  Faber,  1773-1854. 

Of  these  nine  authorities,  eight  take  the  position  that  the  Huns 
were  one  of  the  ten  kingdoms;  of  those  eight,  two,  Bossuet  and  Bisliop 
Newton,  followed  by  Dr.  Clarke,  have  both  the  Huns  and  the  Ale- 
manni; only  one,  Mede,  omits  the  Huns  and  takes  the  Alemanni. 
Thus  eight  favor  th.e  view  that  the  Huns  were  represented  by  one  of 
the  horns;  two,  while  not  rejecting  the  Huns,  consider  the  Alemanni 
one  of  tlie  horns;  one  rejects  the  Huns  and  takes  tlu>  Alemanni. 
Scott  and  Barnes,  in  their  commentaries,  and  Oswald,  in  his  King- 
dom That  Shall  Not  Be  Moved,  name  the  Huns. 


880  APPENDIX 

4— BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 
PEOMmE:NT  MARTYRS. 

[For  portrails,  see  page  1S(I.] 

John  de  Wycliffe,  boni  about  1324,  styled  the  "  Morning  Star 
of  the  lieformation,"  was  an  English  divine,  whose  piety  and  talents 
procured  for  him  one  of  the  highest  ecclesiastical  positions  of  honor. 
Having  openly  preached  against  the  corruptions  of  the  Roman 
Church,  he  was  displaced,  the  pope  issuing  several  bulls  against  him 
for  heresy.  Accordingly,  he  was  examined  by  an  assembly,  but  made 
so  able  a  defense  that  it  ended  without  determination.  Continuing 
to  denounce  the  papal  corruptions,  ordinances,  and  power,  he  was 
again  summoned  before  a  synod,  but  was  released  by  order  of  the 
king's  mother.  It  is  remarkable  that  although  he  continued  his  ve- 
hement attacks  upon  vital  points  of  Romish  doctrine,  he  escaped  the 
fate  of  others  similarly  accused;  but  over  forty  years  after  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1384,  his  bones  were  exhumed,  burned,  and  cast 
into  the  River  Swift,  which  bore  them  through  the  Severn  to  the 
sea,  his  very  dust  thus  becoming  emblematic  of  his  doctrine,  now  dif- 
fused the  world  over.  His  most  important  work  was  the  first  En- 
glish version  of  the  Bible. 

John  H\iss,  the  celebrated  reformer,  was  a  native  of  Bohemia, 
born  in  1370,  and  educated  at  the  university  at  Prague,  where  he 
received  the  degree  of  master  of  arts,  and  became  rector  of  the  Uni- 
versity and  confessor  to  the  Queen.  Obtaining  some  of  the  writings 
of  Wycliffe,  he  saw  the  errors  and  corruption  of  the  Romish  Church, 
which  he  freely  exposed,  though  persecuted  by  several  popes.  By  his 
teaching,  a  reformation  began  in  the  University,  to  check  which  the 
archbishop  issued  two  decrees;  but  the  new  doctrine  spreading  still 
more,  he  was  finally  brought  before  a  council,  thrown  into  prison, 
and  after  some  months'  confinement,  sentenced  to  be  burned.  Though 
urged  at  the  stake  to  recant,  he  firmly  refused,  and  until  stifled  with 
smoke,  continued  to  pray  and  sing  with  a  clear  voice.  He  was 
burned  in  1415,  and  his  ashes,  and  even  the  soil  on  which  they  lay, 
were  carefully  removed,  and  thrown  into  the  Rhine. 

Jerome  of  Pra.gue,  who  derived  his  surname  from  the  town 
wliere  he  was  l)oru  somewhere  between  1360  and  1370,  completed  his 
studies  at  the  university  of  the  same  name,  after  which  he  traveled 
over  the  greater  part  of  Euro}ie.  At  Paris  he  received  the  degree  of 
nuister  of  arts,  and  at  Oxford  he  became  acquainted  with  the  writ- 
ings of  Wycliffe,  translating  many  of  them  into  his  own  language. 
On  his  retiirn  to  Prague,  he  openly  professed  Wyclift'e's  doctrines, 
and  assisted  Huss  in  the  M'ork  of  the  Reformation.  Upon  the  arrest 
of  the  latter,  he  also  expressed  his  willingness  to  appear  before  the 
council  in  defense  of  his  faith,  and  desired  a  safe-conduct  of  the 
emperor.  This  was  not  granted,  but  on  his  way  home  he  was  seized, 
carried  to  Constance,  and  after  the  martyrdom  of  Huss,  threateninl 
with  like  torments.     In  a  moment  of  weakness,  he  abjured  the  faith ; 


APPENDIX  8S1 

but  on  being  released,  bemoaned  his  sin,  and  publicly  renounced  his 
recantation,  for  which  he  was  consigned  to  the  flames,  1416. 

William  Tyndale.  an  eminent  English  divine,  was  born  about 
1484.  He  received  an  ample  education  at  Cambridge  and  Oxford, 
and  took  holy  orders.  Embracing  the  doctrines  of  the  Keformation, 
he  excited  so  much  enmity  among  Romanists  by  his  zeal  and  ability 
in  expounding  them,  that  he  was  compelled  to  seek  refuge  in  Ger- 
many. Believing  that  the  Scriptures  should  be  read  by  the  masses 
in  the  vernacular,  he  produced  a  complete  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  English,  which,  though  ordered  to  be  suppressed,  was  in  such 
demand  that  six  editions  were  published.  This  version  was  also  the 
model  and  basis  of  that  of  King  James,  and  is  but  little  more  obso- 
lete. He  also  translated  the  Pentateuch.  For  these  and  other  re- 
formatory writings,  he  was  arrested  at  Antwerp  at  the  instigation  of 
the  English  government,  and  after  eighteen  months'  imprisonment, 
was  burned,  first  being  strangled  by  the  hangman,  1536. 

TKoma-s  Cra.nmer.  the  first  Protestant  archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, was  born  in  1489.  Although  saintly  in  his  [)rofession  as  a 
divine,  he  was  somewhat  politic  as  a  statesman,  and  thus  was  well 
suited  to  unite  the  religious  and  worldly  enemies  of  popery.  He  was 
also  a  servile  adherent  of  Henry  VIII.  After  the  death  of  the  latter, 
he  joined  the  upholders  of  Lady  Jane  Grey,  who  was  also  a  Protest- 
ant, and  was  accordingly  sent  to  the  Tower  on  the  accession  of  ^lary ; 
and  being  accused  of  heresy  by  the  papal  party,  was  burned  at  Ox- 
ford, 1556.  As  a  reformer,  he  introduced  the  Bible  into  the  churches, 
and  so  used  his  influence  as  a  regent  of  Edward  VI  that  the  Reforma- 
tion greatly  prospered  during  the  young  monarch's  reign.  Shortly 
before  his  martyrdom,  he  signed  a  recantation  contrary  to  his  con- 
victions, in  hope  of  life;  but  at  the  stake  he  was  more  courageous, 
first  thrusting  into  the  flames  the  hand  which  signed  the  document, 
exclaiming  many  times,  "  O  my  unworthy  right  hand !  " 

Hugh  Latimer,  born  about  1400,  one  of  the  chief  promoters 
of  the  Reformation  in  England,  was  educated  at  Cambridge,  receiving 
the  degree  of  master  of  arts.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation, 
he  was  a  zealous  papist;  but  after  conversing  with  the  martyr  Bilney, 
he  renounced  the  Catholic  faith,  and  labored  earnestly  in  preaching 
the  gospel.  Henry  VIII,  being  pleased  with  his  discourses,  nuide 
him  bishop  of  Worcester;  but  being  o])posed  to  some  of  the  king's 
measures,  Latimer  finally  resigned.  After  the  death  of  his  patron, 
Ci'omwell,  the  hitter's  enemies  sought  him  out,  and  he  was  sent  to 
the  Tower.  He  was  released  by  Edward  VI,  but  refused  to  be  re- 
stored to  his  diocese,  and  remained  with  Cranmer,  assisting  in  the 
Reformation.  When  Mary  came  to  the  throne,  he  was  again  sent 
to  the  Tower,  thence  with  Cranmer  and  Ridley  to  dispute  with  popish 
bishops  at  Oxford.  Here  he  argued  with  iniusual  clearness  and  sim- 
plicity, but  was  condemned  and  burned  at  the  same  stake  with  Rid- 
ley, 1555. 


882  APPENDIX 

John  Bradford  was  born  in  the  first  part  of  the  reign  of 
Henry  VIll.  lie  early  evinced  a  taste  for  learning,  and  began  the 
study  of  law;  but  finding  theology  more  congenial,  removed  to  Cam- 
bridge University,  where  his  ability  and  piety  won  for  him,  in  less 
than  a  year,  the  degree  of  master  of  arts.  Soon  after,  he  was  made 
chaplain  to  Edward  VI,  and  became  one  of  the  most  popular  preach- 
ers of  Protestantism  in  the  kingdom.  But  after  the  accession  of  that 
rigid  Catholic,  Mary,  he  was  arrested  on  the  charge  of  heresy,  and 
confined  in  the  Tower  a  year  and  a  half,  during  which  time  he  aided 
with  his  pen  the  cause  for  which  he  suffered.  When  finally  brought 
to  trial,  he  defended  his  principles  to  the  last,  withstanding  all  at- 
tenips  to  effect  his  conversion  to  Romanism.  He  was  condemned, 
and  committed  to  the  flames  in  1555.  He  died,  rejoicing  thus  to  be 
able  to  suffer  for  the  truth. 

NicKoIaLS  Ridley,  a  learned  English  bishop  and  martyr,  edu- 
cated at  Pembroke  College,  Cambridge,  was  born  about  1500.  His 
great  abilities  and  piety  recommended  him  to  the  notice  of  Arch- 
bishop Cranmer,  through  whom  he  was  made  chaplain  to  the  king. 
In  the  reign  of  Edward  VI,  he  was  nominated  to  the  see  of  Rochester, 
and  finally  to  the  bishopric  of  London.  By  his  infiuence  with  the 
young  king,  the  priories  and  revenues  devoted  to  the  maintenance  of 
corrupt  friars  and  monks  were  used  for  charitable  purposes.  On  the 
decease  of  Edward,  he  embraced  the  cause  of  Lady  Jane  Grey,  and 
in  a  sermon  warned  the  people  of  the  evil  that  would  befall  Protest- 
antism if  Mary  should  come  to  the  throne.  For  this,  and  for  his  zeal 
in  aiding  the  Reformation,  he  was  seized  by  Queen  Mary,  sent  to 
Oxford  to  dispute  with  some  of  the  popish  bishops,  and  on  his  refus- 
ing to  recant,  was  burned  with  Latimer,  1555. 

John  Hooper  was  born  about  1495,  and  was  educated  at  Ox- 
ford. After  taking  his  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts,  he  joined  the 
Cistercian  monks,  but  his  attention  being  directed  to  the  writings 
of  Zwingli,  after  a  diligent  study  of  the  Scriptures,  he  became  a 
zealous  advocate  of  the  Reformation.  Knowing  the  danger  to  which 
his  opinions  exposed  him,  he  went  to  France.  On  his  return  to  En- 
gland, he  found  that  plots  were  again  being  laid  against  his  life,  and 
escaped  to  Ireland,  thence  to  France,  and  finally  to  Germany,  where 
he  remained  some  years.  Again  returning  to  England,  he  applied 
himself  to  instruct  the  masses,  laboring  so  successfully  that  the  king, 
Edward  VI.,  requested  him  to  remain  in  London  to  further  the  Ref- 
ormation, and  created  him  bishop  of  Worcester.  On  the  accession 
of  Mary,  however,  he  was  immediately  arrested,  sent  to  the  Fleet 
prison,  and,  after  eighteen  months'  confinement,  was  tried  for  heresy, 
and  condemned  to  the  flames  in  1555.  He  endured  the  agonies  of  the 
stake  with  great  fortitude,  though  they  were  nnusually  protracted 
on  account  of  the  use  of  green  wood. 

John  Rogers,  tlie  first  of  the  many  who  were  martyred  during 
Queen  Mary's  reign,  was  born  about  1500.  He  was  educated  at 
Cambridge,   receiving  holy   orders,   and   was   afterward   chaplain   to 


APPENDIX  883 

the  English  factory  at  Antwerp,  where  he  became  acquainted  witli 
Tyndale  and  Coverdale,  and  by  their  aid  published  a  complete  En- 
glish version  of  the  Bible,  liemoving  to  Wittenberg,  he  became  pas- 
tor of  a  Dutch  c-ongregation;  but  when  Edward  VI  came  to  the 
throne,  he  was  invited  home,  and  made  prebendary  and  divinity 
reader  of  St.  Paul's.  On  the  Sunday  after  Queen  Mary's  accession, 
in  a  sermon  at  St.  Paul's,  he  exhorted  the  people  to  adhere  to  the 
doctrines  taught  in  King  Edward's  days,  and  to  resist  all  Catholic 
forms  and  dogmas.  For  this  he  was  summoned  before  the  council, 
but  vindicated  himself  so  well  that  he  was  dismissed.  This  not  pleas- 
ing Mary,  he  was  again  summoned,  and  ordered  to  remain  a  prisoner 
in  his  own  house ;  but  he  was  soon  after  seized,  and  sent  to  Newgate. 
He  was  then  tried  and  condemned,  and  refusing  to  recant,  was 
burned,  1555. 


EMINENT  REFORMEES. 

[For  jmrtraits,  seepage  dXi  ] 

Ma-rtin  Luther,  the  greatest  of  reformers,  was  born  in  Saxony, 
in  1483.  When  a  poor  boy,  a  benevolent  lady  took  him  in  charge  to 
educate.  At  first  he  studied  law,  but  a  narrow  escai)e  from  death 
so  affected  him  with  the  uncertainty  of  life  that  he  retired  to  a  mon- 
astery. Here  he  came  in  possession  of  a  Bible,  and  was  struck  with 
the  difference  between  the  teachings  of  the  gospel  and  the  practices 
of  the  Romish  Church.  Being  sent  on  an  errand  to  Rome,  the  im- 
pression was  deepened,  and  when  the  pope  issued  his  famous  bidl 
granting  the  sale  of  indulgences,  Luther,  who  was  then  professor  of 
divinity  in  the  University  of  Wittenberg,  was  prepared  to  oppose  it, 
which  he  did  so  ably  that  multitudes,  including  many  nobles,  upheld 
him.  He  was  ordered  to  appear  at  Rome,  but  refused.  The  pope 
issued  a  condemnation,  which  Luther  burned.  At  the  Diet  of  Worms 
he  refused  to  retract,  and  soon  spread  his  views  throughout  the  king- 
dom by  his  writings.  He  also  translated  the  Bible  into  German.  A 
decree  being  passed  that  the  mass  should  be  universally  observed,  a 
protest  was  issued  by  the  reformed  ]iarty,  from  which  they  received 
the  name  of  Protestants.  The  confession  of  Augsburg,  the  standard 
of  their  faith,  was  then  drawn  up.  He  still  kept  on  writing  and 
laboring  until  he  died,  worn  out  by  excessive  toil,  in  154G. 

Philip  MelaLncfhorv,  the  famous  reformer  and  friend  of  Luther, 
was  born  in  the  grand  duchy  of  Baden  in  1497.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen he  graduated  as  master  of  arts  from  the  university  of  Heidel- 
berg, and  soon  after  obtained  the  Greek  professorshij)  at  Wittenberg. 
Here  he  formed  a  friendship  with  Luther,  whose  opinions  he  accepted, 
and  defended  in  his  lectures  and  writings.  His  prudence  aided  the 
promulgation  of  Protestant  doctrines  greatly,  as  it  guarded  them 
from  the  abuses  of  intemi)erate  zeal.  His  greatest  work  was  the 
drawing  up  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  although  he  was  a  fluent 


SS4  APPENDIX 

writer,  and  was  the  author  of  the  first  system  of  Protestant  theology, 
which  passed  through  more  than  fifty  editions,  and  was  used  as  a 
text-book  in  the  universities.  His  learning  and  moderation  became 
famous  throughout  all  Europe,  and  the  kings  of  England  and  France 
invited  him  to  their  kingdoms;  but  he  preferred  to  remain  at  Witten- 
berg, where  he  died  in  1560. 

Ulric  Zwingli.  whose  name  in  the  annals  of  Protestant  reform- 
ers ranks  second  only  to  that  of  Luther,  was  born  in  1484.  As  he 
early  evinced  a  taste  for  study,  he  was  sent  first  to  Bale  and  Berne, 
and  finally  to  the  university  at  Vienna,  to  receive  an  education.  On 
his  return  he  was  pastor  of  a  large  parish  near  his  birthplace,  and 
afterward  preacher  to  the  cathedral  church  at  Zurich.  Here  he  made 
a  special  study  of  the  Scriptures,  committing  to  memory  the  whole 
of  the  New  and  a  part  of  the  Old  Testament.  His  theological  re- 
searches led  him  to  see  the  corruptions  of  the  Romish  Church,  and  he 
commenced  declaiming  against  them,  especially  against  papal  indul- 
gences, until  he  effected  the  same  separation  for  Switzerland  from  the 
Catholic  dominion,  that  Luther  did  for  Saxony.  These  religious 
dissensions  brought  on  a  civil  war  in  Switzerland,  and  Zwingli,  who 
accompanied  his  army  as  chaplain,  was  slain  on  the  field  of  battle, 
1531. 

John  Calvin,  an  eminent  reformer,  and  founder  of  the  religious 
sect  known  as  tlie  Calvinists,  was  born  in  1509.  He  was  early  des- 
tined for  the  church,  being  presented  with  a  benefice  when  only  twelve 
years  old.  He  was  educated  at  Paris  for  the  ministry;  but  becom- 
ing dissatisfied  with  the  tenets  of  the  Romish  Church,  he  turned 
his  attention  to  the  law.  He  soon  received  the  seeds  of  the  reformed 
doctrine,  and  so  strongly  defended  them  tliat  he  was  obliged  to  leave 
France.  He  retired  to  Bale,  Switzerland,  where  he  composed  his 
famous  Institutes  of  Christianity,  which  was  translated  into  several 
languages.  He  then  settled  at  Geneva  as  minister  and  professor  of 
divinity,  but  was  compelled  to  leave  for  refusing  to  obey  some  papal 
forms.  Going  to  Strasburg,  he  raised  up  a  French  church,  where  he 
officiated.  By  the  divines  of  this  town  he  was  sent  as  deputy  to  the 
Diet  of  Worms.  He  returned  to  Geneva  after  repeated  solicitation, 
and  was  actively  engaged  as  speaker  and  writer  in  the  interests  of 
the  Reformation,  until  his  death  in  1564. 

John  Knox,  the  celebrated  Scotch  reformer,  was  born  in  1505, 
and  was  educated  at  St.  Andrew's  University.  He  received  a  priest's 
orders,  but  renounced  popery  after  reading  the  writings  of  St.  Augus- 
tine and  Jerome.  He  was  accused  of  heresy,  and  his  public  confes- 
sion of  faith  condemned;  but  he  began  to  preach  it  openly  from  the 
pulpit,  and  the  reformed  doctrines  spread  rapidly.  St.  Andrew's 
being  taken  by  a  French  fleet,  he  was  carried  to  Rouen,  and  con- 
demned to  the  galleys,  where  he  remained  nineteen  months.  After 
his  liberation,  he  went  to  England,  and  was  made  chaplain  to  Edward 
YT,  having  refused  a  bishopric.  On  IMary's  accession,  he  went  to 
Frankfort  and  preached  to  the  English  exiles.      Thence  he  went  to 


APPENDIX  S85 

CJeuevii,  where  he  was  iniieh  esteemed  by  Calvin,  to  whose  dcjctriiies 
he^was  much  attached.  He  returned  to  Scotland,  where  he  died  in 
1572.  after  rendering  the  Keformation  triumphant  in  his  native  land. 

John  Bunya.n.  the  most  popular  religious  writer  in  the  En- 
glish language,  was  born  in  1628.  He  was  a  tinker  by  trade,  and 
therefore  received  but  a  meager  education.  His  mind  was  little 
drawn  toward  religious  matters  until  his  enlistment  as  a  soldier,  dur- 
ing which  one  of  his  comrades,  who  had  taken  his  post,  was  killed. 
This  he  looked  upon  as  a  direct  interposition  of  Providence,  and  after 
his  return  home,  became  deeply  concerned  about  his  spiritual  welfare. 
He  soon  joined  the  Baptist  Church,  and  from  an  exhorter,  became  a 
successful  preacher  among  them.  At  this  time  all  dissenters  from 
the  Church  of  England  were  punished,  and  Bunyan  was  thrown  into 
jail,  where  he  remained  twelve  years.  Here  he  wrote  the  world- 
renowned  Pilgrim's  Progress,  which  has  since  been  translated  into 
every  tongue  of  Christendom.  He  was  also  the  author  of  other  re- 
ligious writings,  such  as  the  Holy  War.  At  the  close  of  the  persecu- 
tion he  was  released.  Pie  soon  resumed  his  former  labors,  and  was 
popularly  known  as  Bishop  Bunyan.  His  death,  in  1688,  resulted 
from  exposure. 

John  Wesley,  the  founder  of  Methodism,  was  born  in  1703, 
and  was  educated  at  Oxford,  becoming  an  eminent  tutor  in  Lincoln 
College.  With  his  brother  and  a  few  others,  he  formed  a  society  for 
mutual  edification  in  theological  exercises,  and  they  rigidly  occupied 
themselves  in  religious  duties,  in  fasting  and  prayer,  and  visiting 
prisons  and  relieving  the  suffering.  At  the  solicitation  of  General 
Oglethorpe,  Wesley  accompanied  him  to  Georgia  with  a  view  of  con- 
verting the  Indians.  He  finally  returned  to  England  to  engage  in 
missionary  labors,  but  his  design  was  not  to  withdraw  from  the  es- 
tablished Church  of  England,  but  to  create  a  revival  among  the  neg- 
lected classes  by  preaching  salvation  through  simple  faith  in  Christ. 
However,  the  churches  being  shut  against  him,  he  held  open-air 
services,  obtaining  so  many  converts  that  organization  became  neces- 
sary, and  spacious  churches  were  built.  Until  his  death  in  1701,  he 
was  indefatigable  in  his  self-imposed  work,  which  he  carried  through 
England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  traveling  nearly  300,000  miles,  and 
preaching  over  40,000  sermons,  besides  being  a  voluminous  writer. 

George  Whitefield,  an  English  clergyman,  born  in  1714,  was 
educated  at  Oxford,  wlu-re  he  received  the  degree  of  B.  A.,  and  where 
he  became  acquainted  with  Charles  Wesley,  and  was  an  enthusiastic 
member  of  the  club  which  gave  rise  to  ^lethodism.  He  was  soon 
ordained,  and  commenced  his  remarkable  missionary  career.  Upon 
the  urgent  invitation  of  John  Wesley,  who  was  in  Georgia,  he  em- 
barked for  America,  but  soon  returned  to  solicit  funds  for  a  proposed 
orphan  asylum.  He  made  five  subsequent  visits  to  America,  preach- 
ing in  all  the  large  cities,  also  in  those  of  England,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland,  and  made  a  journey  to  Holland.  He  met  with  great  oppo- 
sition from  the  clergy,  and  being  shut  out  of  the  churches,  was  the 


8SG  AFFEXDIX 

first  to  introduce  open-air  services.  Having  differed  from  the  Wes- 
leys  in  some  belief,  they  finally  separated,  which  gave  rise  to  the  two 
classes,  Calvinistic  and  Wesleyan  Methodists.  He  still  continued 
his  laborious  efforts,  sometimes  speaking  three  and  four  times  a  day 
for  weeks,  until  his  death,  in  1770,  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  while  pre- 
paring for  a  seventh  missionary  tour  in  America. 

John  Fletcher  was  born  in  Switzerland,  in  1729.  He  was  of 
noble  birth,  and  was  educated  at  the  university  of  Geneva.  Not 
conforming  conscientiously  to  all  the  Calvinistic  doctrines,  he  for- 
sook the  clerical  profession,  and  entered  military  service.  Peace 
being  proclaimed,  he  went  to  England  as  a  tutor.  He  joined  the 
Methodist  society,  and  received  orders  from  the  Church  of  England. 
Though  presented  with  a  good  living,  he  declined,  saying  "  that  it 
afforded  too  much  money  for  too  little  work."  The  ])oor  and  suffer- 
in,g  were  his  charge,  and  in  a  region  of  mines  and  mountains,  midst 
opposition  and  persecution,  he  labored  with  charity  and  devotion. 
He  visited  France,  Switzerland,  and  Italy,  and  on  his  return  was 
president  of  a  theological  school,  but  his  advocacy  of  Wesleyanism 
sundered  the  connection.  He  afterward  devoted  his  life  to  parish- 
ional  duties,  making  long  missionary  journeys  with  Wesley  and 
Wliitefield,  and  to  the  preparation  in  writing  of  their  peculiar  doc- 
trines.     His  death  occurred  in  1785. 

Willia.m  Miller,  the  greatest  reformer  of  modern  times,  born 
in  Massachusetts  in  1782,  was  of  poor  but  honorable  parentage.  Hav- 
ing a  thirst  for  knowledge,  he  acquired  considerable  education  by  his 
own  exertions.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  captain.  Until  1816  he  favored  infidelity;  but  a  careful 
study  of  the  Bible  for  the  purpose  of  refutin,g  Christianity  convinced 
him  of  his  error,  and  opened  to  the  world  the  then  almost  unexplored 
fields  of  prophecy.  After  much  solicitation,  he  began  his  life  work, 
—  the  promulgation  of  the  prophetic  interpretations,  especially  in  re- 
gard to  the  second  advent,  thus  inseparably  connecting  himself  with 
the  great  religions  movement  of  1844.  The  message  soon  became  so 
wide-spread  that  invitations  came  from  all  the  principal  cities  of  the 
United  States,  as  many  as  possible  of  .which  he  answered ;  and  a  re- 
vival such  as  had  never  been  known  sprang  np  in  every  denomination, 
extending  even  to  Europe.  Though  disappointed  in  the  time  of  the 
second  advent,  by  a  misapplication  of  prophecy,  the  majority  of  his 
views  proved  themselves  to  be  correct,  and  introduced  a  new  era  in 
the  never-ending  work  of  reformation.  Tie  devoted  himself  to  the 
work  which  he  had  begun,  both  lecturing  and  writing,  until  his  peace- 
ful death  in  1849. 


Index  of  Authors 

AND  AUTHORITIES    REFERRED   TO    OR    QUOTED    IN 
THIS   WORK. 


PAGE 

Arnold,     Edwin      121 

Adfent    Shield     248,  249,  269 

Advent    Herald     2G:?,  717 

Advent     Manual     323 

Andrews,    S.    J 258 

Alison     342 

AUgemeine   Zeitung    3G0 

Andrews,    T.    N 417,  721 

Adams,    Dr 502,  504 

Atkins,    Robert     798 

Alford     (New    Testament) 8G2 

A    Presbyterian    pastor,    Ireland 741 

American     Tract     Society 502 

Boothroyd     154,   331 

Barnes,     Albert     166,   181 

269,  406,  475,  482,  492,  545,  547,  780 

Bower     171,  172,  642 

Baronius     173 

Buck     182,  429,  494 

Bagster     274 

Bellarmine,    Cardinal    182 

Blackwood's  Magazine    332 

Boston    Journal    353 

Bonaparte,    Napoleon    358 

Burr,   E.   F.,   D.   D 377 

Bloomfield    406,  419,  4(!8,  471 

Blunt,    H 436 

Benson    422,  472 

Bingham,    lion.   J.   A 658 

Beecher,    Charles    666,  821 

Banner    of    Light 667 

Blanchard,    Professor    684 

Bush,    Professor    George 697 

Brock,    Mourant     719 

Belfast  Nezcs  Letter 741 

Beecher.     Henry    Ward 8i>l 

Booth,    B.    ]• 743 

Cowles,    H.,    D.    D 7it 

Clarke,  Adam,  103,   120,   154,   178,   188 

317,   .348,   350,   419,   434,   490,   8.39,  845 

Cottage   Bible    1.53,  477 

Croly,    Geo 186,   .324,   .325,   642.  791 


PAGE 

Carlcton    353 

Cassiodorius,   Aurelius    261 

Current   Literature    301 

Chaumette    3.38 

Christian    Union    364,  685 

Churchman    354 

Chronicle,    San    Francisco 358,  3.59 

Comprehensive  Commentary    438 

Comprehensive    Bible    417 

Church   Advocate    667 

Christian  Ad-vocate   744 

Campbell,   Alexander    678,  796 

Catechism,     Christian     Religion 674 

Catechism,     Doctrinal     675 

Champlain  Journal    685 

Cuyler    ft87 

Chambers's    Encyclopedia    576 

Christian    Statesman    6S8,  690 

Chester   (Eng.)   Chronicle 689 

Christian    Weekly    689 

Christian   Palladium    739 

Congregationalist,    The     740 

Chicago    Tribune    742 

Catholic    Christian    Instructed 67.5 

Cyprian .  .   862 

Davidson     1.5.3 

D'Aubigne    lt''2.   174 

Dowling    182,   183 

Du    Pin    321 

Domestic  Bible  417 

Doddridge      474 

Dwight,    President     502 

Dtvens,  R.  M .5ii:{,  .508 

Dublin   Nation    6.5.3 

De    Tocfiueville    (547 

Du    Pui,    James 847 

Elliott    17.!.   177.  2.53.  .554.  .580 

Evagrius    174 

Elizabeth.    Charlotte    1.82 

Encyclopedia   Americana    

.302,  .30.3.  .312.  348.  496 

Evening    Ncics,     Detroit 360 


(S87) 


888 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS 


Ecclesiastical    Commentaries    485 

Exposition     of      Seven     Trumpets     of 

Revelation    8,    9 540 

Everett,    Edward    653 

Edmonds,    Judge    665 

Eastburn    687 

Experience    and    X'iews 859 

Fox     182 

Finney,    Professor    740 

Faber    76 

Gibbon    CO,   109 

173,  174,  321,  545,  54G,  551,  579,  580 

Gesenius      153,  184 

Gavin,  Anthony    182 

Geddes      182 

Griesbach     419 

Gill    423 

Greenfield     467 

Gage,   History   of   Rowley,    Mass 502 

Golden   Censer    743 

Golden  Rule    797 

Henry,    Matthew    112,   423 

Hengstenberg    246,  269 

Harmony   of   Prophetic    Chronology..    249 

Hales,   Dr 249,  258,  261,  264 

Historic   Echoes  of  the   \'oice  of  God  350 

Hugo,    ^'ictor    386 

Here    and    Hereafter 4!  17,  759 

Home     417 

History   of   the    Waldenscs 438 

Herschel     501 

Plavens     667 

Huntington,    Bishop    687 

Hudson     828 

Independent,  N.  Y 305,  690,  744 

Johnson's    Cyclopedia    49 

Josephus    202,  ,306 

Janesville    (Wis)    Gazette 685 

Jenks     821 

Kitto    .-.IS,  426 

Kossuth,    I.ouis    358 

Kurtz    427 

Keith    510.  .551,  561 

Keenan,   Stephen    674 

Kenedy,   J.    P 675 

Kerfoot,    IJishop    687 


Lloyd      

Lewis,   Professor 
Limbroch      


76 

0S7 
182 


Lockhart    343 

Lyell,     Sir    Charles 496 

Life   of   Edward    Lee 501 

Litch,    Josiah    575 

Lockhart,    W.,    B.    A 676 

Lansing  State  Republican 686 

Mercerus     246 

Montanus     246 

Mosheim   165,  171,  177,  486,  487 

Mede   166,  3.31 

Machiavelli    170 

Madden,    R.    R 349 

Martyn     654 

Miller,    William 4:14,  4:!8,  488 

Mine    Explored     417 

Missionary    Rezdet^'     609 

Methodists    (Wesleyan)     797 

Macmillan   &   Co 648 

Mc  Millan,  W.  H 692 

Mc  Ilvaine    687 

Newton,    William     82 

Nelson,    David    87 

Newton,    Sir   Isaac    166 

Newton,    Bishop .  . .  166,  192,  195,  278 

286,  290,  294,  303,  309,  365,  422,  667 

New  York    Tribune 353,   354 

Nevins     417 

New   York  Observer 743 

Oswald     178,  182 

Olmstead,    Professor    510 

Olshausen 417 

Porphyry      21 

Prideaux    24,   196 

201,  202,  256,  271,  280,  298,  306,  315 

Philadelphia    Public    Ledger 363 

Paragraph    Bible    417 

Portsmouth    Journal    502 

Pownal,   Governor    647 

Patterson,    Dr 687 

Present    Truth,    The    696 

Philadelphia  Sun   739 

Porter,    Commodore    784 

Pentecost,     G.     F 798 

Pollok     864 

Rollin    149,  290,  296 

Ranke     170 

Religious    Ivncyclopcdia    201 

Rapin      321 

Rice,  Dr 485 

Reformation,    The    703 

Religious    Telescope    739 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS 


889 


.Stanley    165,  170 

Scott,   Church   History 178 

Scott's   Napoleon    332,  334,  338 

Scott    -423,  471,  475 

Stockius     24(5 

Signs   of   the    Times 249 

Sanctuary   and   Its  Cleansing 253 

Stonard,    Dr 271 

Smith,   Key  to  Revelation 334 

Scientifi.e    American     370 

Seholefield      408 

Sears,    Wonders   of   the    World 495 

Sears,    Guide   to   Knowledge 502 

Sabine,    Kcclesiastical    History 542 

Storrs,    George    Oil 

Smith,   Philip    621 

Statesman's   Year    Book,    1807 048 

Spiritualism  a  Subject  of  Prophecy..  064 

Smart,    Rev.    J.    S 683 

Stevenson,   Dr 0S3 

Simpson      687 

Seelye     087 

State   Rcl^uhlican,    Lansing OSO 

Saint-Hilaire,    M.    Barthelemy OSO 

Stuart,    Professor    780,  828,  851 

Scott,    0 797 

Syriac    New    Testament 779 

Sawyer,   New   Testament 779 

Thiers     344 


Thompson    403,  40.'j,  424,  457 

Tcnney     .Toi 

Townsend,  G.  A 047,  G53,  ()84 

Tuttle,    Hudson    005 

Treatise   of   Thirty    Controversies.  .  .  .  074 

Taylor,     D.     T 710 

Tennessee   Baftist    706 

True    li'esleyan    797 

United   States  Maga~iiie 054 

\'ulgate.    The    154 

White      .344 

Wintle     .331 

Watson    4.34,  4.38 

Wesley     4.37,   4(>(i,   4 OS.   47n.   472,   694,   78<) 

Woodhouse    474 

Whittier      .503 

Ward,    Henry    Dana 508 

Webster,   Noah        51 4,  07.3 

Who    Changed   the    Sabbath? 070 

Weekly  .Ufa   Californian (!S.") 

Wolff,   Dr.  Joseph 719 

\\'hiting.    Prof.,    New    Testament....    729 

W'atclunan   and  Reflector 74.3 

Wakefield.    New    Testament 779 

White,    i\rrs.    E.    G 626,  628,  8(X5 

^^'icks     847 


5R 


Index  of  Texts 


IN  OTHER    BOOKS    OF   THE    BIBLE   SUPPORTING    THE    EXPOSITION 

OF   DANIEL  AND   THE   REVELATION   SET    FORTH    IN 

THIS   WORK. 


GENESIS  PAGE 

1 :  2 564,  82.'5 

2:1,    2    675,  755 

2:1-3     755,  756 

2:  7      493.  770 

3:  24      427 

4:9,    10    492,  493 

10:  10,  8-10,   11 24,  48,  49 

17:  11     522 

48:  5     533 

49:  9,     10     473 

EXODUS 

5:2     607 

7:  17-21,     25 773 

9:8-11      770 

9:23     783 

10:21-23     774 

15:  17    210,  211 

19:4      631 

20:8-11       756 

25:8,    9;    26:30;    27:8 217,  219,  446 

25:9,   40    428 

25:31,    32,    37;    26:35;    27:20 467 

25:16;    31: 18 616 

28:41,  43 446 

30:  22  -  30      269 

?>1:13     525 

40:  9,    10    248 

LEVITICUS 
1:1-4;    4:3-0;    16:5-10,    15,    16, 

:^0-22     822 

8:  10-15      269 

16:  17,   20,   30,   33 225,  447 

16:8     821 

16:  33     218 

17:  11,   14    224 

NUMBERS 

13:  11      533 

14:84      185,  264 

22-25;    31 :  13  -  16    435 

19:  13      493 

HEUTERONOMY 

10:2,    5    (il6 

(890) 


PAGS 

12:5,  11,  21;   14:23,   24;   16:6 527 

12:5,  14,  18,  21;   14:23;   16:2,  6...   707 

28:  49,   50    231 

29:29     400 

I     KINGS 

1:5-9,    19,    25 846 

18:  19;    21     438 

21:8;    8:  8    523 

II      KINGS 

19:  15     526 

20:14-18     28 

II     CHRONICLES 

2:  12      526 

20:  7,   8    211 

EZRA 

1:1    21 

1:1-4;    6:  1-12;    7 253 

6:  4;    4:  6,    7 64,   185 

7:9     265 

nehemiah 

2:2:16;    6:15    254,255 

9:  6     526 

ESTHER 

1:1    129,  192,  201 

3:12    523 

JOB 

9:8    526 

23:3   452 

38:  7    834 

38:22,  23   r69,  784 

PSALMS 

2:  7  -9    621 

2:  8,  9    88.  407,  440 

36:8    536 

•■■>":  11    477 

37:  20    470 

69:4    697 

78:  53,   54,  69    210,  211 

78:  68    211 


IXDEX  OF  TEXTS 


SUl 


85:  10  2G6 

91::>-1(»  (;!)8.  786 

OG:  5  -t-M 

110:  1   4«1 

112:8  .•'.2 

114:1-8  212,  815 

115:4-7,  15;  '.Mi;  5;  121:2;  124:8; 

134:  3;  146:  G  520 

110:  12G  (!<I6 

126:  1,  2 55 

146:  4   (M)3 

140:  0  441,  763 

PROVERBS 

11:8  i:?5 

11 :  31 828 

ECCteSIASTES 

0:  5,    G,    10 6ti3 

ISAI.MI 

3:  11),    11    766 

8:7      776 

8:  16     523 

0:  6      845 

11:  1,    1(1    473 

11:4     810 

13:10-22      60 

21:2     101 

23:1    317 

24 :  1     824 

24:  10,    20    517 

25:  8      5.36 

28:  17;    30:  .30    784 

20:  10-14    866 

30:  33    830 

.30:  26;  66:  2:!   .' 8.54 

32:  18,    10    785 

33:  14    833 

.33:  14,    15;    66:  24 827 

.33:  16    5:',5 

34 :  8    758.  806 

37;  16;  42:  5;  4  1 :  24 ;  45:  12;   .51:  13.   526 

.30:1      40 

51:7    843, 

54:  1-17    816 

55:  1      45:( 

.56:  1.    2    7.57 

60:  13      2(:!) 

63:  1-4     817 

63: 18;    64: 11     212 

64:  6     4.55 

&5:  17-25      477 

GG:  22,    23    7.57 

66:24      833 

JEREMIAH 

2;   3;   31 :  .32 733 

4 :  23  -  27      517 


4:  10    26      824 

10:10-12;    32:17;    51:15 526 

10:  11      525 

15:  16-  18       600 

17:24-27       2< 

25:  8-11     20,  24 

25:  12;    20:  lu    2.33 

25:  .30      783 

25:  .30  -  .33 140,    517,  .521 

3(1;  4-7       5.35 

40:  .30      101 

.50:  25      76!i 

51 :  0     7.38 

51 :  25     729 

EZEKIEI. 

1:  14 241 

4:  6    ' ia5,  2(>4 

0:  4      522 

12:  13     27 

14:10,     2(1;    28:3 10 

20:  12,    20    525 

21 :  25  -  27,    31 2.30,  .388 

23:  2-4      610 

24:  13      607 

45:  IS      447 

JOEL 

1:  14  -20       775 

1:  18-20       5.3.T 

2 :  .32     370 

2:  .30,    31    721 

3:  16    .373.  51.3,   706,  761,  783 

AMOS 

0:  3      607 

OBADIAH 

IG     480 

1IAB\KKI'K 

2:  11      402 

7ECH  \RI.\H 

3:3-5     443,  455 

4:  11-14       603 

G:  12,    13    266,  4G0,  838 

0:  10      8.30 

MAI.ACI'1 

4:1    470,   (KM,   S.'.O,   840 

MATTHEW 

3:  12      -l^'" 

5:5      -«77 

5:8      ■*«■'<' 

5:  17-20      7.57 

5:  IS      32 

10:  15;     11:  21  -24     713 

10:  28      430 

10:  32,    .^3    445 


892 


INDEX   OF  TEXTS 


11:  15;  13:9,  43 426 

12:8  421 

13:  16  392 

18:  17  675 

18:20  40 

19:28  151 

22:  1  -  14 ;  2G:  20  724,  816,  845 

23:  34,  35  773 

24 :  12  661 

24:  13  440 

24:  14  393,  717 

24:  15,  16  19,  391 

24 :  21  369,  438 

24 :  21,  22,  29 509 

24 :  22  4:;0,  604,  632 

24 :  24  703 

24 :  27,  31  • 409 

24:29-31   721 

25:1-13   845 

25:21,  23  854 

25:  31  -  34  85,  538 

25:  34  162,  612 

25:41,  46  830,  836 

26:  29  85,  816 

27:  52,  53  374,  466 

MARK 

1:  14,  15  257 

8:  38  445 

9:43-48  833 

13:24  513 

13:  24-26   721 

13:  29   515 

14 :  25  816 

LUKE 

1:  11,  26  229 

1 :  32,  33  368,  446,  473 

2:  1  300,  622 

2:  25,  26,  28 620 

3:  1-3   304 

3: 21,  22  254 

3:  23  257 

10:  16  675 

10:23,  24  392 

12:  8,  9  445 

12:  32  85 

V2:  35  -  37;  19:  12,  i:'. 845 

12:  37  816 

14:  16-24,  12-15  816 

14:  14   430 

IG:  10  -  31   401 

17:  17   41 

17:  26  -  30;  18:8  601,  742 

18:  7,  8  761 

19:  10-12   156 

19:  12  724 

19:  13   440 


21 :  24  .388 

21:25  512 

21:27   370 

21 :  25  -  36   71. 

22:  18,  30  816 

JOHN 

1:1,  3;  5:  26 480 

2:  13;  5:  1;  6:  4;  13:  1 258 


5:28,*  29  

5:  44  

625 
697 

14 :  2,  3  

715 

14:  3  

430 

14:  26;  16:  13  

455 

456 

19:  30  597 


6; 
9, 

15; 

19 

24; 

5 

26 

44 

56 

1  -• 

38 

1  -; 

14 

26; 

29 

31; 

7 

17- 

23 


14 :  22 

11  ... 

5 :  31 


202, 


14:  15;  17:  23,  24. 


219, 


27:  24 


24:  2 
38   . 


ROMANS 

2:4  

2:  6-10   

2:  16   

2:  28,  29;  9:  6  -  8;  11:  17-24 

429,  532, 

3:  31   

4:  11   

4:  13,  14  454,  477, 

4:  17  

6:  16  

8:  24,  25  

8:29  406, 

9:6,  7  

10:7   


85 
408 
367 
444 
526 
426 
697 
446 
463 
272 
455 
411 
424 
598 

42 
670 
713 
674 
403 
407 

697 
835 
713 

846 
757 
522 
843 
406 
753 
454 
407 
429 
823 


I     CORINTHIANS 

0:2 612,  763 

(J:  2,    3    162,  440 


INDEX  OF   TEXTS 


893 


8:5     524 

9:27      444 

10:  33     697 

13:  13     455 

15:  20     407 

15:  20,   23    400 

15:  24     3GS 

15:  24-28      400 

15:50     85 

15:  51  -54 430 

15:  52 597,  761 

10:  2     674 

n     CORINTHIANS 

3:  14     820 

5:  10    207,  713 

8:  13,    14    848 

11:2      733 

11:  13     424 

12:2    420,  837,  838 

GALATIANS 

1:8     714 

1:  11,    12    598 

3:  28,  29    429,  454,  477,  843,  840 

4:  21-31     810 

4:26     427,  845 

5:  4     697 

5:  6      455 

EPHESIANS 

1:9,    10    597 

1:20,    21    407,  621 

1:20-22      308,  460 

1:23     826 

2:8     454 

2:  12,     13     846 

2:  15      757 

3:  3,    6    .598 

4:8    374,  465 

5:23      815 

6:  19     598 

PHILIPPIANS 

2:9     480 

3:  11      706 

COLOSSIANS 

1:15-18     406,  407 

4:3     i.   598 

I     TIIESSALONIANS 

4:  16  270,  .3(;7,  4(il,  409,  625 

4:  10.  17  4.30 

5:4   44:; 

II  Tiir.?SALoyiA>:s 

1:  0-  1((   410 

1:7,  S  .",69,  801 


o 

1-3 
3     .  . 

592 

., 

434 

J^ 

8  ... 
8-12 
15     . 

IS      . 

12      . 

155, 

6: 

M, 

715, 

819 
703 

., 

675 

0 

I    TIMOTHY 

4.55 

II     TIMOTHY 

412 

3 

721 

1-5, 
4.    5 

12 

661 

3 

742 

4:1,  8,  20 85,  403,  4:'.0,  723 


HEBREWS 

6,  14 4(16,  4S0, 


2:  14 

4: 
0: 


8: 

8: 

8: 

8: 

S: 

9: 

9: 

9: 

9: 

9: 

9: 

10: 

10: 

10: 

11: 

11: 

11: 

12: 

12: 

12: 

12- 

12: 

12: 

13: 


1    

7;    8;    9 

23-25      

27;  8:  4.  5;   9:  (!,  7, 
1,   2;  9:  2:!,   24.  ... 
1      

12;    13:  11... 
2(19, 

o 

446 

4,   5    

12     

1    

214    '^18 

1-5,  8,   12,  21,  23 
2-5      

24 

8,  9,   23,   24 

12     

22,  23       

19     

25      

30      

1      

6     

33     

8     

oo 

23      

25-27      

26    

7fi1 

26-28      

oo 

711 
479 
675 
209 
227 
447 
460 
621 
82.3 
220 
444 
219 
446 
214 
209 
226 
22.3 
446 
448 
759 
454 
454 
129 
456 
477 
532 
516 
783 
706 
110 


JAMES 

I,  IS.  27 443,  708,  846 

5  85 

II,  12  713,  757 

4,  7,  S 492,  759 

I  I  ETr.R 

1:1,  5  4()4,  7.57 

2:  9  408,  411. 

3:  21   695 

5:4  4.30 


894 


INDEX   OF   TEXTS 


II  PETER 

1:  19  441,  444 

2:4,  9,  14 296,  627,  713 

3:  3,  4  661 

3:  7  615,  837 

3:  7,  10  82» 

3:  7-13  479,  S3a 

3:  13  477,  479 


I  JOHN 

2:  20,  27  455 

3:  15  773 

JUDE 

6   713 

9   625 

14,  15  723 

24   469 


General  Index 


ALEXANDER,  the  Great,  first 
king  of  the  Grecian  Empire, 
65 ;  his  generous  treatment  of 
the  royal  Persian  captives,  66 ; 
his  self-conceit,  66;  his  de- 
baucheries and  death,  66;  ce- 
lerity of  his  movements,  149; 
his  pompous  claim,  166;  how 
his  kingdom  was  divided  into 
four  parts,  149 ;  fulfils  Dan.  11 : 
3,  4,  283 ;  his  jiosterity  extinct 
in  15  years,  id.;  names  of  the 
four  generals  who  divided  his 
kingdom,  283;  their  territory, 
id. 

Anointing  the  most  holy,  what, 
269. 

Antiochus  Magnus  fulfils  Dan. 
11:13,   289. 

Actium,  battle  of,  311. 

Antony,  death  of,  312. 

Abomination  that  maketh  deso- 
late set  up,  323. 

A  new  power  introduced,  331. 

Assistance  rendered  Turkey,  352. 

Armenian  atrocities,  365. 

Angel,  Christ's,  who,  401. 

Angel   of   the  church,   who,   424. 

Antipas,  who,  434. 

A  clean  imiverse,  478. 

Alaric  invades  Rome,  541. 

Attila,  the  Hun,  ranks  with 
Alaric  and  Genseric  in  the  de- 
struction of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, 548,  551. 

Abubekr,  his  singular  com- 
mands to  his  army,  567. 

Anger  of  the  nations,  when,  612. 

American   statistics,   654. 

A.  Campbell  describes  sects,  678. 

Ark  of  testament  in  heaven,  749. 

Armageddon,  battle  of,  779. 


Angels    not    disembodied    souls, 

816. 
Azazel,  name  of  the  devil,  821. 
A  thousand  years  in  heaven,  829. 
Adding  to,  or  taking  from,  868. 

BABYLONISH  Empire,  t  h  e 
head  o  f  gold,  4  8 ;  when 
founded,  id.;  its  extent,  49; 
how   universal,  50. 

Bible  names,  significance  of,  29. 

Babylon,  city,  description  of; 
stratagem  of  Cyrus  by  which 
it  was  taken,  56 ;  its  final  ruin, 
60. 

Belshazzar,  son  of  Nabonadius, 
joint  ruler  with  his  father,  55 ; 
his  impious  feast,  114;  chosen 
by  Cyrus  as  the  time  to  capture 
Babylon,  114;  its  conclusion, 
120;  poetical  description  of,  by 
Sir  Edwin  Arnold,  121-127. 

Bear,  a  symbol  of  Medo-Persia, 
144. 

Beast,  great  and  terrible,  symbol 
of  Rome,  150. 

Berenice  married  by  Antiochus, 
285 ;  murdered  by  Laodice,  id. 

Bonaparte  dreams  of  glory,  344; 
Egyi^tian  expedition,  345;  his 
views  of  Russia,  358. 

Balaam,  his  doctrine,  what,  435. 

Blessing,  the,  at  end  of  13S5 
days,  what,  392. 

Book  of  life,  444. 

Beasts,  four,  who,  467. 

Books,  ancient,  style  of,  470. 

Bottomless  pit,  meaning  of,  564, 
823. 

Beast  of  Rev.  13:1,  and  little 
horn  of  Dan.  7 :  25  identical, 
641. 

(895) 


896 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Beast,  image  to,  what,  665 ;  mark 
of,  what,  669. 

Babylon,  symbolical,  what,  714. 

Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,  who,  815, 
843. 

Benediction  on  commandment- 
keepers,  862. 

Binding  of  Satan,  what,  824. 

CYAXERES,  the  Mede,  called 
in  Dan.  5:31  "Darius,"  55. 

Cyrus,  son  of  Cambyses,  king  of 
Persia,  nephew  of  Cyaxeres,  or 
Darius,  king  of  the  Medes,  64; 
conquered  Babylon,  B.  c.  538, 
63;  takes  the  throne  on  the 
death  of  Darius,  128;  his  de- 
cree for  the  return  of  the  Jews, 
64;  length  of  his  reign,  64; 
his  successors,  64. 

Chronology  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  83-86. 

Changing  times  and  laws,  what, 
184. 

Christian  era,  258,  note. 

Commandment  of  Cyrus,  Darius, 
and  Artaxerxes  one  decree, 
263. 

Caesar,  Julius,  assumes  control 
of  Egji^t,  295 ;  is  captivated  by 
Cleopatra,  296 ;  fulfils  Dan.  11 : 
18,  19,  299. 

Caesar,  Augustus,  a  raiser  of 
taxes,  fulfils  Dan.   11:20,  300. 

Caesar,  Tiberias,  fulfils  Dan.  11 : 
21,  22,  301. 

Chittim,  what  country,  317. 

Christ's  ijresent  reign,  '  368 ; 
change  of  position,  id. 

Conscious  state  of  the  dead  not 
proved  by  Dan.  12:2,  374. 

Churches,    the    seven,    cover    the 

■   whole  gospel  age,  403-405. 

Coming  of  Christ  visible,  409. 

Candlesticks,  moaniug  of.  420. 

Confession  and  denial  of  Christ, 
445. 

Cold  niid  hot,  signification  of, 
451. 

Cl^.^stisemcnt,  a  token  of  Invo, 
456. 


Consulship  of  Rome  extinguislied 

by  Justinian,  553. 
Chosroes,  king  of  Persia,  562. 
Constantine   XIII,   last   emperor 

of  the  East,  759. 
Constantinople,    siege    and   over- 
throw of,  759. 
Character  of   U.   S.   go\'ernment, 

658,  659. 
Catholic     catechisms,     testimony 

of,   675,  676. 
Church     and    state    in   America, 

682-694. 
Christian  Endeavor,  aims  of,  692. 
Chronology     of     third     message, 

748. 
Convulsions   of   nature,   808. 
Closing  thou,ghts,  868. 

DANIEL  and  Revelation  coun- 
terparts of  each  other,  3. 

Daniel's  prophecy  to  be  under- 
stood, 5 ;  Daniel  and  Ezekiel, 
19,  20;  Daniel's  place  in  proph- 
ecy, 20;  source  of  his  fame, 
id.;  nature  of  his  prophecy,  21 ; 
his  integrity,  30;  his  exalta- 
tion, 90;  his  wonderful  prayer, 
234;  his  age  and  decease,  21. 

Date  of  the  captivity,  33. 

Daily,   Dan.   8:11-13,  what,   206. 

Darius  Codomanus,  the  last  king 
of  Persia  before  Grecia,  64; 
overthrow  at  Arbela,  331  B.  c 
65 ;  his  sad  end,  65. 

Dura,  the  site  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar's rival  image,  92;  dedica- 
tion of  the  image,  95;  integ- 
rity of  the  three  worthies,  99 ; 
Nebuchadnezzar's  rage,  id.: 
their  deliverance,  100;  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's  conversion,   101. 

Daniel  in  the  lions'  den,  128-136; 
recognized  by  Paul  as  a  true 
record,  129. 

Days,  the  2300,  why  not  ex- 
ph\ined  in  Daniel  8,  232;  ex 
idained  in  chapter  9,  239-242; 
reach  to  cleansing  of  henvenly 
snnctuary,  228:  termination 
of,  447.  ' 


GENERAL   INDEX 


897 


Dates    of    Christ's    baptism    and 

crucifixion,  304. 
Dan.  8:11;  11:31,  and  Kov.   13: 

2,  parallel,  319. 
Daily  taken  away,  how,  319. 
Decree  of  Justinian,  324,  325. 
Days,    the    1290.    390;    the    1335, 

391. 
Distinction    between    Christ    and 

God,  406. 
Door  opened  in  heaven,  463. 
Dragon,  symbol,  in  one  form,  of 

Satan ;    in    another,    of    Kome, 

626. 
De   Tocqueville's  testimony,   647. 
Dimensions  of  the  holy  city,  846. 

ENOCH,     contemporary     w  i  t  h 

Adam,  3. 
Ezra    receives     decree   to    restore 

Jerusalem,  254. 
Era,   Christian,  258,  note. 
Events  of  the  year  508,  a.  d.,  322. 
Exploits  of  saints,  329. 
Eastern  question,  what,  353. 
Ephesus,  meaning  of,  424. 
Eye-salve,  meaning  of,  455. 
Elders,    four     and     twenty,    who, 

465. 
Earthquake,  the  great,  at  Lisbon, 

495-501. 
Euphrates,   symbolic,   what,    775. 
Eminent  reformers,  883. 

FAMOUS  marches  of  Alexander, 

149. 
Four   beasts,    Daniel's   vision   of, 

139. 
Four  heads  of  leopard,  what,  149 ; 

arose  when,  id. 
France  an  atheistical  power,  331; 

fulfils  Dan.  11:36-40,  331-343; 

fulfils  Rev.  11 :  7-13,  604-610. 
Franco-Prussian  war,  bearing  on 

prophecy,  353. 
Five  months  of  Rev.  9  :  10,  where 

located,  574. 
Firearms      prophesied      of,      580, 

note. 
First     settlements     in     America, 

654. 


Forever    and    ever,    meaning    of, 

758. 

GOD'S  people  preserve  the 
world,  42. 

Grecia,  the  brass  of  the  great  im- 
age, 65 ;  the  leopard  of  Dan.  7 : 
6,  144;  the  goat  of  Dan.  8:5, 
147;  comes  into  prophecy  b.  c. 
331,  at  battle  of  Arbela,  195; 
continues  till  league  of  Jews 
with  the  Romans,  b.  c.  161, 
seventy   years,    202. 

Gabriel  a  prominent  nugel.  229; 
his  glory,  id. 

Genseric,  the  Vandal,  318. 

Glories  of  the  stellar  worlds,  376, 
377. 

Gold  tried  in  the  fire,  explained, 
453. 

Glass,  sea  of,  what,  467, 

Genseric,  naval  warfare  of,  545, 
546;  efforts  of  emperors  Majo- 
rian  and  Leo  against  him  fail, 
545,  546. 

Gov.   Pownal's  testimony.   646. 

Geo.  Alfred  Townsend's  testi- 
mony, 647. 

Great  wonders  originating  in  the 
IT.  S.,  662,  663. 

Gluttony  rebuked,  808. 

HORN"  with  eyes  and  mouth,  a 
symbol  of  the  papacv,  153, 
157-165. 

Horns,  the  three,  plucked  up  be- 
fore little  horn,  165-177. 

He-goat,  as  a  symbol,  explained, 
192. 

Horn,  notable,  of  the  goat,  ex- 
plained, 195. 

Horns,  four,  of  the  goat,  what, 
197. 

Horn,  little,  of  Daniel  8,  not  a 
symbol  of  Antiochus  Epipha- 
nes,  198 ;  but  a  symbol  of 
Rome,  202 ;  how  it  came  forth 
from  one  of  the  four  horns  of 
the  goat,  202;   accurately   ful- 


898 


GENERAL  INDEX 


filled  by  Kome,  202-205;  fur- 
ther explained,  231. 

How  long  to  the  end,  387,  388. 

Heraclius's   bold  enterprise,   563. 

Hailstorm,  the  final,  785. 

Heads,  the  seven,  explained,  789. 

Heav'en  and  earth  flee  awav,  how, 
833. 

INTERPRETATION,  two  sys- 
tems of,  4;  Orig-en's  mystical 
system,  id. 

Image,  great  world-kingdom  of 
Dan.  2:31,  44;  adapted  to 
Nebuchadnezzar's  position,  47. 

Indignation,  what,  230. 

Interpolation  in  Rev.  1 :  11,  419. 

Injustice  in  Switzerland,  696. 

JERUSALEM'S  overthrow  pre- 
dicted, 24;  three  times  taken 
by  Babylon,  id. 

Judgment,  investigative,   154. 

Justinian,  papal  decree,  when  es- 
tablished, 329. 

John,  why  banished,  412. 

Jews,  who  are,  429. 

Jezebel,  who,  438. 

John  Palfeologus,  death  of,   576. 

Judgment  before  second  advent, 
722. 

KEEPING    the    commandments, 

what,  757. 
Key    to    movements    in    heaven, 

369. 
Knowledge,   increase  of,  379-385. 
Kingdom  of  Rev,   1 :  9,  meaning 

of,  411. 
Key  of  David,  what,  446. 
Kitchens  in  churches,  742. 

LAODTCE  put  away  by  Antio- 
chus,  recalled,  poisons  him,  and 
seats  her  son  on  the  throne, 
285. 

Last  war  against  Babylon,  55. 

Legs  of  image  do  not  signify 
eastern  and  western  Rome,  76. 

Lion,  a  symbol  of  Babylon,  143. 

Leopard,  a  symbol  of  Grecia,  144, 


Life  of  fourth  beast  not  pro- 
lojiged  like  that  ol  the  others, 
155. 

League  between  Jews  and  Ro- 
mans, 293,  305. 

Lot,  meaning  of,  393. 

Land  divided  for  gain,  342. 

Lord's  day,  meaning  of,  416,  421. 

Laodicea,  meaning  of,  450. 

Lamps  of  fire,  the  seven,  what, 
467. 

Location  of  government  symbol- 
ized by  two-horned  beast,  659. 

Last  church  not  to  perish,  696, 
697. 

Lake  of  fire  repeated,  829. 

Life,  book  of,  835. 

IMAGICIANS,  etc.,  who,  34; 
their  cunning,  id.;  issue  of  the 
struggle  between  them  and 
Nebuchadnezzar,  35,  36;  God's 
providence  manifest  in  their 
overthrow,  39. 

Medo-Persia,  the  breast  and  arms 
of  the  great  image,  63 ;  how 
inferior  to  the  head,  id.;  chief 
Scriptural  event  in  its  history, 
63 ;  overthrew  Babylon,  B.  c. 
538,  and  continued  207  vears, 
144. 

IMartyrs  by  the  papacy,  esti- 
mated, 178-183. 

Michael,  who,  276,  367. 

Mithridates  assists  Caesar  in 
Egyi^t,  296. 

Morning    Star,   the,   who,   441, 

]\roon  darkened,  504. 

Momyllus,  nicknamed  Aiigustu- 
lus,  last  emperor  of  Rome,  552. 

Mohammedanism,  rise  of,  562. 

Mystery  of  God,  what,  597. 

Mark  of  beast,  what,  679;  who 
have  it?  679,  680. 

Mistake  of  Adventists  in  1S44, 
723. 

NEBFCTTADNEZZAR'S  wise 
policy,  28 ;  commendable  char- 
acter, 43;  his  humiliation  and 
final  decree,  103-113. 


GENERAL   INDEX 


899 


Nabonadius,     the    last    king    of 

Babylon,  55. 
Nehemiali's   griint   nt't   a   decree, 

255. 
North,  king-  of,  who,  283,  3 -f3. 
Nicolaitanes.  who,  425. 
Name,  new,  unknown,  436. 
Nineveh,  battle  of,  503. 
National   Reform   movement,   its 

aims,  090. 
"  Number   of    his    name,"   what, 

701. 

"ONCE     in     grace,     always     in 

grace,"  disproved,  444. 
Opening   and   shutting,   meaning 

of,  446. 
Odoacer  governs  Italy,  557. 
Ottoman  supremacy,  fall  of,  585. 
Our  deeds  all  recorded,  834. 
Overturning   of    kingdom     three 

times,  230. 

PRAYER    often     heard     before 

answers  appear,  275. 
Prophecy,   importance  of,  4. 
Ptolemy,    king    of   Egypt,    fulfils 

Dan.  11 :  5.  284. 
Ptolemy       Philadelphus       fulfils 

Dan.  11 :  6,  284. 
Ptolemy    Euergetes    fulfils    Dan. 

11 :  7-9,  285. 
Ptolemy    Philopater   fulfils   Dan. 

11:11,  12,  287. 
Ptolemy  Epiphanes  supported  by 

Rome,  291. 
Pompey    takes     Jerusalem,    293 ; 

quarrels  with  Caesar,  294;  flees 

to  Egyqit  and  is  murdered,  295. 
Ptolemy     and     Cleopatra    placed 

under   guardianship   of  Rome, 

294. 
Prince  of  the  covenant,  who,  304. 
Peter  the  Great,  will  of,   357. 
Patmos,  description  of,  412. 
Paradise     withdrawn     from     the 

earth,  427;  where,  id. 
Pergamos,  meaning  of,  433. 
Philadelphia,      signification      o  f, 

445. 


Paraphrase   of    1    Cor.    15:24-28, 

461. 
Prophetic  time,  close  of,  590. 
Persecuting    powers,    professedly 

Christian,   636. 
Pope  Pius  VI,  death  of,  642. 
Political    changes    in    the    world 

between  1817  and  1867,  648. 
Proclamation  of  Christ's  coming, 

not    given    by    the    apostles    or 

the  Reformers,  713 ;  belongs  to 

the  present  generation,  715;  its 

extent,  719-721. 
Protestant  church  not  true  to  its 

profession,  731. 
Plagues,  seven  last,  poured  out, 

767. 
Perdition  of  ungodly  men,  when, 

827 ;  they  never  tread  the  new 

earth,  828. 
Punishment,  degrees  of,  831. 
Prominent  martyrs,  880. 

ROME,  the  legs  of  iron,  69;  the 
terrible  beast,  150;  the  horn  of 
Dan.  8,  202;  the  great  red 
dragon,  619;  the  leopard  beast, 
037 ;  the  scarlet  beast,  789 ;  suc- 
ceeds Grecia,  69;  Gibbon's  tes- 
timony, id.;  interferes  in  be- 
half of  Egypt,  294;  fulfils 
Dan.  11: 14-35,  289;  its  divided 
state  to  continue  to  the  end, 
81;  a  false  application,  71-74; 
growth  of,  by  legacies,  309. 

Ram,  as  a  symbol,  explained,  191. 

Robbers  of  God's  people,  Ro- 
mans. Dan.  11:14,  290. 

Reformation,  the  great,  330; 
prophecy  of,  632. 

Russia's  defiance,  354;  encroach- 
ments, 358. 

Resurrection,   a  special,   371-374. 

Reward  of  the  righteous,  375. 

Revelation,  meaning  of,  397; 
wrong  title  given  to,  399;  date 
of,  412;  object  of,  400;  dedi- 
cated to  whom,  403 ;  to  be  un- 
derstood, 402. 

Reading  of  Rev.  1:8,  411. 


900 


(lEXEBAL    IXDEX 


Revelation  \2,  symbols  explained, 

619. 
Religions    declension    of    ])resent 

day,  739-745. 

SACRED  writings,  characteris- 
tics of,  23. 

Snccessors  of  Nebuchadnezzar  on 
throne  of  Babylon,  50,  55. 

"Seven  times,"  of  Dan.  4:  16,  lit- 
eral, not  prophetic ;  "  seven 
times  "  of  Leviticus  26,  not  a 
prophetic  period.  Appendix  II, 
878. 

Startling  events  in  i)npal  history, 
187,  note. 

Sanctuary,  the,  not  the  earth, 
209;  not  the  land  of  Canaan, 
210;  not  the  church,  212;  it  is, 
first,  the  tabernacle  of  Moses, 
expanded  later  into  the  tem- 
ple at  Jerusalem,  213;  sec- 
ondly, the  sanctuary  in  heaven, 
219;  how  cleansed,  222-227; 
importance  of  the  subject,  227, 
268 ;  in  heaven,  size  and  mag- 
nificence of,  477. 

Stand  up,  meaning  of.  279. 

South,  king  of  the^.  who,  283,  343. 

Seleucus,  king  of  Syria,  fulfils 
Dan.  11 :  5,  284. 

Seleucus  Callinicus  i)hnidered  by 
Ptolemy,  286;  died  in  exile, 
286. 

Seleucus  Ceraunus  and  Antio- 
chus  "^fagnns  fulfil  Dan.  11 : 
10,   287. 

Scopas  defeated  by  Antiochus, 
292. 

Syria  made  a  Roman  province, 
293. 

Siege  of  Jerusalem  bv  Titus,  315, 
316;   fulfilled  Deut.   28:53,  id. 

Shrinkage  of  Turkish  territorv, 
363. 

Seven  Spirits,  who,  405. 

Spirit,  to  be  in  tlie,  meaning  of 
the  expression,  415. 

Sabbath  pxists  in  this  dispensa- 
tion as  Lord's  day,  418. 

Smyrna,  meaning  of,  433. 


Sard  is,   meaning  of,   442. 

Seals,  the  seven,  explained,  481- 
519. 

Souls  under  the  altar,  who  and 
where,  490. 

Sun  darkened,  501-504. 

Stars,  falling  of,  507-510. 

Signs  in  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
objections   answered,  511-516. 

Seal  of  God,  what,  522-527. 

Silence  in  heaven,  why,  537. 

Saracens  and  Turks,  561. 

Spiritualism,  its  place  in  proph- 
ecy, 663. 

Sabbath,  by  whom  changed,  679. 

Seventh-day  Adventists,  -papers 
and  books,  751 ;  conferences 
and  missions,  752;  how  this 
woi'k  is  fulfilling  the  third  mes- 
sage, 754. 

Summary  of  Sabbath  arguments, 
755. 

Smoke  going  u])  forever,  814. 

Saints  reign  with  Christ,  825. 

THE  word  "king"  used  for 
"  kingdom,"  63. 

Toes  of  the  image  same  as  horns 
of  the  beast,  75. 

Ten  horns  represent  the  ten  king- 
doms which  arose  out  of  tlie 
old  Roman  empire,  76. 

The  ten  kingdoms  still  in  exist- 
ence in  modern  empires,  88. 

The  ten  kingdoms,  enumeration 
of,  150,  and  Ai)pendix  III,  879. 

Thrones  cast  down,  should  be 
rendered  "set  up,"  153. 

Third  part,  refers  to  the  divisions 
of  Rome,  542,  543. 

Titles  assumed  by  the  popes,  177. 

Time,  times,  and  a  half,  184. 

The  judgment   set,   when,   186. 

Testimony  of   Adventists.   249. 

Time  in  Dan.  11:24,  how  reck- 
oned. 309. 

Triumvirate,  wlio,  309. 

Two  returnings,  Dan.  11:28. 
what,  and  when,  315. 

Tripartite  divisioji  of  Rome,  317. 

Time  of  papal  oppression,  329. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


UOl 


Time  of  the  end,  when,  330. 

Turkey  dechires  war  aL'ainst 
France,  345;  fulfils  Dan.  11: 
40-44,  34G-350. 

Turkey's   future,    351-365. 

Turko-Kussian  war,  360. 

Time  of  Dan.  12:1,  366. 

Titles  of  Christ,  406,  407. 

They  which  pierced  him.  who, 
409 ;  how  these  who  died  so 
long  ago,  see  Christ  at  his  sec- 
ond advent,  410. 

Thyatira,  meaning  of,  4.'!7. 

Two  thrones  occupied  hy  Christ, 
460. 

Twelve  tribes  of  Israel  under  the 
gospel,  who,  531. 

The  144,000,  who,  532,  707;  in- 
clude all  who  die  under  third 
message,  760,  note. 

Trumpets,  the  seven,  exposition 
of,  539-558. 

Theodoric,  the  Ostrogoth,-  553. 

The  open  book,  588. 

Two-horned  beast  symbol  of 
America,   646. 

The  coming  crisis,  680. 

The  Constitution  violated,  692. 

The  danger  threatened,  696. 

Ten  virgins,  parable  of,  717,  724. 

The  three  messages  cumulative, 
746. 

The  relative  "which"  in  Rev. 
20:4,  826. 

Two  general  resurrections,  826. 

The  sea  no  more,  838. 

The  Father's  house,  839. 

Tree  of  life  illustrated,  856. 

The  general  invitation,  863. 

The  French  Revolution  and  our 
own  times,  Appendix  I,  871. 


UNTIL,  singidar  use  of  the 
word,  32,  explains  use  in  Matt. 
5:  18. 

Universal  empire,  meaning  of, 
50. 

VISION,   wonderful  channel  of, 

278,  399. 
Vision    of    Daniel    10,    date    of, 

207. 
Voice  of  the  great  words  which 

the  horn  spake,  155;  gives  the 

beast  to  the  burning  flame,  id. 
Yeni,     vidi,     vici,    the    occasion 

when  written,  299. 

WINDS  and  sea  as  symbols,  ex- 
plained, 140. 

Weeks,  the  seventy,  part  of  ths 
2300  days,  245;  when  to  be- 
gin, 250;  intermediate  dates, 
256-262;  their  termination, 
250;  genuineness  of  the  read- 
ying, 2300  days,  264. 

War  between  France,  Egypt,  and 
Turkey,  343. 

White  stone,  custom  of,  436. 

Word  of  Christ's  patience,  what, 
447. 

White  raiment,  meaning  of,  455. 

Winds,  holding  of,  fulfilled,  529. 

Witnesses,  the  two,  who,  501-611. 

War  in  heaven,  when,  625. 

Wound,  deadly,  healed,  641. 

"We  grew  into  empire,"  653. 

Wine  of  Babylon,   what,   734. 

Waters,  symbolic  meaning  of, 
791. 

XERXES,  his  mighty  army,  280. 
YEAR-DAY  principle,  253,  note. 


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with  the  difficulties  that  beset  a  growing  experience.  One  of  the 
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have  been  sold.  Recently  revised  and  illustrated.  An  excellent  work 
to  place  in  the  hands  of  an  unconverted  friend,  as  well  as  in  the  hands 
of  a  doubting  church-member.     Published  in  15  languages. 

Paper,  30  cents;  cloth,  plain  edges,  60  cents;  cloth,  gilt  edges,  $1. 


DATE  DUE 


BS1556.S66 

Daniel  and  the  Revelation  :  the  response 

IHIli"llliniii]i['^°'°^'"'  Se^ninary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00077  7476 


